Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Jewel of the Month: Heart-Shaped-Diamond Ring

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December’s Jewel of the Month had two inspirations. I first blogged about it in October, when I mentioned that I was working on a ring that was partly a tribute to this photo of Yoko Ono.

This issue of Rolling Stone came out in October 1981. I was always attracted to the solemnity of this photo: the direct gaze partially veiled by the sunglasses and the black top enlivened, just the tiniest bit, by what appears to me to be a heart-shaped diamond pendant.

I’ve had mixed feelings about heart-shaped gems because some are cut poorly and look too flat across the top — more triangular than heart-shaped. The same issue arises with bezel settings for heart-shaped stones. I generally prefer bezel settings to prong settings, but it’s easier for a jeweler to create a setting that is more triangular than truly heart-shaped. Yoko’s photo made me want to create a bold jewel with a perfectly shaped and perfectly set heart-shaped diamond.

Meanwhile, I wanted to add to my collection of Gravity rings, so called because they’re extra hefty. I designed the original chunky Gravity ring in 2001 for my own wedding because I wanted something that didn’t look like a typical wedding band. (The fact that I wear it on my right hand — it’s too wide to fit on the same finger as my engagement ring — adds to that non-wedding-band effect.) Here’s the original ring.

The original Gravity ring. Click for more information.

While creating a wedding band for my gorgeous friend Jen this year, I went back to that 2001 concept. Jen didn’t have an engagement ring, so her wedding band needed to be an important-looking ring, not some wimpy little thing. Here’s the result:

Click for the post on Jen's custom wedding band.

You can’t miss it, right?

Jen's ring on her wedding day. You can also glimpse the ring I designed for her husband, Kevin.

There are no rings visible in this wedding photo but I had to share it anyway because it’s beautiful.

Jen and Kevin smooch.

Anyway, after doing Jen’s ring, I started liking the idea of a single, chunky ring for certain customers instead of both an engagement ring and wedding band. As I saw with Jen, a big, modern-looking band makes as much of a statement as an engagement ring does. Other pluses:

  • It’s unisex: A man and a woman could have matching rings. It would also work for two women getting married, or two men.
  • It’s ergonomic: The stones are set flush with the metal, or nearly so. You won’t get it snagged on anything, the way you might with a ring with a very high setting.
  • It’s versatile: It doesn’t have to be worn as wedding jewelry at all. I often wear the gold-and-black-diamond Gravity ring on my right index finger and I have several gorgeous customers who also wear that version as a right-hand ring.

Still, I might not have proceeded with another Gravity style this year if I hadn’t had a strong interest in a heart-shaped diamond. Many of my designs result from a merging of two separate aesthetic impulses. In this case, the combination was irresistible. Here is my new creation and December’s Jewel of the Month.

WendyB's heart-shaped diamond ring. Photo by SquareMoose.

The band is just over 1/4″ wide. The original Gravity ring is 7/16″ wide. I want to offer a variety of widths, as well as a variety of gems. And just to show that the ring can be worn on a variety of fingers, here it is on my thumb.

I give this thumb ring two thumbs up.

When I first saw the wax model of this ring, the setting was not perfectly heart-shaped. My goldsmith saw my expression and said, “I know! I know! This is just to show you the width of the band.” As you can see, he got the setting just right. He knows what I like. (He also knows I’ll never accept any work that isn’t exactly what I want.)

This ring will be made to order. The original is platinum but it can also be done in 14K or 18K gold.  Price will depend on your choice of gem and metal. If you’re interested in creating your own ring, holla at me at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com.

I’ve been mulling over a possible new name for the Gravity ring line — something more descriptive of my vision of this style as an engagement ring/wedding band blend. I wish the phrase “One ring to rule them all” didn’t belong to The Lord of the Rings! And before you suggest it, “my precious” is definitely out.

If you have a great name idea for this ring style, leave it in the comments. If I use yours, I’ll send you a silver Teeny Genie necklace, so put your thinking caps on.

NOTE: The new name would apply to all existing or future “Gravity” styles, not just the heart ring.

UPDATED TO ADD: Thanks for all the great suggestions! I’m going to do some heavy-duty thinking about the name and don’t expect to make a decision until after the new year. Feel free to keep submitting ideas until I make an announcement.

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Comments

  1. I’m really no good at this sort of thing as a rule. I’d call it the “One Love” ring. Or “One Heart”. Sort of like the Bob Marley song.

    Hey. Or “One love, one heart” 🙂

    I’ll stop now.

    It’s very pretty by the way.

  3. ok, gorgeous! – and also I have a special spot in my heart for yoko ono – I still believe I look exactly like her son in female form, but then again, I’m a little bit batty so they say! Anyway, I love the unified engagement/wedding ring combo – I tried to choose my rings so they would look like one in fact. This naming challenge will drive me nuts all day, but I’ll be thinking about it. I’d really like a shot at a teeny genie necklace lol. 🙂 I’ve had way too many Margaritas tonight to think of anything remotely good but things like “you’re adjoined for life, why shouldn’t your rings be” or “love without seems” keep coming to mind – hey, just brainstorming here lol. : ).. I don’t know. hmm, I better think more about this later – Love that heart setting! How about just the “forever” ring lol.. because the ring sort of follows the couple from meeting to to proposal to marriage, and beyond – amour pour tojours – all just thoughts! <3

  4. I got it: « Le Cœur de la question » , “the heart of the matter” en français. I chose that name because a) it’s based off of your Gravity line, b) there is a heart involved, therefore c) chose a proper phrase that best sums up the heft of the ring and the sentiment for which it stands, then dressed up in French because French is a romantic (and Romantic) language, allowing the phrase to be more beautiful–to match the ring–than it would be in English.

    And there you go. Beautiful ring collection madame ; this one definitely belongs with the others.

  6. Nice one. What’d the carat weight of the heart-shaped diamond normally be?

    For the name, how about “Concordia”? Latin for unity or harmony.

  7. Wow, everyone is coming up with amazing ideas! Keep it up, peeps!

    Lynn, this particular diamond was 74 points. I imagine it will stay somewhere in that vicinity. Maybe in the 60 to 74 point range.

    • Well, I must save up to get the 0.74 on my finger then – that’s my birth year! Or anyone can be as kind as indulge in the holiday gifting spirit for my sake, LOL!

      What contributes to the gravity in a relationship? UNITY! There you go Wendy, use “Concordia”! (Talk about self selling, haha!)

  9. Hi my dear-this new ring is truly stunning, so flawless and unique and based on the fact you were influenced by Yoko Ono, I’m suggesting ‘Oceana’ as the ring name, a variant of her literal name in Japanese-Ocean Child. Thanks for your fab comment too, I like being your ‘reverse twin’!!

  10. Gorgeous! And does your goldsmith anticipate your eyeroll!

    Here are my name propositions for the ring

    1. Heartfelt

    2. Cherish

    3. Melusine (just ‘cos I love that name!)

    4. Cariad ( Welsh for love)

    5. Amour (no explanation needed!)

    I’m done!
    xx

  11. Hey dear Wendy!
    Ok, here it goes

    . I Want to Hold Your Hand
    . Let Us Be
    . Love Me Do
    . Come Together
    . All In

    This Last one is from the poker bet \”all in\”, when you take the risk and take a step forward, when you believe.
    The other ones remember me the beatles, Yoko Ono and her love, eternal love and the universe. I love the “come together” suggestion.
    🙂

    good luck with the name!

  12. I have to say I like Vegetable Assasins ideas.

    But there must be a John Lennon or Yoko Ono song about love that would be good too. Let me think on it!

  15. I am suggesting dearheart, because it’s one of my favourite ‘older times’ terms of affection (got to say I’m absolutely in love with the suggestion in French though). Along a loose gravity theme maybe The Attractions of the Heart.

  18. covenant.

    Seriously, this is classic and edgy and amazing, way more beautiful than Reinstein-Ross or ???

    I genuinely love it and when I find and tame my billionaire, I would quite like this.

  20. Since you want it for the whole line, I’d call them Gravitas since it implies both the heavy weight of the pieces, but also the potential emotional importance.

  23. “szerelem” – that is the Hungarian word for “love”.

    I know you will not choose this because your customers will not be able to pronounce it but I like the word 🙂
    xoxo

    p.s. the ring is wonderful, as always!
    xoxo

  24. Well, if it was just for the heart ring, I would say the “With Heavy Heart” ring. But for the full line, I’m going to share my favorite favorite phrase (and philosophy) to name the collection:

    The Éminence grise collection.

    For those sho are not familiar – it means “the grey eminence” or “the power behind the throne”. Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89minence_grise

  25. My Heart is Bound to Another

    loose Latin (thanks to a site)

    Meus Pectus pectoris est Reus ut Alius

  27. I am really diggin’ this ring! It’s perfect Wendy … love love love it!

    How about “Yes”. You could then refer to it as the “Yes Ring” … It’s a ring to pop the question with, a ring to make your vows with .. Yes!

    🙂

    Beautiful work!!

  28. When I read you wanted ideas on how to name the ring, my first thought was “One Love”. Then I saw someone else already suggested it, ugh But thought I’d say it anyway since I really do think the name fits well, and not just for one ring but for a whole collection of rings. “One Love” concept seems to be fittign to teh diea you expressed about such rings being great for same sex couples too. So yeah, mayeb if a few people came up with it, there’s something in it?

    Anyways, while reading your post I had some other thoughts too 🙂 What I really like about your blog is teh fact that you let us in on some of the jewelry making process, I love learning what’s going on “behind the scenes” and some more specific things regular customers don’t usually know about. So yeah, thank you for that 🙂

    P.S. The couple shot IS pretty cool!

  29. I’d call it maybe ‘Single Love’. All in one that is.
    Or why not ‘Uniquely Yours’ or then again ‘Forever Bound’, ‘One Love’, ‘Loving You Uniquely’, ‘One Big Band’. Can you see that I love brainstorming names, dear Wendy! Call me up anytime;)

  30. For some Yoko Ono related names….

    Wish Piece (from her 1996 project entitled “Wish Tree”)
    YES (from the “Y E S YOKO ONO” retrospective exhibition and what women hopefully say when proposed to!)
    Revolution 9 (from The White Album, I just kinda like it)
    Rock of Gibraltar (where Ono and Lennon married and that’s a beauty of a rock)
    Imagine Peace (from her Imagine Peace Tower memorial)

    OMG I can’t stop, this is too much fun!

  32. Absolutely gorgeous! I would LOVE one day in the life of Wendy Brandes – watching these amazing creations go from conception to creation (although I’m sure that takes way longer than a day – figure of speech). It is fascinating to hear the background and evolution of your jewelry.

  34. That ring is the perfect size for her (Jen). It’s very noticeable, but still elegant. Your heart ring is just precious!!

  36. I always learn so much from your jewelry design posts, Wendy. I had no idea a perfect heart shape was so hard to do–it looks so deceptively simple. Whatever you decide to name the new design, it’s definitely a stunner.

  37. For the whole line: Solemnity

    Loved the Eminence Grise idea on many levels, or maybe just Eminence – a position of prominence or superiority.

  39. I have to say, I rather like the name gravity – a force pulling all things to the center – or rather, to you, wearing the ring.

    And your three versions are beautiful – the engagement ring you did for your friend is my favorite!

  45. How about the Commitment? I kind of like it with Band added on, a commitment band sounds like a real term like engagement ring.

  46. p.s. love it! More suggestions: Heart of Stone (what can I say, I like song references!?). Or, simply: My Heart…. I Heart…. I Give You My Heart.

  47. My suggestions:

    1. A Band Apart – now that the studio is no more, this great name is once again available to jewelers. Also references the French New Wave classic, Bande à part.

    2. Pendulum – in keeping with the gravity theme, named for the first device used to demonstrate gravity. For extra points, you could call it Foucault’s Pendulum…but that’s pretty nerdy. Also, a pendulum’s weight is round.

    3. Astrolabe – one of the most beautiful devices ever made, used for navigation since ancient times.

    Not a name, but still very cool. http://www.ponderabout.com/archives/706/the_paradox_of_the_infinite_circle.aspx

  49. Wendy– How about “Ever After”. (or “Happily Ever After”). Simple, memorable, and brands the collection as wedding and engagement. I love the picture of Jen that you posted! As Jen’s friend, I have seen with my own eyes the simply beautiful wedding ring that you have designed for her! I wished Jen happiness “Ever After”, which is what led me to this name.