AS SEEN IN
How my client's custom engagement ring was featured in Forbes
Creating bespoke and custom jewelry for my clients is such a great source of joy. Each piece is imbued with her (or his) own personality, history and emotional voyage. So when Forbes featured Nathalie's story in their "Charming and Heartfelt Engagement Jewelry Stories" article in the time of Covid, Nathalie and I were both very excited. A beautiful story of love, compassion and perseverance represented in a very special custom ring - made in Montreal. The link to the Forbes article is at the bottom of this blog post.
NATHALIE'S STORY
Nathalie is a woman I knew back in my Montreal advertising days. I was a writer on the creative team and she was a freelance producer for TV and radio commercials.
When you work on a production, it is like working with family. You become very close and share a lot of personal stories.
Together day in and day out for almost two months, Nat and I talked so much about family and love, and I came to really appreciate her soft, compassionate side.
After our last production was wrapped, however, we never saw each other again. I went on maternity leave and Nathalie eventually left the advertising world for new horizons.
RECONNECTING
At least 12 years had passed when Nat's name popped up on my Facebook feed. We instantly started communicating again and she became one of the biggest fans of my jewelry designs.
In early 2020, she reached out to ask me to create a custom-designed ring – her engagement ring. Nathalie was in love!!!
LET THE DESIGNING BEGIN!
A few weeks later, Nathalie came by my studio-office, downtown Montreal. It was so nice to catch up face to face. I found out that Nat’s life had complet the field ofely changed. She had overcome some important hurdles and now had a new career. She was working in the field of long-term care. I could tell just how much she loved her job and felt a true sense of fulfillment.
I brought her up to one of my favourite Montreal gem brokers, Pierre de Charme, to start the creative process. As expected, her eyes lit up at all the sparkling possibilities. But there was one stone that stole her heart: a pale periwinkle blue sapphire - the same blue as her eyes - weighing almost a full carat.
Then came COVID-19…
Knowing that Nat was a frontline worker in one of the hardest-hit environments – long-term care facilities – I did not dare ask if she wanted to move forward with her ring. I didn’t know what she was going through, if she was healthy or safe…But she sure was on my mind.
So I sent her a message asking how she was doing. Within minutes, I got a message back from her: “I’m okay, but it is hard. Let’s make my ring. I’m ready!”
I was so relieved she was in good health.
Nathalie and her colleagues staying positive on the frontline!
reLOVE
Transforming old & meaningful into new & meaningful
Nathalie had some gold jewelry that she didn't wear anymore. She told me she had some heirloom jewelry: a diamond & sapphire gold ring she bought in Paris in her university days, a Birk’s half eternity, again with diamonds and sapphires, 2 vintage rings that once belonged to her mother, and two men’s wedding bands.
Each piece had its own story, but she was ready to “reLOVE” them to create her new ring: a bespoke version of my Vive fairytale ring in 18 karat yellow gold with the pale periwinkle blue oval sapphire she chose at Pierre de Charme. We would use the the diamonds in her new engagement ring and recycle the gold (except for her mother's vintage rings - they were too beautiful to melt so I will restore them at a later point in time!).
IN NATHALIE'S WORDS
“AND I SAID YESSSSSS
Kate, it is magnificent, unique... what a wonderful ring you did for me! Even more wonderful than my expectations. I can't stop looking at it. 🙏thank you 💖 "
Nathalie G, MOntreal
VIVE Fairytale ring in 18 karat yellow gold with pale periwinkle blue sapphire and Nathalie's heirloom diamonds.
This sapphire has a little magic of its own - every time it catches the light, it seems to reveal a slightly different shade of blue. So captivating!
An engagement ring... and so much more
Over a Zoom call, Nathalie was in tears. Working on the frontline is hard - harder than many of us can imagine.
“Kate, you don’t know how much this means to me. It is the joy I need right now. Thank you.” She was so excited to have a ring made especially for her, one that celebrates her strength to persevere in the face of challenge, to experience fulfillment in service to others and to find true love.
And isn’t that what jewelry is?
It is a symbol of our lives and who we are.
WOULD YOU LIKE A BESPOKE OR CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN?
Let's talk live with a Zoom consultation. It is a wonderful way to connect, get to know each other, and explore your jewelry needs – no matter the distance.
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN FORBES