Published on by Olivier Maupas-Sehikyan · Rings
A client pushed open the door of my workshop in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes, with a very clear idea that was nonetheless difficult to put into words. He wanted a yellow gold engagement ring, and he wanted to present it on an anniversary. It was a date already dear to his heart, to which he wished to add a promise.
I remember that first conversation. He circled around the subject, speaking of colours, of softness, of what he hoped to see in the eyes of the person he loves as she opened the box. I let him talk. In a workshop, this is often where everything begins: we listen before we draw.
An engagement ring designed for an anniversary
To give an engagement ring on an anniversary is to bathe two events in the same light. My client was not looking for a showy piece of jewellery. He was looking for the right one, a ring that resembles the woman who would wear it and that can be worn every day, without ever becoming a showcase object.
So we took the time for a proper consultation. I asked my usual questions: her style, her habits, the hand that would receive the ring, what she likes and what she avoids. Then we spoke about the stone and the metal, for one cannot be considered without the other.
Why 18-carat yellow gold
The choice of metal came fairly quickly. 18-carat yellow gold has the warm tone my client had in mind, the kind that warms the skin rather than cooling it. It is made up of 75% pure gold, the remainder being alloys that give it its strength. The result is a sturdy metal, able to withstand the years and the gestures of daily life without losing its shape.
For an engagement ring, this quality matters enormously. It will be worn every day, knocked against a door handle, dropped into a bag. I always prefer a metal that reassures to one that merely impresses.
The oval aquamarine, a blue that soothes
At the centre, we chose a 9x7 mm oval aquamarine. I laid several stones before him on my workbench, and this is the one he chose without hesitation. Its pastel blue, very soft, evokes clear water, purity, a certain serenity. There is something calm in this colour that suits a commitment well.
The oval shape slightly lengthens the finger and gives the piece a classic style, without excess. The eye is drawn to the stone and its reflections, while the yellow gold surrounds it like a warm frame. The pairing of these two tones, tender blue and gold, gives this aquamarine and yellow gold ring its whole personality. The stone is, moreover, hard-wearing enough for regular use, provided it is treated with a little care.
From wax to setting: how it was made in the workshop
The drawing and the wax
It all began with a sheet of paper and a pencil. I drew several proposals for the mount, which we looked at together, adjusted, and sometimes abandoned. Once the design was approved, I carved the model in wax. It is a stage I particularly enjoy: the ring finally exists in three dimensions, one can hold it, turn it in the light, and check that the proportions suit the stone.
Casting and finishing the mount
This wax model was then transformed into gold by casting, using the lost-wax technique. The mount that emerges from the mould is still rough. It must be worked with a file, adjusted, and the seat for the stone cut to the nearest millimetre. Here, the work is one of patience: a single heavy-handed movement and the balance is lost.
Setting the aquamarine
Then comes the most delicate moment, the setting. The stone takes its place in the mount, and I close the metal around it, grain by grain, so that it is held firmly without being crushed. A meticulous setting ensures the stone's security and lets light pass through, and with it the blue. I check every point of contact, several times, under the loupe.
Polishing completed the work. It restores the deep lustre of the yellow gold and removes the last traces of the tools. When the ring came out of this final stage, I knew it was ready.
Presenting the ring and caring for it
My client came back to the workshop to see it. He looked at it for a long while without saying anything, then he smiled. I was not present when the ring was given, a moment that belonged to him alone, but I can easily imagine the scene: an anniversary, a ring box, a soft blue resting on gold. That is all I wished for this piece: that it should carry a happy moment and then accompany them for a long time.
To keep it sparkling, a few simple habits are enough:
- avoid contact with chemicals (household products, perfumes, creams)
- clean the stone gently with soapy water and a very soft brush
- have the ring checked regularly at the workshop, to inspect the setting and restore the gold's shine
These measures are simple, and they extend the life of a piece you hope to pass down one day.
Let us talk about your bespoke ring project
If you are thinking of an engagement ring, of an anniversary to mark, or simply of a piece of jewellery that reflects who you are, you are welcome to come and talk about it at the workshop in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, near Nantes. We will take the time to discuss it over a coffee, with a few stones and a pencil. Nothing more, and that is already a great deal.
