well, it was a long slog

[movie zombie]

and filled with ups and downs. picking out the stone was the easy part and a no brainer once i saw the 8.18 spessartite in april 2005. it took me until december 1, 2005 to finalize and commit to a design and turn over said spess to Gleim in los altos. it then winged its way to hawaii where garry ewing implemented the design and completed a wax. however, due to health issues with my deisgner at Gleim and my own broken ankle and attendance at movie festivals, i didn''t see the wax until April 6, 2006. the call came yesterday and the ring was on my finger by 430p: 8.18 spessartite set east/west in 22k hammered gold mounting [band is almost 1 cm wide] with an 18K polished bridge beneath the stone to provide structure integrity AND act as a mirror for the pavillion which also serves to bounce back and around all that lovely orange dispersion that comes off this particular spess. looks like it could have come from an archaeological dig but then got updated a bit.

it is very unusual for an e-ring but we love it. my husband can''t take his eyes off it when i''ve got it on. it is not, however, an e-ring that will be worn 24/7. and while i know one is not supposed to wear ''mixed'' metals together, i can still wear my 2mm 18k gold wedding ring with it! its a good thing, though, that i was already used to wearing large, heavy [this baby is 20.3 grams], and high sitting rings! it is extremely comfortable to wear and doesn''t twist on my finger at all.

i''ve taken some pictures and will try to post some late tonight or early a.m. garry has taken some also as he loved how it turned out and is adding it to his portfolio. i''ll post his as well when rec''d. i''m sure his shots will be better.

movie zombie

ps thanks for the personal e-mails that encouraged me to follow my own dream and checking in to see how things were going!

 

[monarch64]

Anxiously awaiting pics, and Congrats, MZ!!!!

It sounds fabulous!

 

[Kaleigh]

How exciting, I''m on pins and needles waiting to see these pics. I know it will be fabulous!!!

 

[Gypsy]

WOW... just reading about it... can''t wait for the pics! I''m sure it''s going to be very striking and beautiful.

 

[Ann]

Oh man, I am going to my daughter''s college grad tomorrow, but I really want to see this. Can you post before 6am Central Friday? ha ha.

 

[movie zombie]

one or two for the road, Ann!

movie zombie

 

[movie zombie]

 

[movie zombie]

one more, movie zombie

 

[Kismet]

Wow! That is some ring movie zombie. I love, love, love the top down shot, so orange and sparkly. I think we need some more hand shots that show more of your hand.

 

[Catmom]

Wow, very unique ring, Movie Zombie! The color of your stone is fantastic and so sparkly!!!

 

[belle]

it''s set! wow...congrats mz! i am soo very happy for you. i LOVE the hammered gold. love it. please post more pics!

yay!

 

[strmrdr]

WOW

word:
kicken!

 

[KristyDarling]

Unbelievable!!! I adore it!!! The color of that spess is too beautiful for words, and the setting is truly incredible. I love hammered gold!

 

[FireGoddess]

WOW - that spess is GORGEOUS!!! And in the hammered gold setting....*swoon*. Just too STUNNING for words!!!

 

[widget]

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! It''s just gorgeous, MZ...and so worth the wait!

The hammered high karat gold is incredible! That baby (and that designer) certainly belongs over in AGBF''s fav gold designer thread.

Heartiest congratulations to you. Well done, my dear!!!

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[hlmr]

I LOVE IT!!!!

What an amazing and unique design! It turned out just gorgeous! Congrats!

 

[movie zombie]

thank you, everyone! the pictures don''t do it justice but these are the best of the ones i took yesterday. i actually have one picture of it in a jewlers'' box which shows the orange dispersion ''dots'' on the raised lid. it is overcast today so no more attempts at pictures until this storm comes and goes.

movie zombie

 

[Kaleigh]

I LOVE IT!!!!!! Wow MZ it looks great. Yay for you!!!!

 

[innerkitten]

Fantastic! I love it, the 22k gold goes so well with the bright orange stone and the setting is so unique. It''s one of the coolest rings I''ve seen in a while. How did you decide on the design? Where did you get the stone?
It really makes me want a spessartite set in gold!
Congrats on having it all finally come together

 

[kcoursolle]

Your ring is stunning! I''m sure people are going to stop you all the time and ask you about the stone and the setting, because it''s really like nothing else out there. I love love love the hammered yellow gold with the orange, it''s a great combination. Yellow gold is also becoming quite in style these days. You will have to take a few more pictures of this ring, it''s quite spectacular!

 

[woobug02]

WOWOWOWOWOW!!!

GOURGOUS!!!! LOVE IT

 

[colormyworld]

I know others have said this but I can''t help myself. WOW!!!!
The spessartite goes so well with the look of the high kt gold and the hammered finish looks incrediable. What a package!
Be careful with that one because I believe it could give you a sunburn on a cloudy day.
Congrats CMW

 

[Gypsy]

HOLY CRAP! That looks just FREAKING FANTASTIC... reminds me of a piece of facetted lava in a gold setting. It glows!! SO AMAZING.

 

[MJO]

Congrats MZ the ring came out beautiful.

Maurice

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Very beautiful....very unique...in short, I love it.

cheers--Sharon

 

[movie zombie]

again, thank you for the kind words. i cannot begin to tell you how much i am enjoying wearing this ring! i was very specific about what i wanted [see the pavillion, hammered 22k gold, some bezeling, euro style shank, etc.]. there was a birkakis and johns ring in the store at the time that gave me inspiration and was a springboard for the 'designer'....it is actually very very different from that ring but it gave an example of what i like.

got the picture from the gary ewing and as promised, i'm posting it.

movie zombie

eta: again, none of the pictures, including this one do it justice! in this picture, the stone doesn't look like much more than colored glass; however, the appraiser says it sparkles like a diamond!

 

[colorchange]

Your ring is really very nice and unusual, the design is excellent !

 

[AGBF]

MZ,

It is an exceptional ring. As I said in another thread, I love its sleek, modern lines. I also like the hammered finish that makes it look as if it could be thousands of years old!

The side view took my breath away. Until now I had only seen one face up shot. The side view, in which one can see so much of the spessartite, is amazing. I hope you feel it was worth the wait. You experienced some frustrations along the path to the final product, but I think your knowing exactly what you wanted served you well!

Wear it in good health!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[MINE!!]

WOW WOW WOW Congrats MZ!!! It is more beautiful than ever!!! WOW!! The setting does the stone justice IMO! It looks beautiful.. Congratulations Spess sister!

BTW.. you are in serious voilation of PScope gem lovers rules. You have only posted min. pics of that ring and you must post MORE!!!!!!

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 5/19/2006 1:35:13 PM
Author: innerkitten
Fantastic! I love it, the 22k gold goes so well with the bright orange stone and the setting is so unique. It's one of the coolest rings I've seen in a while. How did you decide on the design? Where did you get the stone?
It really makes me want a spessartite set in gold!
Congrats on having it all finally come together

the stone came from richard wise. the design came from looking and looking and looking and not seeing anything that was 'me'. wandered into gleim jewelers in los altos one afternoon in november and saw a birkakis and johns ring sort of gurhan style. got to talking with todd norquist, one of gleim's employees, and he said based on what i was saying i wanted, my casual dress style, and my other jewelry that he could 'see' the ring. it was a great collaboration! he clued in on my love or archeology pieces in museums and yet something practical for the spess. he proceeded to sketch a drawing that was it with very few modifications, example: sides are less rounded and therefore fit my finger without causing discomfort to the fingers on either side.

i love this ring! in some ways it is plain and simple but it screams elegance. it was definitely worth the wait.

this spess has quite a travel history: it is nigerian and ended up with richard on the east coast before coming to me in california where it then went to hawaii to be set! if stones could talk!

movie zombie