Creating so many engagement and wedding bands this year has been an honor. Making important symbols of love and commitment to be worn daily comes with a weight (and a joy!) that I take seriously. 

I recently had the honor of creating one of the most meaningful pieces of jewelry I’ve ever made though; one that honored the love and commitment that had already lasted a lifetime, that had raised children and lived a full life together.

Lesley called and asked if I could make something using some of her father’s ashes for her mother to wear. When she came to the studio she brought the engagement ring her dad had proposed to her mother with. He had since bought her a bigger ring, but the first one certainly still held the sentimental value of the first spark of love and commitment. I quietly sat down to design something simple that her mom could wear every single day to honor her late husband and be reminded of the loving life they shared for so many years, using the gold from the ring to create the vessel in which the ashes could be held and melting some of the band down into 3 little balls to represent the 3 children this couple had raised together. Once all the metal was formed and soldered I placed the ashes into the vessel and bezel set the diamond on top of it, so the ashes were literally being held in by the stone and metal from their first engagement ring. When her daughter came to pick it up both our eyes filled with tears at how beautiful and meaningful this necklace is. 

I am honored to create pieces of jewelry that can carry so much story, meaning and connection in them. Thank you, Lesley, for trusting me with this incredible piece and for taking the time to share what this piece meant to you.