Surreal Rings That Bind

by Aditi Simlai Tiwari

In this season of love, romance and overload of mush, what better way to express love that by presenting your partner with a ring?

Rings though are pretty de rigueur, everyone proclaims love with one. Rings are tangible manifestations of intangible love. And if you, like me find rings passé, why not have a look at these rings.

Fired with creativity, tempered with nature, these rings will surely command a second glance and are guaranteed conversation makers, even if they do not take your relationship to newer heights.

Whimsical Jewelry

Israeli artist Julia Goland, an Israeli artist, makes amazingly wearable yet extraordinary jewelry. Each piece, many of them worthy of art galleries, is crafted using leather and wire, beads, fake moss, grass and other unusual items. So close is her attention to detail that it is often difficult to tell that a piece is not natural. Have a look at this bonsai ring where her attention to detail is evident in the realistic landscaping effects she has incorporated. Julia uses techniques like burning, cutting and dyeing while creating her pieces, all this without following any instructions or tutorials.

Rings with Secrets

Now why would I list such an old and dusty looking piece on a blog for special rings? Valid question.

But take a close look.

What you see is not dust and mold but trees and flowers. The stone is called moss agate and is mounted on a sterling silver giving it a quaint and antiquated look. The Wexford Secret Garden Ring comes for $278, a great buy if one fancies wearing a piece of nature on oneself. I for one would go for it, after all every women has a diamond, but not many I am sure can boast of wearing a graden on their fingers.

Growing Rings

Hair grows, nails grow, children grow, so do trees, animals and birds…but rings? I never knew that.

But that was before I discovered product designer Hafsteinn Juliusson. Living in metropolises hardly leaves us with time or space enough to indulge in gardening.

The answer?

Growing jewelry. According to the site, the range is “experiment in drawing nature toward man, as nature being the presupposition of life. It is important to take good care of Growing Jewelry. The owner must water it regularly and nurture it like any other plant. So it’s up to the owner to make sure that the jewelry is at its best.”

The Icelandic designer describes the collection as a ‘clash of jewelry and gardening; couture and organism’.

I found the designs unisexual, and was pleased to note that the collection offers an awesome variety of growing rings, from delicate single pieces to one in the shape of a badass brass knuckle.

Prickly Rings

Had a bad day, don’t like someone…why not present a prickly ring this Valentines…or maybe wear one if you want the world to leave you alone.

Barbara Uderzo, the creator behind these fascinating pieces says, “The scope of my creative work is not circumscribed to the goldsmith's craft because I use different materials, above all not precious materials (this is the reason why my training cannot be defined as purely goldsmithery).
In fact, some collections are made in wood succulent rings, in plastic blob rings, in steel imprinting.
It is fundamental for me to work with meaningful forms, because a jewel's value isn't only the preciousness of the material, or the manual execution but it has a special link with the meaning of designs."

The designs are truly “alternative” as the rings are made of different coloured wood with holes for fingers and tiny bowls at the top to contain the planting material and the cacti.

So the next time you want to give someone a rude message, try the prickly ring.