Bristlecone Beauty
"Gaby is an artistic and very creative soul so popping into a jewellery store and buying a diamond ring was not really what she wanted. A ring to her had to have meaning and some thought behind it. She had
also expressed to me that she would love a ring made from wood, were we to get engaged. So, I put my thinking cap on and figured out what would be the right type of wood for this."
Gaby and I met in Las Vegas, and I convinced her to move to Dublin in 2012. Gaby is an artistic and very creative soul so popping into a jewellery store and buying a diamond ring was not really what she wanted. A ring to her had to have meaning and some thought behind it. She had also expressed to me that she would love a ring made from wood, were we to get engaged. So, I put my thinking cap on and figured out what would be the right type of wood for this.
The wood Mark chose to line Gaby's bentwood ring was bristlecone pine because it is an official state tree of Nevada, Gaby’s original home. Bristlecone pine trees are Earth’s oldest living organisms. In fact, the oldest known tree is more than 4,700 years old. He also liked the idea of using something that has withstood the tests of time to symbolize the endurance of real love. Mark eventually found artist Victoria Parsons, based in Colorado, who uses the wood to create one-of-a-kind sculptures. She collects the wood at elevations as high as 12,000 feet and only from private sources. She has a strict “dead wood only” policy.
When I told Victoria what I was trying to do, she very kindly agreed to send me a small piece of surplus wood she had left over from her work.
Mark then travelled to meet with Louise and discussed how best to the incorporate the wood into a ring.
Oak was used because of my Irish roots and I decided to use aquamarine because that is Gaby’s birthstone.
It was finished with a 4mm diamond and the inscription was inspired by a line from Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, 'Annabel Lee' which is one of Gaby’s favourites. EWR were then able to work their magic and Mark and Gaby's perfect ring became a reality!
If you're feeling inspired, have a look at our bespoke page for some more ideas to help you create your perfect, bespoke ring for any occasion.
Alternatively you can fill in our design enquiry form and let us guide and inspire you further. We love nothing more than helping customers turn their ideas into reality!