Victor Velyan

Victor Velyan
Los Angeles

It always starts with stones with me. I’m the opposite of most designers in that I never make a list and then go to a gem show. The beauty of a stone is what grabs me, and then that stone comes home with me, which is what happened with a parcel of white fire opal about five years ago. They came out of the same Mexican mine as regular fire opal, but they’re rarely found in such clear white, with no fire or color, and especially as large, gem-quality specimens. This ring features the parcel’s last stone.

I’ve done a lot of deep-sea scuba diving all over the world, and this stone reminded me of the clear waters in southeast Asia. When I sat down and started carving this piece, I knew it would have an underwater theme. There’s a little bit of coral, sea plants, and even a bit of broken seashell, all combined with no rhyme or reason. Reminiscent of kelp, the prongs are made in 24k gold and accented with diamonds. When it comes to important pieces, I like the softness of 24k for setting, though the rest of the ring is 18k gold. Everything in the piece is very organic, and nothing, including the kelp prongs, are symmetrical. Even the finger hole is not a perfect circle, having instead an organic feel and artistic curve to it. It’s all designed to evoke a sense of movement and fluidity.

It’s not an elaborate piece, but it is beautiful and special. Most of my pieces are dear to me, and this piece will break my heart when I sell it.

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