Martin and his daughter Ellen – A ring with a promise for later
A ring to both wear and pass on
In 2022, Martin joined me in the studio. His wife had died. He talked about their wedding rings and how important it was for him to have something new made from them. His desire was to bring the two rings together into one piece of jewelry that he could wear daily. At the same time, he wanted the jewelry to later be divided among their three daughters so that each would get a share of the story.
The design with a future
Together we discussed what the design should look like. During our first conversation, I told him about the different options. For example, the idea of soldering the rings together. But since the rings were actually too wide together for that and the comfort of wearing them would then be less pleasant, that was not the most appropriate solution.
Also discussed was remelting. I explained that by doing so, the rings would permanently lose their original shape. That was an emotionally difficult decision, because that very form had a lot of meaning.
I advised him to calmly consider all options and not make a choice until he was sure what felt right. Some time later, he returned. He had decided he wanted to join the rings together by melting them down to build a new ring.
I ended up making a wider ring out of the fused gold, somewhat thicker in design. This kept the wearing comfort good, allowed the preservation of as much of the original gold as possible, and left the possibility of later dividing the ring into three parts.
Throughout the process, I took photos. That way Martin can always look back on how the rings took their new shape.
A memory for every daughter
In addition to this wide ring, I was later allowed to make three more narrow base rings for their daughters. These were made from the gold left over after forging, combined with other existing gold from the family. Thus, each received their own personal jewelry in which their parents’ story lives on.
It was extraordinary to see how much meaning there can be in reusing treasured materials. Sometimes it’s not about salient details. It is simplicity and memories that make a piece of jewelry valuable.
A personal lesson
When Martin signed up for the customer day, I was unsure if it matched the idea I had. I especially wanted to capture clients that day with jewellery involving granules and gemstones. Later, obviously in the middle of the night ;-), I realized that that thought was actually far too limited.
Just these kinds of assignments are as much a part of what I do. Perhaps even the most. Making something that really matters, no matter what it looks like. It was an important reminder for me to stay true to the core of my work and what I stand for as a goldsmith.
A photo with double the value
During the customer day, Martin came to my studio with his daughter Ellen. They wore their jewellery, each with its own story. The photo taken of them was given double value. It became a captured moment where loss and connection came close together.
The ring I made for Martin is not just a symbol of what has been. It is also a promise for later. A promise that their family’s story will be passed on in a form that suits each of them.
