Published on by Olivier Maupas-Sehikyan · Rings
Some clients push open the door of my workshop with a project that is still taking shape, while others know exactly what they are looking for. The client I am telling you about today belonged to the second category. She wanted to transform an old piece of jewellery into something modern, elegant and deeply personal.
She entrusted me with several gold pieces, full of memories but now difficult to wear. I decided nothing straight away. I began by listening to her story, at length, then took the pieces in my hands to assess the metal, its weight and its signs of wear.
In my trade, nothing is left to chance. A successful transformation respects the original emotion while giving the metal a new identity. These pieces had lived a full life: they deserved better than being forgotten. From my workshop in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes, I regularly receive requests of this kind, and they move me every time.
Designing an 18-carat rose gold ring
I suggested a bold idea: an 18-carat rose gold ring, soft and warm, that would flatter her hand. The gold she had brought me would be melted, refined, then re-alloyed to achieve that distinctive rosy hue. Nothing would be lost. The original material would remain the same, simply transformed.
The design came gradually. We talked, we sketched side by side, and I worked sometimes by intuition, sometimes with the rigour of technique. One structure emerged as the obvious choice: a lattice across the top of the ring. This motif gives relief and movement, and above all a strong visual signature, recognisable at first glance.
But a ring is more than its mount. It must come alive and catch the light. That was when I thought of the ruby, a stone that seemed to me to suit my client's personality.
The ruby, or the art of a ruby ring
I presented her with several options, but the choice quickly became self-evident. Passion, love, energy: this precious stone carries powerful symbolism, and its intense red sits beautifully against the warmth of rose gold.
I selected a range of stones with great care, according to criteria on which I never compromise: colour, clarity, size and brilliance. At the end of this selection, I proposed a set of 10 rubies, perfectly calibrated to sit within the lattice. For a ruby ring, this regularity is essential: it guarantees a harmonious result.
Learning to read a stone
A ruby can range from vivid red to deep red, sometimes with a slight pink tinge. Its quality, however, reveals itself in its light. Loupe in hand, I showed my client the subtleties of each gemstone, like leafing through a book together. She chose to trust me and approved the purchase of the 10 rubies.
At that moment, the project took on a new dimension. We were no longer talking about a simple transformation, but about a genuine bespoke jewellery creation in Nantes. The design was finalised: the lattice would hold the stones in a balanced arrangement, and the setting would need to be precise, secure and beautiful. Every detail had been anticipated. All that remained was to make it.
In the workshop: melting, setting and polishing
It all happens here, in my workshop, and it is all done by hand. I consider this an essential stage, the point at which the design becomes tangible.
I began by melting my client's gold. It is a delicate operation: the metal is brought to a high temperature, then poured to form an ingot. It is then rolled, drawn and worked until it reaches the right suppleness. This is where the alloy is adjusted to obtain a true 18-carat rose gold, with a subtle tone.
Next comes the body of the ring. The metal is sawn, filed and fitted. The lattice is built with precision, each element soldered and then checked. I work by eye as much as with my precision tools, and the piece gradually takes shape, almost imperceptibly.
Setting, the most demanding gesture
Then comes the moment of setting. The rubies are positioned one by one, and this technique demands great mastery. I chose a setting suited to the lattice design, one that would show off the stones without upsetting the balance of the ring. Each stone must be held firmly while still letting the light through: the setting is meant to be both discreet and secure. There is no room for error here, so every movement is measured.
Once the stones were in place, I finished with the final touches. The piece is polished, softened and cleaned. Under the light, the rose gold began to glow and the rubies started to sparkle. The ring was finally revealing its full beauty.
Handing over the ring: a rebirth
When I presented the piece to my client, her emotion was immediate. She was not simply looking at a ruby ring. She saw a transformation, a rebirth. The gold she had once worn had become something else, and the stones brought it new energy.
I understand the value of such moments. Every project is unique, and every jewellery transformation, in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire as in Nantes, tells a different story. This 18-carat rose gold ring set with rubies embodies my way of working: combining traditional craftsmanship, creativity and emotion. It was born from a memory, transformed by technique and revealed by passion.
If you too have pieces of jewellery that you no longer dare to wear, or that you would love to see reborn, come and talk to me at the workshop. We will take the time to look at the pieces together, simply, over a coffee.
