I think every jeweller I know has a weak spot for a special sapphire. When I saw this teal cushion‑cut beauty I bought it without thinking about how I was going to use it, or whether I should purchase something so valuable without a project in mind. The reason was simple: it is a very close match to the colour of the high‑altitude saltwater Lake Titicaca in Bolivia.
Colour is a delivery system for our deepest memories. I think our autobiographical memories are colour‑coded, and witnessing colour in the wild can reignite them. This sapphire — and its little green friend — transported me to Isla del Sol, circa 2000. Surrounded by teal‑blue Lake Titicaca and deep green crops on the ancient Inca terraces, these rings and their sapphires became part of my I Was Just Here exhibition series, a collection of talismans and a body of work that explores genius loci, memory, and an offering to places that left their mark on me.
The weight of the bezels is intentional, signalling solidity, permanence, integrity and timelessness. The fineness of the band in contrast to the setting. A stylised line map of the island encircles the bezels, with small white diamonds at north and south. An offering to place, colour, and memory
reminder of Isla del Sol
how to make these rings – from the bezel to the engraving, to the diamonds at north and
south.
