A Serendipitous Loss

I love the smooth opacity of stones such as turquoise, lapis lazuli, malachite, chalcedony – such magical names! – and have collected quite a few pieces over the years.

One of them was an amazing cabochon turquoise ring, set in sterling silver. It was extraordinary because of its size, and the fact that there were no inclusions to mar its clear robin’s egg blue surface. It was egg-shaped, and about an inch in length. Then alas, one evening the stone felt out of its setting while I was walking home. I mourned its loss for a suitable period, and set about looking for its replacement.

It took me three years, and I found it in a little jewellery boutique in a laneway in the Barri Gòtic in Barcelona. The jewellery was displayed in the open on white cubes, each ring attached to a steel cable, but one was still able to try them on. I eventually decided on my favourite: it forms a solid, curved oval, hollowed out off-centre, and is inset with sterling silver. It is a ring of substance, minimal yet striking with its vivid colour. In fact, I like it much more than the original ring I lost.