Coloured gemstones · Special occasion jewellery
A tanzanite and diamond ring for a special birthday
This commission began with a cushion-shaped tanzanite bought during a trip to Africa. For her granddaughter’s special birthday, the client asked Michael to turn it into a ring that would carry both the beauty of the stone and the meaning of the gift.
- Stone
- Client-supplied cushion-shaped tanzanite with 16 diamonds
- Metal
- 18-carat yellow gold
- Signature detail
- Flowing split shoulders with eight diamonds on each side
The brief
The tanzanite was to remain the clear centre of the piece, but the client also wanted diamonds incorporated into the band. The stone measured 7.56mm by 7.52mm, with a depth of 6.35mm. Its near-square cushion shape and substantial depth influenced the setting, the scale of the band and the way the shoulders needed to rise towards the centre.
The decisions behind the design
Michael worked from the client’s ideas to develop a design that balanced the size of the tanzanite on the finger. Rather than placing the diamond-set shoulders in a conventional straight line, he used opposing curves that appear to flow around the centre stone. Sixteen round brilliant-cut diamonds were set into the band, eight on each side, following the sweep of the gold.
The stones and materials
At the centre is the client’s cushion-shaped tanzanite, set in a four-claw 18-carat yellow gold setting. The shoulders contain sixteen round brilliant-cut diamonds, graded within the D–F colour and VS–SI clarity ranges, with eight diamonds set on each side. The gemstone was purchased during a trip to Africa; no more specific geographic provenance is claimed.
Craftsmanship in the details
The split and crossing lines of the band reduce the visual weight around the centre, allowing a generously proportioned gemstone to feel integrated rather than simply perched above the ring. The curves, rising claws and diamond-set shoulders were all resolved around the depth and dimensions of this particular tanzanite.
The finished piece
The eye is naturally drawn to the colour and softly squared outline of the tanzanite. From there, the curves of the yellow gold lead outwards through the two lines of diamonds and back into the band. Viewed from the side, the open split shoulders reveal how the structure was shaped around the depth of the stone.
Design development
From concept to finished piece
Selected development images show how the proportions, setting and structure were resolved before the piece was made.
“This looks lovely, Michael.”
— Private client
Your commission begins here
What would you like to create?
Bring Michael your idea, a meaningful stone or simply the beginnings of a thought. He’ll help you shape it into something created for you alone.
Discuss your ideas with Michael