Ring Mounts

Taking individual ring mounts, cutting their bands in close proximity to the gem’s central setting and bending them, Ching Sze Yin, Cicy turns each one of them into a flower, with rings bands becoming stalks, and empty gem settings being transformed into blossoms. With appreciation for the jewelry fashions of the past, she turns outdated designs into something surprisingly modern and strikingly fashionable.

Traditionally, when one or more gemstones are mounted to a ring’s band, they are framed by some additional designs. There are different types of ring mounts such as cluster and halo settings (see examples in images 2 and 3).Cluster ring mounts are typically made for smaller jewels, typically diamonds, that are set closely together to resemble a larger jewel. Halo ring settings by comparison feature a center gemstone encircled by smaller ones. The ‘star’ among all rings is the diamond-studded engagement ring.(Fig 4)

Jewelry designers will usually have a number of pre-made ring mounts in stock to be able to swiftly respond to customers’ needs that range from cheaper diamonds with a low clarity grade, inclusions and yellowish colors, to flawless ones of many carats. The design of engagement rings – as the design of the majority of jewelry items – is subject to changes in fashion and personal taste. Such changes explain why pre-made ring mounts can turn into ‘garbage’, abandoned as they no longer cater to the expectations in style and craftsmanship of goldsmiths and customers alike .