10 Unique Engagement Rings from 2013
Ever since the very first one-of-a-kind engagement ring we crafted, Green Lake has been fashioning increasingly delicate, precise, and creative custom pieces year after year. The art of fine jewelry making demands decades of skillful apprenticeship that evolves into confident mastery. Artists at Green Lake are ever chasing new design challenges, creative interpretations of old world techniques, and above all, the opportunity to out-do themselves. Here are 10 custom engagement rings made in 2013 that truly embody this pursuit:
THE LINE UP
1 – Gold and Platinum Pierced Mounting with Pear-Cut Center
Yellow gold made a huge comeback this year, especially high carat weight. This custom mounting in 18kt yellow gold with an ornately pierced platinum setting (which is actually re-purposed from an heirloom pendent) is an absolutely stunning example. The ring seems to bear all the hallmarks of crown jewels – from the flowing scrolls and meticulously milgrained edges to the decadent appeal of its pear cut center diamond – yet looks like nothing we’ve ever seen before. This is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind piece!
2 – Platinum Leaf & Vine Ring with Green Diamonds and Kite-Shaped Center Setting
Many clients seek out Green Lake to craft their ring for our specialty in making subtle, botanically inspired bridal jewelry that’s not too fussy, but still sophisticated and contemporary all the same. This custom engagement ring really captures that sentiment: The platinum is modernized with a cool matte finish; the filigree is thicker and its under-and-over weaving bring the pattern alive; and the green side diamonds, as well as the kite-shaped setting of the center diamond, all combine to make this ring a lively, vibrant work of art.
3 – Heirloom Inspired Rose Gold Halo Setting with Rose Cut Center Diamond
Rarely seen in bridal jewelry nowadays (save for antique pieces), the rose cut diamond harkens back to an earlier period of hand-cut diamonds throughout Europe. Perhaps for its namesake, this diamond has been set into a halo mounting of 14k rose gold and the genuine look of old world craftsmanship is completed with ornate filigree in its gallery and a delicate wheat pattern on the side face, demonstrating an exemplary skill in hand engraving.
4 – Euro-cut Diamond & Opal Ring
With the geometric symmetry and delightful complexity of a Moorish tile, this custom platinum ring centers on an old European-cut diamond center and is framed by opaque blue opals. Fine milgrain applied to every angle of this exceptional ring is just one of its many surprising and subtle details. When clients come to Green Lake with their hearts set on a ring as tailored as this one is, artists really have to step up how they envision and execute making a ring like no other – this one definitely counts as a memorable ring we made in 2013!
5 – Carved Engagement Ring in Platinum
We love to share our most innovative work online, and when we shared this one earlier in the year, thousands of people were quick to let us know just how much they liked it, making this ring the people’s choice from 2013. While the settings are relatively simple, the delicately carved platinum and whimsically curling branches that wrap across the finger makes this ring not only aesthetically beautiful, but fun to wear as well.
6 – Diamond Lotus Ring in Warm White Gold
We at Green Lake strive to illicit the ‘Oh my God, where did you get that ring??’ reaction for our clients, who will wear a piece from us for a lifetime. Using a warmer tone of white gold (that is, an alloy with less nickel content), a stunning round diamond center, and lightly layered petals throughout, this lotus ring is sure to attract a lot of questions like these for the wearer. It’s definitely a piece that screams custom-built – it’s not something you can just go out and buy, and it is absolutely one of our favorites!
7 – Yellow Diamond Mounting with Antique Details
Green Lake fashions many beautiful rings with bold, pierced patterns leading up to the center stone, but this particular ring from 2013 is captivating for two reasons: First, just look at that color! Yellow diamonds really pop when set into the crisp white luster of palladium. Secondly, that intricately carved pattern – what seem like tightly curled fern fronds – lends a rich and regal texture to the band, making this ring a definite stand-out this year.
8 – White Gold Daisy Ring with Rose-Cut Center
What a year for old European rose cut diamonds! With this white gold flower ring, however, the rose cut isn’t seeking to emulate an heirloom, but rather to modernize a classic with bold shapes in high polish. On the hand, this ring is obviously custom made, designed specially and specifically for one person only – and that’s exactly what we want!
9 – Platinum and Sapphire Wrap Ring with Diamonds
The intense and uniform color in over 7cts worth of these natural blue sapphires is what really makes this platinum mounting a piece to showcase for 2013. What’s more, the fishtail set diamonds and organic flow of this wrap design make it an especially breathtaking original.
10 – Delicate Antique Style Engagement Ring in Platinum
Good things do come in small packages! This hand-engraved platinum and diamond engagement ring is incredibly delicate – and with tiny little hand fabricated feathers in the side panels, unbelievably detailed. For many jewelers at Green Lake, working on this scale is where serious skills are required and serious talent proven. Go small or go home.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
As a jewelry studio that spends so much time creating rings (not just selling them), there is a story behind each piece we craft. Narrowing a year’s worth of work down to a short list of 10 is really impossible. The rings selected above represent a few of the wonderfully unique specialties Green Lake offers, but by no means cover our entire portfolio. To keep up on our latest and greatest creations, follow our Pinterest page, where there are even more pieces from the past year you might just fall in love with!