Work in Progress Aquamarine

I have for you today a work in progress at Gary Dawson Jewelry Design…An Aquamarine cabochon set! Since so much of my time is spent on custom work, this project represents a rare opportunity for me to take some time to indulge in making something that will be offered for sale from my accumulation of hand-selected fine gems and my personal perspective on designs to enhance them.

I have always really liked the velvety rich pastel blue of a nice aquamarine, the blue variety of the mineral Beryl from which also is derived Emerald. These have been hiding in my safe since the last Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, just waiting for an opportunity to emerge as the gems they were meant to be. The gem Aquamarine is the modern birthstone for March and is said to have a great deal of metaphysical power and use. I particularly like the following quote from the website linked here! “Aquamarine encourages the ideal of service to the world and to the development of a humanity attuned to healing. It emits a gentle and compassionate energy, promoting moderation and responsibility for ones’ actions. It inspires judgmental people to be more tolerant, and helps those overwhelmed by responsibility to find order.”
With 33.7 Cts. total weight in one oval and two pear shaped cabs, the plan here is to make a set of jewelry to grace the most discriminating wearer with a subtle elegance. Comfort is built into the ring in the form of a lightweight (for its size) structure featuring a modified square shank.

​I love this shank shape for its grace, comfort and practicality! If you can turn your hand so you can see a finger end-on, you will see that you finger is really not round, but more a square shape with rounded corners. This ring will fit the contours of a finger perfectly and the shape of the shank will tend to prevent the ring from rolling on the finger, important in a ring with a somewhat heavier top.
Since the two pear shapes are not identical in size, my plan is to make the earrings not perfectly symmetrical, making this set even more unique in both concept and execution. I am designing this in Rhinoceros and I’m test-printing prototypes as I’m writing this with my B9Creator 3DPrinter and expect to have the project finished in the very near future. Stay tuned for pictures of the finished set.
GARY DAWSON