We have featured London-based jewellery designer Polly Wales on The Jewellery Editor before (see here), but we thought it was high time we drew attention to some of her new Rapunzel engagement rings and wedding bands. One-of-a-kind in every sense, they have the kind of ethereal, romantic quality that makes it quite possible to imagine the fairytale princess with the flowing blonde locks skipping off with one of Polly's rings on her finger and living happily ever after.
The raw, unconventional beauty of Polly's work is created by an ancient jewellery-making technique known as lost wax casting, which creates the impression that, rather than being precisely set, the gemstones have serendipitously found their way into the gold. The lack of precision is what makes the pieces so charming. Each irregularly shaped gold bead has been carved by hand and each minute stone hand-cast directly into 18ct gold.
"My current collections are made by casting precious stones, such as sapphires and rubies, directly into gold," says Polly. "Onto these I add intricate detailing with minute stones before casting. The stones become set inside and out, part exposed and part buried within, creating pieces that resemble natural gem encrusted forms, like sparkling geodes split open, or discoveries from the deep."
If you are looking for an original engagement ring that has been handcrafted by an independent designer, Polly's designs are stocked in both the UK and the US, and are also available to buy online at select retailers. She also takes commissions (prices on request).
