Sink or Swim
Firey, sienna colored garnets, rubies, raw diamonds and diamond shards, cast in molten gold. This band is 5mm wide.
Each and every ring is hand made to order, and created using a unique and pretty extraordinary technique called cast in place. There will be variables in each ring as no two can be the same, this isn't a process that I can mass produce. I can emulate the ring photographed using the same stones and rough layout, or I can use stones of your choosing - one color or several mixed. There is so much room to play.
Lost wax carving:
Lost wax carving is an ancient Egyptian art form of carving sculpture into wax, or in this instance jewelry, that is then set into heatproof plaster and fired in a kiln allowing the wax to melt away, leaving a cavity in the plaster for molten metal to be poured in. It is called lost wax because that one original carving is then forever lost. The process is nothing short of a gamble and there is a humbling element of chance involved in every cast - and this is all part of what makes the process so thrilling.
The technique of adding stones to the wax carving is known as "Cast in Place", using heat to sink stones into the wax, and carving out little stone beds to build up wax around the stones. Precious gemstones are worked into the carvings, allowing the heat to lead and the stones to fall where they will. The goal is the sweet spot where there is enough space around the stone to allow the plaster to pin it in place during the burnout, and enough wax around the stone to hold it secure once cast, but sparingly enough to create a unique and visually precarious setting, without a traditional bezel or prong setting.
Every one is unique to the next, the stones have their own spectrum of diversity, and the natural ebb and flow of the wax makes for an organic sense of movement and equilibrium. Not all stones will survive this process, it's only possible with Diamonds, Sapphires, Ruby's, Garnets and a few brave souls we dare to throw in to the mix. And anything can happen in the cast...
If you have any specific desires or curiosities please reach out and email us, much of our work is taking these starting points as your canvas or inspiration, and custom creating something uniquely for you.
Made with passion, made with fire.
-JM
- On Principle
- Our Metals
- Size Guide
Handmade in New York
Sustainable - Using only recycled & refined Gold.
Responsible - Preferring stones with character; diamond off-cuts, stones with irregularities, veins, feathering and carbon freckling. By seeking out the natural “bi-product” of the existing industry we create less waste of precious resources.
Recycled - Packaging made from 85% recycled materials, made in neighboring New Jersey.
Direct to Consumer - Resulting in prices over 60% less than retail.
No outsourcing. No Exploitation. Human or Animal.
18k Royal Yellow -
Our 18k Royal Yellow is the perfect blend of yellow Gold’s with a warmer hue - less green than some - which is extremely beautiful - rich and refined - on all skin tones.
18k Rose Gold -
Our 18k Rose Gold is the result of an infusion of copper and a touch of silver into our Gold, giving it that warm, rich, earthy quality that makes Rose Gold such a beautiful metal. The silver paling it from the otherwise ‘red gold’, the copper adding a blush. The result is what we call our “dusty rose”. Indeed this just might be our all-time favourite metal blend.
Our Signature 10k Gold -
Our signature 10k Yellow Gold is an unsung hero. An underestimated Gold, this is a beautiful, very strong, pale and creamy gold that shines brilliantly and pops against all skin tones - being naturally less yellow and brassy than the typical 18-24kt Golds.
As the flashy "Kardashian culture" evolved, the higher karat golds became more coveted, but time and time again it's my 10 karat pieces that people notice and fall in love with. It's a beautiful fine metal, strong, classy and unpretentious. We're bringing it back!
Platinum -
Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is much stronger, and therefore used in jewelry in almost a pure form (approximately 95% pure).
Platinum is extremely long wearing and is less grey than the mislabeled white gold, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold does.
Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.
White Gold -
We do do white gold on occasion, but are less fickle about the karat. White gold is actually a grey metal, and is almost always Rhodium plated to appear more white. For this reason, we tend to use 14kt White Gold as it is strong and durable.
Ring size is very specific to each individual, so I highly recommend you print out our Ring Sizer for guidance - it is VITAL that you print it out at 100% scale on your printer. Some printers automatically adjust the scale settings, so please be diligent when checking.
The thicker the band, the more snuggly it will fit, so I recommend you size up half a size for anything north of a 5mm wide band.
On Principle
Handmade in New York
Sustainable - Using only recycled & refined Gold.
Responsible - Preferring stones with character; diamond off-cuts, stones with irregularities, veins, feathering and carbon freckling. By seeking out the natural “bi-product” of the existing industry we create less waste of precious resources.
Recycled - Packaging made from 85% recycled materials, made in neighboring New Jersey.
Direct to Consumer - Resulting in prices over 60% less than retail.
No outsourcing. No Exploitation. Human or Animal.
Our Metals
18k Royal Yellow -
Our 18k Royal Yellow is the perfect blend of yellow Gold’s with a warmer hue - less green than some - which is extremely beautiful - rich and refined - on all skin tones.
18k Rose Gold -
Our 18k Rose Gold is the result of an infusion of copper and a touch of silver into our Gold, giving it that warm, rich, earthy quality that makes Rose Gold such a beautiful metal. The silver paling it from the otherwise ‘red gold’, the copper adding a blush. The result is what we call our “dusty rose”. Indeed this just might be our all-time favourite metal blend.
Our Signature 10k Gold -
Our signature 10k Yellow Gold is an unsung hero. An underestimated Gold, this is a beautiful, very strong, pale and creamy gold that shines brilliantly and pops against all skin tones - being naturally less yellow and brassy than the typical 18-24kt Golds.
As the flashy "Kardashian culture" evolved, the higher karat golds became more coveted, but time and time again it's my 10 karat pieces that people notice and fall in love with. It's a beautiful fine metal, strong, classy and unpretentious. We're bringing it back!
Platinum -
Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is much stronger, and therefore used in jewelry in almost a pure form (approximately 95% pure).
Platinum is extremely long wearing and is less grey than the mislabeled white gold, so it does not need to be Rhodium plated like white gold does.
Platinum is very dense (heavy), so a platinum ring will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.
White Gold -
We do do white gold on occasion, but are less fickle about the karat. White gold is actually a grey metal, and is almost always Rhodium plated to appear more white. For this reason, we tend to use 14kt White Gold as it is strong and durable.
Size Guide
Ring size is very specific to each individual, so I highly recommend you print out our Ring Sizer for guidance - it is VITAL that you print it out at 100% scale on your printer. Some printers automatically adjust the scale settings, so please be diligent when checking.
The thicker the band, the more snuggly it will fit, so I recommend you size up half a size for anything north of a 5mm wide band.
