Love Story Reno

Gwen of perfumeniche has a love story for us! 

When her wonderful son met an equally wonderful young woman shortly after a move to Vancouver, he knew fairly soon that he wanted their story to last for life, and before proposing, asked his parents if there were any family pieces he might use. He remembered an elegant retro cocktail ring his paternal grandmother had worn.

The piece is a peek back in time, when at soirées women held something dainty like a Brandy Alexander, their rings on display:

The original in profile shows the high setting; this is typical of 20th century cocktail (also called "dinner" or "dress") rings.

The vintage emerald was offered to the couple when they visited Gwen and her husband Keith at Christmas. 

Gwen regularly restyles her own jewellery, and we discovered we are both devoted to the same jewellers. Her son had seen some of these projects; the couple booked an appointment to visit the atelier who made those, Artwork By Collins and Chandler in Toronto.  

But that's us—would the beauty who would wear the ring be as taken with the Artwork aesthetic? She had built a file of ideas, and wanted to balance her practical life with her inherently fun-loving nature—nothing too stiff, serious, "look at me".

Visiting Artworks with the ring

Don's technical skills and deep knowledge make every visit an education. Pam has an unerring eye for a sense of how the client will carry a certain style. Here, the couple learn from him, and experience the Artwork ethos: absolutely no corners cut for their stunning pieces.  

Don advised them to choose something other than the emerald for the engagement ring; emeralds are fragile for daily use. I have seen some over a century old that look lively still, because they have not had hard wear, but an ER is a ring many women wish to wear every day, without worry. The couple are global nomads and avid travellers, and she wanted the ring to come along too. 

Only diamond and the corundums (sapphire and ruby) are durable enough for such use, and even those stones sometimes need repair. But the diamonds, cut to sparkle for the ages! Ms. C. had been researching, thinking, sensing what she wanted to wear. She liked mixed metals, something with presence but low-profile, a graceful simplicity.  

Here is her ring before the diamonds were set: two swirls of yellow and white gold:

And then, the music: two bands of diamonds, and a brushed finish on the gold making it current and also more casual. The art is the detail: how the diamonds end before the very edges, playing off geometry against the softly-rounded bombé setting:

The official proposal happened in a romantic French inn. The couple visited Gwen and Keith a week later in Paris, for hugs and toasts. Gwen said her prospective daughter -in-law cycled through the summer streets in a maxi dress and heels! In love and in Paris—and in a ring like no one else's, sparkling with sentiment, but absolutely of the moment.

I know you are wondering what became of the emerald. She is nestled back in her box for now, with ideas for a pendant down the road. Everything unfolds before them, and a family lineage continues.