"Marquee" Ring with Raw Ruby Cabochon Between Rows of Faceted Rubies in 18K Gold
By Eytan Brandes
Located in Sherman Oaks, CA
This delicious ring by Eytan Brandes was actually completed back in 2019, but it was originally set with an opaque green stone. We liked the way it looked, but the stone was problematic since we weren't sure if it was green agate, jadeite or nephrite and once it was set, we couldn't test it (oops). After a lot of backy forthy, Eytan decided it was too weird to be listing a ring with an unidentified "green stone," so he popped it out* and decided it would be fun to contrast the top quality, sparkling pink rubies with their cousin from the wrong side of the tracks: a rough ruby. This kind of ruby is completely natural and completely loaded with every flaw under the sun: silk, uneven color, spider veins, milky streaks, fissures, fractures, you name it. We love rough rubies (and rough sapphires too). Yes, they can be hard to cut (our gemcutter does NOT love them) because you have to find enough material that isn't threatened by internal fractures, but once they're successfully cut into cabochons, they polish up beautifully and, like all rubies, they are reliably durable. Even though they're effectively opaque (because they're so chock full o'flaws), they have a lustrous depth and character that you just won't find with either naturally opaque OR transparent stones. So, having said all that, we reintroduce the Marquee Ring...
2010s American Contemporary Band Rings
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
