A Long Time Coming
6: Joel McFadden
When I read Kate and Rebecca’s story, I knew I wanted to design a ring, as I find that women tend to be more inclined to wear a ring every day versus any other type of jewelry. I saw my design as a real-life rendering of their relationship so I wanted it to be something that Kate would be able to wear daily.
Since Kate leads an active life, my primary concern was protecting the ruby. I also noticed that the stone had a really nice symmetry, with just the right amount of length and width. I didn’t want to break up the curvy lines of the stone with prongs. I also thought the stone would be more secure in a bezel setting. If she were to fall while hiking and hit her ring on a rock, the stone would probably be protected. Once I decided on a setting style, I had the idea of using the setting to represent the bonding of the two women. The setting wraps around the stone and then crisscrosses in the middle, like two hands reaching across and holding each other and the stone. It’s subtle imagery, but I think it ties into their story well.