Description
An oval gold sheen obsidian cabochon ringed by a beaded border, with flowers placed not on the shoulders but on the flanks, below the stone. The decoration does not show head on: it appears in profile.
It is the only one of the fifteen settings in the series that decorates a side the wearer does not see. Seen from above, on your own hand, this ring is almost bare: a cabochon, a beaded border, nothing else. It is the people facing you who see the flowers, when the hand moves and the ring turns three quarters on. It is an old stance in jewelry making, and it is arguable.
The reasoning behind the choice is simple: a ring is looked at more often by other people than by the one wearing it, and the top is the area that takes every knock and every scratch. Moving the decoration onto the flanks puts it out of harm’s way and shows it more. The counterpart is that you buy a piece whose finest side you do not see yourself. The other rings are here.
The reservation is practical and worth stating: a side decoration rubs against the neighboring fingers. On a hand where the fingers sit close, flowers in relief can be felt and may be a nuisance, especially if you wear another ring on the next finger. Try it before making it an everyday piece, or choose a finger that is free on one side. The size guide saves a return.
Crystal lore ties obsidian to grounding, and gold sheen in particular to self-confidence. None of that is proven, and no piece of jewelry heals anything. I have gathered separately what tradition attributes to obsidian, in the conditional from start to finish.
- Genuine gold sheen obsidian, oval cabochon in a closed bezel, ringed by a beaded border.
- Sterling silver 925, flowers placed on the flanks: the decoration shows in profile, not head on.
- A side decoration is safe from the knocks and scratches the top takes.
- It rubs against the neighboring fingers: try it before everyday wear.
What to know before you wear it
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The specifications
- Stone
- Gold sheen obsidian, volcanic glass, oval cabochon
- Metal
- Sterling silver 925, S925 hallmark
- Setting
- Closed bezel ringed by a beaded border, no glue
- Decoration
- Flowers on the flanks, blackened hollows
- Sizes
- 52 to 62 (inner circumference in mm)
- Gender
- Women
- Brand
- Bijoux Obsidienne
Decorating a side nobody looks at
Decorating a flank is harder than decorating a top, for a silly reason: you cannot lay the ring down. A top is worked on a flat block, the piece is stable and both hands are free. A flank means holding the ring at an angle in a pitch clamp, and the slightest rotation during the strike puts the pattern out of line. That is why rings with side decoration cost more to produce although they look plainer, and it is also why few workshops make them.
This setting is in the catalog because several customers told me the same thing: their ornamented rings end up scratched on top after a year, and the decoration disappears. Putting it on the side settles the problem. It is an answer about use, not a stylistic effect. The other rings are here.
A top is worked flat, a flank is held at an angle in a clamp. The slightest rotation puts the pattern out of line.
Obsidian does not mind water, but it shatters on impact and scratches against a hard metal. Take the ring off before DIY and sport. Do not polish the blackened hollows of the flowers: the black comes away in a few passes. Cleaning an obsidian piece covers the rest.
