Jewels By Laura Darth

Blush engagement ring is absolutely #weddingtrends2020 and that’s why we sat down with a goldsmith Laura Darth to chat about them. We got to know Laura when we both presented our collections at Paris Fashion Week Autumn 2018. Laura and we connected over the love of flowers and gardens and because our brands are equally inspired by scandinavian simplicity and soft femininity. 

Since then jewels By Laura Darth have been part of many of our wedding shoots and we have attended two wedding fairs together. We felt that she was totally the one to talk about engagement rings and wedding jewels at our blog! All the jewels by Laura are designed and crafted at Helsinki, Finland. She also makes bespoke pieces.

If you fall in love with ‘Pretty in Pink’ ring – the blush engagement ring down below – please take a moment and go vote the ring at ‘Vuoden Kaunein Sormus (the most beautiful ring of the year) 2019. Link is here! The voting closes at 31 of October 2019 so be quick. 

Blush Engagement Ring ‘Pretty in Pink’

“I would say be brave and pick something that is you instead of making a compromise out of fear.”

Engagement Rings With Colored Stones

What do you think it is that makes colored stones so special?

I love colors! In colored stones there’s lots of details – every colored stone has their own personality so to speak. The colors have that magical deep shine in them and choosing a colored stone you can make your ring or other jewels really look like you.

Is a blush engagement ring just a passing trend? What kind of future do you see with colored engagement rings? 

Engagement rings with colored stones are a rising trend. 10 years ago when I worked at jewelry store practically nobody wanted to see colored engagement rings. Nowadays people are more informed and I believe the colored stones are seen even more in the future.

Are clear diamonds better suited for wear and tear or is it just another urban legend?

 It’s true that colored stones are not quite as hard as clear diamonds, but it’s good to keep in mind that neither diamonds are indestructible or for forever. Any stone will lose some of it’s shine over time when the surface gets scratched. With colored stones this can happen bit earlier, so at some point if the future you might want to replace the stone. It all depends how well you take care of your ring.

How do you keep your ring in the best shape as long a you can then?

The best way to keep any ring in good shape is to clean it up regularly either at home by soaking it in water with a bit of hand dish soap or taking it to a gold smith. Even if you clean your ring at home it’s good for it to get cleaned professionally from time to time. You should avoid any strenuous activity with rings: sports, gardening, baking, showers, sauna – metals and stones don’t like extreme temperatures, mechanical strain or foreign substances. That’s why you shouldn’t apply creams, hairspray or perfume while wearing jewelry. For your own safety you should never keep jewels on in bed as they can get stuck, hinder blood flow or strangle you.

Good rule of thumb is that the jewels are always last on and first off.

Buying An Engagement Ring

Sustainability is a big thing and most of us really want to make our lives more sustainable and eco friendly. Do you have any tips on how to make sustainable choices with jewels?

The first step would be buying your ring locally or from domestically from a gold smith. They can use recycled gold for instance (100% jewelry gold in Finland is recycled) whether it’s from your old jewels or from other sources. Gold smiths really use every single scrap of material so there’s practically no left overs. By choosing a ring made and designed for you you will more likely get a quality piece that can be repaired in the future or taken apart and recycled totally if it’s made of precious metal. You are also more likely to get information about the originals of stones although it’s nowadays tricky to really get 100% verification even with diamonds. You can also offer old rings and jewels to me used to craft the new piece of jewelry.

Are there differences in engagement rings bought from chain stores and a gold smith?

There are differences yes – particularly if you pick a cheap ring that’s coming somewhere far away. Different countries have different standards about workmanship and materials. In worst case the metals used in bulk production can flare up allergies, poor quality in settings cause you to loose stones that you need to get replaced which can cost lots of money. If at some point you want to redesign the ring it might not be possible. When you work personally with a gold smith you can always ask about material quality and get a ring that’s best suited for your lifestyle. The quality rings with quality workmanship can always be repaired and refashioned or recycled.

What in your mind makes a beautiful piece of wedding jewellery that will be passed forward maybe to next generations?

I think what really makes an heirloom piece is not that much the monetary value but the sentimental value. The ring or necklace can cost anything from 300 to 30 000 and it doesn’t make that much difference in this case. Wearing the jewels, taking care of them and wanting to keep them for the future generations is what makes an heirloom piece.

Thank you Laura for a wonderful chat and giving so many good advice and information! If you fell in love with a blush engagement ring ‘Pretty in Pink’, please take a moment and give your vote for it. The competition closes at last day of October a.k.a at Halloween eve 2019! 

Love,

      Iida