Lotus Ring
Role: Design Research, Sketch IDeation, 3D CAD, vendor sourcing, loving Husband
PUT a ring on it
My wife and I initially married in a courthouse in 2015 with just our parents present and without any rings. When we planned our wedding celebration 2 years later, we wanted to take the opportunity to design her ring and make it something extra meaningful.
She didn't want a typical diamond and after meeting with several jewelers, she decided that she wanted a color-changing purple sapphire gem. We had gems shipped to us from New York until we found the perfect gem that transitioned from a bluish hue to a pinkish hue depending on the light.
PROTOTYPING and Fabrication
Through sketching, physical prototypes, and 3D models, we came up with the design that she most wanted. The lotus flower shape that represented the symbology of purity in Buddhism with 12 petals to represent how many years we were friends before we got married.
I then approached several manufacturers in Jewelers Row, a strip of jewelry manufacturers in Chicago's Wabash Avenue, and found a vendor that was happy to work with independent designers for lost-wax casting and gem setting. I showed them sketches and sent them a 3D file and they were able to provide wax 3D prints of the ring. We worked together on adding the appropriate prongs to set the gem and had it cast in platinum. The ring was polished and the gem was set and completed just in time for our wedding celebration.