Outside Looking In

This ring was made for an academic exhibition as an homage to potent, commercial, jewelry design.

8x6mm Alexandrite Cushion

I chose a lab-grown alexandrite , because the price-point is commercially appealing, and the color and color change phenomenon are lovely. The fact that lab-grown stones match the mineral composition of their natural counterparts perfectly was also a salable factor. The cut of lab-grown stones tends to be less than ideal, so I bought an oversize specimen and had it re-faceted into an elegant cushion. 

Ring Design

This is the original design. Notice the flattened top and front views; these are tremendously helpful and efficient when fleshing out a ring design.

Rhino Model

The model for this ring was completed and recorded in support of a course in advanced Rhino-modeling. Though the design was relatively simple, modeling it properly required sophisticated, precise surfacing. I also decided the ring would be more commercially viable with melee accents as indicated by the presets pictured here.

Fabricating the Piece

This was taken on the lapidary's counter. The alexandrite, a spare castable print, and the gold casting are resting on a copy of the designwork. Notice how hard florescent lighting brings out the cool side of the alexandrite.

This is the completed ring. The size of the melee is interesting. I have found 1.2mm to be ideal for commercial work; it is cost effective, but flashes much more impressively than half-point melee. Here, the alexandrite changes personality dramatically under warm lighting.  Commercially, this ring is viable and should sell well. The only padding I added was casting in 18k.