Stars Aren't Always in the Sky: Tourmaline, Colored Gem Ring

Designing Eye | Once Upon A Jewel

Stars aren’t always in the sky…

Blue Afghani Tourmaline Ring Colored Gems Palladium Custom Design

Stars are born, but not always in the heavens. For this project, we created what would be the star performer at my client’s anniversary soiree, a vivid Blue Tourmaline and colored gem mosaic ring that stole the show.

She came my way via a referral from someone I hadn’t seen in over twenty years. Her objective: to find a show stopping blue-green gem, much like a Paraiba Tourmaline she had seen.

However, my client did not want the stratospheric price tag that accompanied the Paraiba. I suggested we search for a rare teal-colored Tourmaline from Afghanistan. While I knew it might be difficult to find, I was certain it was the pop this ring needed. Trusting my judgment, she purchased the gem over the phone based solely on photos.

That turned out to be the easy part. She shared a photo of a ring for inspiration that was a bit like a wedding cake on steroids – so busy it was difficult to hack a visual trail to the beautiful gems in the ring. I did, however, admire the accompaniment of different colored gems around a center aquamarine. I sought to give her elegance and color interest, but in a clean, unified way that showcased the center Afghani Tourmaline.

Trial and error aptly describes the process we went through to find supporting stones. We needed gems that composed their own movement, while simultaneously supporting the teal Tourmaline. We looked at ombre patterns of different hued Tourmaline from light to dark, along with combinations of green-blue hues with multi-colored pastel gems. She opted for the latter.

We then selected the metal from which the setting would be comprised. Years ago, I began working with palladium. I gravitated toward it because unlike white gold, it does not have to be rhodium-plated, which wears over time, and unlike platinum, it is lighter on the hand. Once I designed and crafted the setting, it was time to integrate the stones. The center “star”, unlike most divas, was not difficult to set. However the side stones, mini-divas perhaps, arrived in rough form and needed ultra-precise cuts. I only hire the best in my industry to help me create the look and feel my clients’ want, and this includes my gem-cutter who narrowed the stones to fit within 0.05mm. Not centimeters, but millimeters! And toward the end of the project, in honor of the exuberant and expressive woman my client is, I added a diamond in the side gallery that waved hello as she waved hello to all the guests who attended her soiree. At that moment, a star was born.

Cynthia Renee Custom Design Blue Afghani Tourmaline Ring Colored Gems

Cynthia Renee Custom Design Blue Afghani Tourmaline Ring Colored Gems Design Process

Cynthia Renee Custom Design Blue Afghani Tourmaline Ring Colored Gems Final Ring

Custom-made palladium ring featuring 894 carat blue tourmaline and accented by 4-tanzanite-0.67 carats; 2-pink tourmaline=0.30 carats; 2-emerald=0.26 carats and 2-diamonds=0.10 carats. Size 6.

See Cynthia Renée's custom jewelry design portfolio here.