This was also my client's intention when she approached me with three old diamond rings: her mother's wedding ring, her grandmother's wedding ring, and the ring her grandmother received when she gave birth to my client's mother. All the rings were in a rather sorry state: they had never been built particularly strong and many years of wear had left their mark. It wasn't even worth trying to repair the worn gold, unlike the diamonds which, naturally, showed not the slightest sign of wear after decades of love and everyday use.
Therefore, my client had made a decision: she wanted me to create a white gold ring that would bring together all her ancestors' diamonds into one ring. She had an overall idea of an S-shaped ring and was very clear about the importance of the diamonds being set in the exact correct genealogical order.
Drawing a piece of jewellery like this is always very interesting for both parties. Paper is, as you know, forgiving because anything can be changed and the drawing board doesn't catch you out. Therefore, sketches are also a great tool for trying out a number of ideas and variations before agreeing on a final design. I always start by drawing a loose rough sketch in pencil, before I tighten up the design with a thin marker pen. Furthermore, I often use coloured pencils to illustrate the different materials and gemstones, which also makes it easier for my clients to imagine the final design.
So, this is how we worked together – my client talked and I drew – and we relatively quickly arrived at a design where the bottom part of the ring ended with a 5mm beautiful blue-purple tanzanite. My client chose this gemstone because she loves the colour, but it also serves another purpose: the tanzanite was to have exactly the same dimensions as the diamond my client wears in her wedding ring. The plan is that when my client has passed away and this new ring, along with her wedding ring, are inherited by her daughter, the tanzanite will be replaced by the diamond from the wedding ring. In this way, my client's diamond will, in the future, take its rightful place amongst the matriarchs, so that the 4th generation of women in the family can carry on the legacy.
I love working on these kinds of projects and approach them with a certain humility and pride at having been chosen to handle jewellery of such great sentimental value, as is often the case. I always take great care to execute the design as closely as possible to my client's emotional intention, which in this case meant I had to carefully sort and store the individual diamonds in their own clearly marked bags, to be sure that the right diamonds were set in the right place.
I had a fantastic collaboration on the creation of the ring,
Karin understood immediately what I wanted.
I have subsequently received many positive comments on the ring.
Gitten Hammerberg
I am quite proud of the final result, and it is my hope that Gitten will smile and lovingly remember her female ancestors every time she wears this ring. If you would also like me to redesign any of YOUR heirloom jewellery, you are welcome to contact me for a no-obligation design consultation.
Blog categories
