Architectural rings, how to wear cities on your finger!

03 February 2015 | Esther Ligthart | Trends & Inspiration

Just when you thought you had seen it all on Bizzita: here are some awesome, incredible fantastic rings that look like a whole building, or even a city on your finger. I was inspired by the rings of Sevan Bicakci and Philippe Tournaire. But as I started to do some research, I found so many more exciting rings!

From left to right: early example of a jewish wedding ring. Philippe Tournaire is famous for his architectural view on jewelry. The Disco Villa Ring by Andrew Hamilton Crawford. Another beautiful ring reminding me of a Tuscan villa by Philippe Tournaire. A whole village including a pool even! this wonderful ring is by Damiano Tacchi. The last ring is also by Philippe Tournaire

Extravagant jewelry

I don’t know really why I love so much the more extravagant pieces. Before I went to live in Italy, and I was only 21 when I did, I never cared for jewelry. I had some fancy cheap pieces and a ring with a garnet, the old fashioned kind, that I got from my mum. But in all honesty; no one could have predicted a career in jewelry for me. For sure I couldn’t have predicted it!

You immidiately get the Russian feeling looking at the ring of Axenhoff, the beauty in the middle is by the Turskish jeweler Sevan Bicakci. And just look at the details on the ring with the bridge: Theo Fennel. Also very Russian is the ring by Philippe Tournaire, the beautiful ring in the middle is by Jean Boggio and the last ring is again an example of a historical jewish wedding ring.

Vicky Ambery Smith does also a whole collection of architectural rings, the first one of the left is hers. In the middle is a ring that blew my mind away when I saw it, and I immidiately fell deeply in love with it: Alessandro Dari, top right is by Jean Boggio and then below is again on both sides by Alessandro Dari

Valenza Po, where jewelry is the talk of the town

But there I went, into this little Italian town where the talk of the town was jewelry. Everyone I knew was active in some way, in this industry. And within a few months I saw more jewelry than ever before in my life.

Merry go round rings, how enchanting! These are by Barbara Walter, the enameled one with the gemstones is by Lord Jewelry and Jean Boggio made the cute ones below.

Looking at jewelry is appreciating jewelry

I became appreciative of fine jewelry. Learned to look at proportion, design, how well something was made. I learned about diamonds and gemstones and pearls. Later on, I sold jewelry to the public and now I was getting feedback from them. And this is how I also learned how to make them look at jewelry.

nOir Jewelry has some very fashionable, often pop-art like designs and of the whole series you see on this blog: the most affordable ones too :-) The Gotham ring and the Barbie House are both available on their website. The Venezian Rialto bridge ring is by Nardi Venezia

Jewelry is never a necessity, architectural jewelry even less, so enjoy it!

And to have the pleasure, because it is not a necessity for anyone…it’s pure pleasure and that’s what choosing a piece of jewelry should be all about. By looking at jewelry, going to the trade fairs, seeing so many collections from Valenza and outside Valenza, I developed my own taste. And I loved the jewelry that made me smile. That had a fun element to it. My favorite pendants that I am still wearing today are a monkey, a jolly and an elephant on a ball. Yes…they are beautiful, but not very serious, hehe.

All these hilarious and super hot rings and bracelet are by nOir Jewelry

Which building on a ring would you choose?

Now animals, jolly’s and jokers can be all fun to wear, but when you look at these architectural rings, what do you see first? The beauty? The incredible craftsmanship? The fantasy? The design, the fun? Do they make you smile? Do they tempt you into wanting to see how that would look on you? Maybe even long to possess one?

The bridge ring is a stunning piece of art by Sevan Bicakci, in the middle Jean Boggio, the crazy but amazing Christmas Tree ring is also by Jean Boggio. The Roman bridge is by Francesco Armani, the Eiffel Tower on the left and the bunch of rings on the right are all available on Plukka

Orrrr…do you see how heavy this might be, or not practical? How you might get fed up easily with it as it is so outspoken? Or you may even find it too much over the top, however you look at it.

NYC baby....this ring is by Zara Simon NYC, the rings on the right are all by Barbara Walter, the London Ring is again by Zara Simon NYC and the Colosseum ring is also by Zara, the lovely ring below right is by Barbara Walter

Architectural Jewelry Design

It doesn’t matter of course if you are part of that last group. Designs, and above all, outspoken designs can never please a large crowd. But what I always hope is that people still are open to see how well it is made, the details, the thought that was put into it. Ahhhh ….at least that should make one gasp a little bit? ;-)

I feel light and delighted when I look at this picture! All the pieces are by Sybarite Jewellery London, apart from the wonderful piece on the right, which is by Jean Boggio

Sevan, Alessandro, Zara, Barbara, Philippe, Jean....

I hope that I provided you a moment of fun and marvel…of finding yourself emerged for a moment into this architectural jewelry and enjoy the enchanting engravings of Stevan that takes you into this middle eastern dream world…the pop-art crazy style of nOir Jewelry. The genius of Philippe Tournaire that you can admire in his designs here and in the video and the incredible craftsmanship of Alessandro Dari.

Above left and below right: Philippe Tournaire. Above right and below left: Vicky Ambery Smith

Iheardtheyeatcigarettes, crazy name, great ring. The castle is by the Italian megician: Alessandro Dari, below left: Vicky Ambery Smith, as is the one in the middle and the beautiful pyramid including a little Farao!...hehe is by Theo Fennel

Taste

Did you fall in love with Barbara Walter maybe, check her website for more surprising designs! Or the young company Syberati Jewellery and their dreamy designs of merry go rounds. Was it Theo Fennel, one of my absolute favorite British jewelry designers and his suitcases on a ring, or the toads chatting in a ring, that charmed you right off your socks? Was it Iheardtheyeatcigarettes that intrigued you?

Above left and all the designs below are by Christina Elleni, above in the middle; nOir jewelry, top right: Zara Simon and with the blue stone is by Aline Kokinopoulos

One of the easiest to wear rings in this whole blog is by Natalia Davidich, the amazing details on Sevan Bicakci rings keep me always so intrigued! Below a wonderful piece of jewelry by Jean Boggio

What kind of name is that anyway? But I loved your design, IHTEC! Maybe it was the rings from Plukka and their wonders of the world designs? Or Vicky Ambery Smith and her beautiful rings with entire cities on them? Did you look at the almost industrial look on Donna Veverka?

A clean industrial look, all by Donna Veverka

Just look at it...Sevan Bicakci

How to wear a ring like this

How to wear a ring like this is entirly up to you of course. There are women who have no problem wearing rings like this and just do their work and their daily occupations, I have a always admired these women! I am not able to do that, I move my hands to much and bang my rings against all kinds of things in and around the house and rings do not like that very much ;-)

Alessandro Dari

Jewish Origin

The origins of this kind of ring is more surprising than you might think. There are some very old Jewish marriage rings on display in various museums around the world. And from what I read about it, but I admit immediately that this is all I know about I, is: the house on the ring symbolized both the marital home and the Temple of Jerusalem.

Theo Fennel

You can all check the websites of the designers for more information. Some items are directly sold online as well.

All by Sevan Bicakci

Comments (1)

Beta Dave.
- 03 November 2020 at 11:45
- #
Thanks for sharing this it’s really beautiful.

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