She said “Yes”!
I was approached by Paul to make a bespoke amethyst engagement ring ready for him to ‘pop the question’ to his partner sometime later in the year. Rachael only wears silver jewellery and Paul wanted the ring design not only to reflect her interests but also to be made using eco-friendly recycled silver.
Passionate about the environment and the natural world
Having spent time as a dive master working on oceanic conservation, Paul’s design brief also specified that due to her active lifestyle, the ring should not have any components or details that could catch so the stone needed to be set in an enclosed setting. As a monumental stone carver, Paul had a clear vision of his idea for the ring which he shared with me.
Using Paul’s initial design as a starting point, I carved the ring from wax, keeping him up to date with adaptations and changes as the design evolved. The final piece incorporates rolling waves and rounded leaves which curl around the deep purple amethyst – purple being Rachael’s favourite colour. I incorporated an asymmetric detail on the shoulders of the ring for added interest and carved the detail deep into a thick and bold shank to give it a contemporary and modern look.
The ring captured all that was important to the ‘bride to be’
Cast by a specialist casting company to assure all the detail is picked out, the highly polished and finish compliments the richness of the amethyst’s colour and sparkle. Presenting a commission piece to a client is always slightly nerve wracking and especially so with an engagement ring. Even though I had sent Paul photographs all the way through the project to keep him fully involved in it’s development, I was delighted to hear his response to the finished ring.
‘Stunning – pretty but not too delicate’. Paul expressed that he was pleased it had evolved from his original design and that my ‘vision of what he’d wanted was spot on’.
The proposal (codenamed ‘P Day’) was set to take place on the couple’s removal date but, with 2020 Covid restrictions and the inevitable hold ups that arise with house purchases, ‘P’ Day took place, a little later than expected so both Paul and I had to keep very quiet about the project for a few more weeks.
On none other than ‘Friday 13th’, Paul’s luck was in and Rachael said “YES”! In their excitement, they rang me on the day to let me know Rachael absolutely loved the ring especially as it captured all that is important to both herself and Paul.
Congratulations Paul and Rachel. I wish you much love and luck in your life together and thank you for the chance to play a small part in your story.