North Bay Woman

42 NORTH BAY WOMAN | S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 take up to 20 weeks to produce the final ring. "People who want something original and unique will come to me for the mounting at least," he says, and he usually suggests platinum because it is denser and holds stones better over time than gold and also wears more slowly. He observes, however, that some people prefer white gold because it takes a higher polish and stays polished longer. He finds that white gold and platinum are popular because they show off diamonds well and are a little more contemporary. He adds that yellow gold is coming back, but most often as a mixture of yellow and white. Bartel reports that CAD/CAM (comput- er-aided design/computer-aided manufac- turing) is the newest development in jewelry design and says, "It's revolutionary. It's pretty cost-effective and very precise." Hollingsworth works with a company to get a CAD drawing for clients with their own ideas, and if it's satisfactory, she'll have a supplier make a wax cast and then have an inexpensive sample made in silver and cubic zirconia. The client can then customize the final ring, choosing a metal, carat and stone. "Sometimes people will have a diamond from Grandma, and we'll set it for them," she adds. Szanto also provides custom-made rings. "We have a jeweler-maker who does that for us," he says, and the process starts with Marianne Szanto, co-owner of Rafael Jewelry, making a sketch. "She's an amazing designer," he says. Beyond rings While the greatest focus is on selecting rings, weddings are an occasion for other special jewelry as well, including adornments for the bride and gifts for members of the wedding party. Fatima Adler, sales associate at Rafael Jewelers, observes that a bride's necklace and earrings usually serve as acces- sories for a dress, and pearls are classic. Brides often give pearls or earrings to their bridesmaids, and for something new, pendants, either in sterling silver or 14K gold, customized with the location of the wedding to make an unusual gift. "It could be for the bride or for the bridesmaids as a wonderful memory for everyone," says Szanto. For male members of the wedding party, he suggests money clips with their initials engraved on them. Hollingsworth reports that brides also give Pandora bracelets or small charms to their at- tendants and choose pearls or cubic zirconia jewelry for themselves. High on Bartel's list are diamond earrings for the bride and pearls for both the bride and bridesmaids. Some women, however, choose hair ornaments and bracelets as gifts for members of the bridal party, and "they're more esoteric, more unusual," he says. For groomsmen, it's usually key chains or cufflinks. Jewelry is a must at weddings, and each piece has its own unique history in preserving memories of a love-filled day and holding a special place in someone's heart, so it's worth taking the time to make careful selections. Fine pieces endure, and they often go on to become family treasures. ■ Keith Bartel setting a stone in a custom-made engagement ring at his shop in Sausalito. – Photos by Stuart Lirette. A custom-made contemporary engagement ring by Keith Bartel with a vintage style band and a sapphire eternity band.

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