Do you take time to think about where an object comes from, and how it is made?
The rough blue sapphire was especially chosen by the bride-to-be, (imagine a girl in a lolly shop...) and then skilfully ground and polished, facet by facet- by a man who
lives geometry- Doug Menadue of Bespoke Gems, Sydney. Apparently, the land where this stone was found is now closed to prospectors, making it all the more rare.
I was really excited to be able to bring together a fully Australian ensemble- this adds real value to the provenance, because many gems, (including
Australian diamonds and sapphires!)- are cut in India, Bangladesh and Thailand, likely under working conditions that would be unacceptable in the West.
It would make a bride weep if she knew. But not this bride!
Did you know? -Although this stone is a sapphire, the long octagonal shaped cut is called an 'emerald cut'- because it was developed to best show the colour of an emerald. Nowadays it remains a popular shape for diamonds and sapphires, as well as the eponymous emerald.
Specifications: Custom-made 18ct white gold engagement ring- featuring a 3.1ct natural Australian sapphire from Lava Plains, Queensland. Goldsmithing by David Neale.
My
next quest is to bring together an Australian-cut Australian
diamond and recycled gold setting. Maybe its for you?