Koi Fish Tourmaline Ring

The design of this ring was inspired by the crisp Blue-Green of the Tourmaline  -  a color often seen in Japanese-inspired and Aesthetic Movement designs of the late Victorian period.

The ring is crafted in platinum with a flat-edge style band that is widest at the shoulders and tapers along the circumference towards the base.  For the trillium shaped blue-green Tourmaline,  we made a partial bezel setting  -  encasing the back edge and tip of the gem while leaving the sides exposed for a more open look.

We then hand engraved the ring in a technique called "relief engraving" which means the engraver cuts away the background metal to "relieve" or reveal the design.  This technique is akin to how a sculptor chips away stone from a solid block to create a masterpiece.  It is a more laborious technique than bright-cut engraving,  but the result is astonishing  -  a three dimensional depiction that truly captivates the eye.   Each shoulder of the ring features a Koi Fish (Japanese Goldfish) swimming towards the tourmaline amidst a background of rolling waves.

On the back wall of the setting,  we engraved a koi fish swimming off to the right.  You can just see his tail and back fins.  We then engraved the side walls of the band with stylized waves that ripple like water on a windblown pond.

For added contrast, we applied black rhodium to create an antique look to the metal and engraving.

This view also displays the robust thickness of the band throughout the entire circumference.  At Bijoux Extraordinaire, our rings are built to last not only a lifetime,   but also for future generations.