Published on by Olivier Maupas-Sehikyan · Rings
Some stories begin with a ring box, others with a little gold laid carefully on the workbench. This one belongs to the second kind. A client came to see me at my workshop in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes, with a wish that was simple to express and delicate to realise: to turn her gold into a bespoke Ceylon sapphire ring, in 18-carat yellow gold, set with a 3-carat cushion-cut sapphire and a diamond halo. Let me tell you how this ring came to life, because it sums up everything I love about my craft.
A bespoke ring that begins with listening
Before I pick up a single tool, I listen. It is the part of the work that is seen least, and yet it is what decides everything. My client told me what she had in mind, what she liked to wear, what felt like her. I let her speak, then asked a great many questions: about the shape of her hand, about everyday wear, about the place she wished to give to colour.
We then exchanged ideas and sketches. A line would be corrected, a proportion discussed, one detail removed so that another could breathe more freely. This back and forth may seem slow. It is nonetheless precious: it leads to a design in which she recognises her own vision, and not only mine.
A bespoke jewellery project in Nantes only makes sense if the finished piece resembles the person who wears it. Every detail counts, from the thickness of the band to the height of the stone.
The cushion-cut Ceylon sapphire: a blue that sets the scene
Choosing the Ceylon sapphire was the starting point of the design. Its deep, vibrant blue speaks of serenity and nobility, without ever raising its voice. The cushion cut, with its softened corners and generous facets, brings a classic elegance that suited the character of this project. At 3 carats, the stone has presence while remaining natural on the hand.
To show it to its best advantage, I chose to surround it with a diamond halo. This choice demands patience. Each diamond was selected with care and compared with its neighbours, so that the whole would harmonise with the central stone: a single one out of tune, and the balance is lost. When the selection is right, the halo acts like a light framing the blue and bringing it to life. The sparkle then dances with every movement of the wrist.
This dialogue between the sapphire and the diamonds is, in my eyes, the heart of this ring.
Transforming gold into jewellery: the work in the workshop
This is the part that moves me most. The gold my client had entrusted to me was not an anonymous material. It carried sentimental value, and every gram mattered to her, and therefore to me too. Transforming gold into jewellery means accepting a responsibility: that of giving it a second life without betraying it.
From drawing to casting
It all began with the drawing, redrawn at the scale of the ring, then with the wax model, which is adjusted until the volumes are exactly right. Then comes casting: the gold is brought to melting point, poured, then shaped into a solid, elegant band in 18-carat yellow gold. This stage does not forgive haste. I carried it out slowly, checking every movement.
Setting and polishing
The setting came next. The centre stone was placed in its mount, the claws adjusted to hold it firmly without making it heavy. The diamonds of the halo were then set one by one, under the loupe, because everything is decided in minuscule details. Finally, the polishing: the gold took on its warmth, its surfaces became smooth and luminous, and the ring ceased to be a project and became a piece of jewellery.
The finished ring, and what it tells
When the ring took shape before my eyes, I felt immense satisfaction. I make no secret of it. Tradition and modernity meet in it: the yellow gold, the age-old gestures of the workshop, and a contemporary line in which the blue of the sapphire stands out within a circle of diamonds.
This project also allowed me to forge a precious bond with my client. It is what I remember most. Beyond the creation of a ring, there is the trust she placed in me by handing over her gold. I find great joy in turning a dream into reality, in shaping jewellery that may one day become heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation. To take part in such moments is an honour.
If you too keep gold in a drawer, or a stone you do not know what to do with, come and talk to me about it. At my workshop in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes, we will take the time to look, to talk and to imagine together what your jewel could become. I shall be glad to hear your story.
