Masterpieces Rings – One-of-a-Kind Treasures for Ultimate Self Expression

Masterpieces Rings – One-of-a-Kind Treasures for Ultimate Self Expression

Of all the types of fine jewelry designs, rings tend to be the most personal. Perhaps it is because we see our rings more than any other type of jewelry. In the contemporary world, as we all navigate the digital era typing on our smart phones, we see our hands and the rings we are wearing almost constantly, no mirror required. For this reason, PICCHIOTTI embraces the uniquely personal nature of rings and regularly crafts true works of art in the ring category for its Masterpieces collection. 

“I love designing rings because each is as unique as the woman who wears them,” says Giuseppe Picchiotti, founder and lead designer of the PICCHIOTTI brand. “When we find a superlative gemstone, we love to put it into a ring, as we know the wearer can see it and appreciate the natural beauty of the stone all day long. The compelling beauty of the gem beckons the eye and enchants us over and over. I love getting lost in the depth of a deep blue sapphire or mesmerized by the sparkle of a radiant diamond. Such gems speak to you, the wearer, all the while expressing something meaningful about who you are because your one-of-a-kind ring, like you, is unlike anybody else’s.” 

Architectural Inspirations 

One of the two primary design inspirations at PICCHIOTTI is architecture. Cocktail rings built around exceptional stones are a great example. Architecture often demands geometry of form and repetitive patterns like those formed by the layering of bricks in a building façade. You can see the architectural patterns and structures in each of these Masterpieces rings shown above.  

A vivid royal blue Sri Lanka Sapphire, certified by GRS (Gem Research Swiss lab), measuring over 18 carats, is the highlight of a PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Sapphire ring. The large oval superlative stone is surrounded by a frame of baguette diamonds. Giuseppe Picchiotti loves the unique shape of baguettes and the way they can be recut to perfectly frame a spectacular gemstone such as this. The baguettes along the shape are tapered as the ring thins and highlighted by a series of round diamonds along the edges of the shank. The sparkle from the bright white diamonds enhances the depth of blue in the sapphire. The value of a stone like this is in its purity and rarity. Royal blue is the highest color grade for sapphires and is considered an AAA quality, the highest-ranking quality for colored gemstones. Such fine quality in sapphires is rare. AAA royal blue sapphires account for only about 2% of all the earth’s sapphires.   

Ruby is another gemstone that PICCHIOTTI likes to use as the centerpiece of a Masterpieces ring. The Xpandable Ruby cocktail ring, newly created this year, features a rare octagonal cut ruby in the center. Again, surrounded by baguette diamonds, this gorgeous stone sits atop the finger in a vertical position, lengthening the look of the finger. The ring features PICCHIOTTI’s remarkable and beloved Xpandable technology so that it easily expands and contracts to fit snugly around the finger, regardless of knuckle size or changes in ring size over time. Most PICCHIOTTI Xpandable rings can expand up to 2.5 sizes. The distinctive “buff topped” rubies along the shank are a PICCHIOTTI signature. Their slightly cabochoned surfaces add an architectural dimension as they form a central channel between baguette diamonds along the shank. The literal architecture in this ring fuses form and function, as well as comfort and ease, while solving the problem of ring sizing. This ring is a masterpiece of PICCHIOTTI engineering. 

Exceptional diamonds also inspire devotion amongst the PICCHIOTTI design team. A large octagonal cut diamond forms the majestic center of another architecturally inspired ring. Enhanced by an outline of buff topped sapphires and a halo of round diamonds, the glory of the center stone pops to the forefront, commanding respect and awe. Another example of architecture as inspiration is found in a beautiful square cut fancy yellow diamond that forms the sunny highlight of a geometric ring. The fancy intense yellow diamond is encircled by bright green square emeralds and yellow gold. It sits atop a PICCHIOTTI signature diamond baguette shank of 18K white gold with round diamonds as accents, both under the head of the ring and on the outer sides of the ring shank. The two-tone styling with the mixed metals is repeated in the duo color of precious gemstones. The ring is, at once, both subtle in its sophistication and bold in its appearance.  

Nature Inspirations 

The second important design inspiration for PICCHIOTTI is Nature. Over his six decades as a jeweler, Giuseppe has enjoyed recreating Mother’s Nature’s most delightful creatures, from butterflies and snails to horses and birds. In rings, PICCHIOTTI often utilizes amazing gemstones in floral designs. There are so many colorful flowers in this world, but unlike actual flowers, PICCHIOTTI floral rings last forever. Crafted by veteran goldsmiths in the PICCHIOTTI atelier, each floral ring is designed and brought to life in the heart of Valenza, Italy – the preeminent center for the highest quality colored gemstone jewelry from Italy.  Typically, when PICCHIOTTI discovers an amazing ruby, emerald, sapphire, or diamond, the design team loves to pay tribute to the natural beauty of the stone itself.  

As can be seen in the image above, the vibrant colorful gemstones often serve as the center of the flower, called the “disc florets” by flower fanatics. A variety of gem shapes form the floral centers just like in nature – round cuts, oval cuts, even cushion or square and emerald cuts. A glorious cushion-cut sapphire becomes the center of a Masterpieces Sapphire floral ring, surrounded with a halo of round diamonds and set in platinum. The ring is charming in style, but the clarity of the splendid blue corundum is spellbinding and creates a true conversation starter for gem lovers or fans of the color blue. The PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Ruby ring is similar, as diamonds wrap around a gorgeous oval ruby center, but here, the “petals” are oval diamonds, flanking the ruby in a scalloped style. A stunning all natural, unheated, untreated rubellite forms the heart of another Masterpieces ring. This flower, like those in the PICCHIOTTI Rose Garden collection, features meticulous craftsmanship, with the aim of reflecting Nature as truly as possible. The gentle curves in each voluptuous diamond petal are unique and suggest elements of movement like a real flower in the wind.  

While green might be thought of as the base of the flower typically (the stem the leaves, etc.), PICCHIOTTI also uses the verdant hue of emeralds in floral designs. The Masterpieces Multi Emerald Flower ring is a stunning array of drop shaped emeralds that flank the larger pear cut emerald center. The halo of diamonds around each luscious green gem adds an element of PICCHIOTTI sparkle as the statement ring sits on the finger, bringing a smile to the face of anyone who sees it. Speaking of smiles, sometimes a large impressive gem can take your breath away. Such is true of the Masterpieces Emerald ring worn on the hand of the model in the image above. This incredible 19.34 carat oval Zambia emerald is a treasure all to itself. To magnify its beauty and importance, Giuseppe Picchiotti and his designers surrounded it with exceptional pear diamonds, alternating with their tips up and down. The effect is three dimensional, giving the ring height on the hand and presenting the one-of-a-kind emerald as the star of the show. The diamonds are like footlights that reflect their brilliance up and out, true spotlights that call attention to the main event centerstage. 

Color Accents  

PICCHIOTTI, as a heritage fine jewelry brand, is known worldwide as a leader in color gemstone jewelry. While there are many beautiful all-diamond designs, especially Xpandable tennis bracelets and necklaces, PICCHIOTTI often will feature a spectacular diamond in a ring with gorgeous accents of rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.   

PICCHIOTTI often uses buff top gemstones for a particularly unique and branded look. The so-called “buff top” cut is a unique style that combines both classic faceting with the cabochon. The cabochon top part of the gemstone is a little flatter and keeps the intensity of the color of the stone by not allowing quite as much light reflection. In this way, the buff top stones accent the center diamond without taking away from or competing with the brilliance of the main stones at the center of the design. 

An exquisite E color, 4 carat pear-shaped diamond (shown above) is surrounded by buff top sapphires, as well as a halo of round diamonds. The unique design also features pear diamonds on the sides of the shank, nestled in a halo of buff top sapphires. Set in 18K white gold and handcrafted by our best diamond setters, this ring is a statement piece with classic, feminine in style and an almost vintage-inspired aesthetic. A Masterpiece indeed. 

Another great design is the large and magnificent heart-shaped diamond gently caressed and hugged by buff top sapphires. The buff top gems repeat on the shank in a graduated style getting sleeker and slimmer towards the base of the ring. 

Sometimes two center stones are better than one. One of the newest Xpandable cocktail ring designs features two adjacent baguette diamonds framed with emeralds or sapphires. The sleek shape of the baguette is echoed by the buff top stones all around it. The geometry is seamless and attractive, creating a particularly contemporary look. 

Occasionally, PICCHIOTTI will also add other exciting colors for a more distinctive feel. The Masterpieces ring that features a dazzling cushion cut diamond center is augmented by baguette diamonds as well as buff top rubies and black onyx. The red and black hues, along with the white gold and the clear sparkling diamonds, creates a very striking stairstep style evocative of Art Deco architecture and the pleasing symmetry of geometry. 

Hearts

Meaningful shapes can also make for exquisite rings. Hearts are a beloved motif at PICCHIOTTI and are often featured in large, statement-making rings. A spectacular 31.75 carat Vivid Blue Royal Blue heart-shaped sapphire sits atop a white gold shank studded with baguette diamonds, as if it is presented like a gift of love to whoever wears it or looks at it.  The height of the center stone elevates and celebrates the extraordinary color and quality of the sapphire. When you wear it and look down at your finger, you can feel the love as the stone sparkles up at you. Similarly, the Xpandable Sapphire cocktail ring has a deep blue heart shaped sapphire center, but this one is flanked by PICCHIOTTI’s signature baguette diamonds and supported by a comfortable expanding shank with both buff top sapphires and diamonds. Like all of the PICCHIOTTI Xpandables, this ring will expand up to two or more sizes, allowing flexibility over time or to wear on different fingers on different days.  Two other Xpandable rings feature heart centers with precisely recut baguette diamond halos, as well – the Ruby Heart ring and the Fancy Yellow Diamond Heart ring. The heart centers almost look like smiling faces shining up at you as you wear the ring. These beauties are the ultimate gift of love or self-appreciation, symbolizing the love in your heart and letting you wear it quite literally on your sleeve, or in this case, finger. 

Diamond hearts are also enchanting, but they add an air of heightened sophistication. The white diamond heart ring with sapphires in the section above feels commanding in its presence on the hand, partly because of the size of the center diamond. Comparably, the PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Heart Diamond, Ruby, and Onyx ring packs a powerful punch but with a smaller white diamond heart. This one is framed by the exquisite precision of beautiful buff top rubies and nestled into a bold onyx and white gold ring shank. Hard to tell if the black emphasizes the white or the white diamond sparkle accents the black ring shank. Either way, these complementary elements form a very distinctive Masterpieces ring. Wear it with pride and a confidence that knows no limits.  

With so many Masterpieces to choose from, PICCHIOTTI is a treasure trove for ring enthusiasts. The artistry and natural beauty in these rings makes them expressive and welcomed gifts. And, such rings represent the ultimate “I’m worth it” statements when purchased for oneself. However you choose to express yourself, do it with pride, knowing that you are as unique a creation as any of Mother Nature’s rarities. 

 

Feature image at top – clockwise from upper left – PICCHIOTTI Gem Ceramic ring featuring an unheated natural Pink Tourmaline in a unique hexagon cut set in black ceramic and white diamonds in 18K white gold, model wearing PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Sapphire ring and earrings, PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces ring top view, PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Ruby ring, PICCHIOTTI Masterpieces Multi-Color Fancy Color Diamond ring 

 

If you liked this, you might also like: 

Masterpieces Earrings, the Big Four – Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Diamonds 

Masterpieces Necklaces – Behind the Scenes Stories of One-of-a-Kind Jewels and Statement Styles 

Italian Jewelry – A Heritage of Gold Craftsmanship in Valenza 

The Baguette Cut Diamond and the Creation of a Signature Style 

Colorful Geometry – 21st Century Cocktail rings