Toi et moi rings

Each stone sits in its own head, with its own prongs or bezel, at the height its depth calls for. Side by side, the two stones sit next to each other across the finger. On a diagonal they are offset along the finger as well, so they meet at an angle and the ring reads as one flowing line.

The stones never touch. There is always a little metal and air between them, so each is held on its own and each can be cleaned and checked on its own. On a bypass shank, each stone can sit on the end of one arm.

It tells a story of two: two people, two birthstones, or an old stone and a new one. Mixing shapes, a pear with an oval, an emerald cut with a round, gives a ring that feels personal without being loud.

From across the room it reads as one design; up close, as two.

Two stones side by side make a wider ring than a solitaire, so the band and the wedding band are planned around it. Sara can contour a wedding band to sit beside it.

Two heads means two sets of prongs to check now and then. A halo, cathedral shoulders and a three-stone layout are not combined with a toi et moi: each stone keeps its own prongs or bezel.

Anyone who wants a ring with two meanings in it, or who loves color beside a diamond. A diagonal pair suits a longer finger and a slim band; a side-by-side pair suits someone who wants the stones to read as a matched set.

The two stones are usually close in size, or one a little smaller, so neither looks like an accent. Pairs of 6 to 8 mm stones are common; much larger pairs sit wide on the hand. The Design Studio shows both stones' millimeters and approximate carats, each from its own shape and stone.

Diagonal pairs sit far enough apart along the finger and across it that their outlines clear each other; side-by-side pairs sit with a small gap across the finger. Sara confirms the final spacing in CAD.

Two stones set the cost: their shapes, sizes and kinds, natural or lab-grown diamond or a colored gemstone. Then the metal and its weight, and the hand work of two heads. Sara quotes after a consultation.

Clean it in warm water with a drop of dish soap and a soft toothbrush, working gently between the two heads, rinse and dry with a lint-free cloth. Take it off for the gym and the garden. Pacific Jewel rings come back to Sara for a clean and an inspection whenever you like.