Modern Titanium Wedding Band with Hidden Diamond
Though finely hand-crafted and composed of titanium and steel, this radical wedding-band ring follows nearly an opposite to that of traditional jewelry-making: it is designed to conceal its treasure rather than sporting the jeweled heart of the design.
Working for months to make something for his wife that would honor her wish for a plain band but go beyond a simple solid-metal design, John Welden toiled to craft this amazing object using cutting tools “nearly the diameter of a human hair” and stayed remarkably within the dimensions of conventional rings. “After all the hours designing, machining, and assembling under the microscope, it was a real rush to test it out for the first time and have it work as planned.”
At first glance, the ring is indeed fine and elegant but simple and modest. Some slight of hand later, however, and a diamond comes into view as two trap doors part to expose a hidden interior compartment. Asked his inspiration and motivation, John writes: “I love projects where there is some doubt as to whether its going to work before it is done. ” His next mission involves eye glass frames that no doubt will have a similarly fantastic twist to their design.
“As a Machinist I’ve been making things my entire life, and some of the most rewarding have been the few simple wedding bands requested by friends over the years. Knowing that these items would be given in love and worn with pride always motivated me to make them as perfectly as I could. So when I was lucky enough to find the one who would become my wife, I felt compelled to make a ring that captured just how unique and special she is to me.”
“Her request was for a simple band without any stones. With that in mind, I spent many months brainstorming and experimenting with designs in CAD, trying to create something that, while holding true to the minimalist look and feel she desired, would hide a secret that the two of us could share.”
