Some pieces start with a sketch. A shape. A vague sense of proportion.
This one began with a stone.
There was something about it.
A 17-carat natural emerald cabochon, not flashy, not faceted, but full of life. The kind of green that doesn’t need light to sparkle, it has its own. Deep and rounded, like it had been holding its breath for years.
It sat in the palm like a thought that won’t leave you alone. Gentle, yes, but insistent. Like it already knew what it wanted to be.
Designing From the Stone Out
At Marla, we often talk about starting with the story, but in this case, the story was the stone.
Rather than forcing it into a familiar silhouette, we let it lead. Everything else, the setting, the scale, the curve of the band, was built around it. We chose 18k yellow gold for its warmth and softness. Then added a ring of ivory ceramic, hand-applied, to offer contrast and calm.
It’s a small, intentional departure from tradition. Where diamonds or high-shine details might usually live, we used ceramic; matte, smooth, slightly unexpected. A nod to the new. To restraint. To trusting that less, when done with care, can mean much more.
The result is a ring that feels complete without excess.
Structured, but soft. Grounded, but luminous. Contemporary, but not trying too hard about it.
Why ‘The Quiet Storm’?
Because that is what it does.
The ring cuts out the noise and holds your eye like a moment of serenity, a presence that doesn't ask for attention but gets it nevertheless. And the louder the room, the better it works.
One of One
A natural cabochon emerald of 17.08 carats, bezel set in 18k yellow gold under hand-applied ivory ceramic, made in size N, finished by hand. Truly unique; there will not be another.
Serenity is available by private request. Crafted once. Never repeated.
