Shot with Fuji XT5, 80mm macro lens with star filter
Taking these photos of my diamond ring made me realize I should have been taking photographs of jewelry and crystals. They are such amazing subjects and great way to tell a story as well, if you know how to! :P
Without giving too much details I have been given this ring by someone and I was delighted to see such a unique design. I'm not a jewelry person a few years ago so I've never seen a lot of jewelry designs. Here at least, I've only seen some common designs you would see in engagement rings and I also saw some really old pieces in museums.
The big dome or flowery-looking design is very striking. My first reaction was awe and curiosity. Then I got worried if I can pull off wearing this. It looks like something only a royalty would wear. It kinda looks like a Turkish ring to me.
This is how big it is. Now you know why it felt like I didn't deserve this because I am not a princess. 😂
Looking at the rocks closely, it looks like they have been worn before! Now that made it extra interesting to me and I just spent days to research the story and where it came from.
I'm too shy to ask because I feel like it's quite rude for some people to ask where they got their gift from? I don't know. I think that's a common social rule so...
Thankfully, this piece of art have their signatures, maker's mark is what is called in jewelry apparently. :D
Here, we see the details engraved in the ring. I did a lot of research and found out that NW stands for Nils Westerback (maker), 585 for 14k gold, boat for Helsinki's mark, and L7 for the year 1962. The middle's engraving looks a bit "faded" but it looks like it would have been a crown which symbolizes Finland.
I was so excited, honored, surprised, to know all these details. I just knew she bought it from somewhere but not a lot of details about it.
This ring is older than me!
Upon further research, it turns out to be from the modernist art movement era (1920s-1960s) and this one is from 1962. I got a piece of history!!! :o It's no wonder why I could not keep it out of my head. It's such a thoughtful gift and I kinda wanna slap myself from not recognizing that it is a modernist style, I suck at art history to be fair lol.
Reading a bit about Nils Westerback, some of his works are in the museum.
This has made me inspired and thought I would have my works in museum one day. Preferably not posthumously lol.
I'm very grateful for this gift and much more knowing the history and where it came from. I'm very sentimental of my things (is why it's hard for me to let go of some of my useless stuff) and I really appreciate having been gifted this. I feel like me and the previous owner (or owners) are connected somehow. They clearly enjoyed the jewelry and I think it's amazing how this ended up in my hands.
This is a piece of Finnish history right here, and it's beautiful. :D