Garlands and Ribbons: New Sapphire Rings by William Llewellyn Griffiths
There is a particular kind of confidence in a maker who does not design with a particular customer in mind. When asked what sort of person he imagines wearing his jewellery, William Llewellyn Griffiths replies simply, declaring he does not know. He makes what interests him, trusting that somewhere there will be someone who responds to it. Judging by the two newest pieces to arrive at Pieces of Eight, that trust seems well placed.
The latest rings to join his collection at Pieces of Eight share a design language of garlands, scrollwork and an unmistakably neoclassical hand, yet each arrives at a very different effect. Both explore the same idea: that the most interesting things are rarely symmetrical, rarely settled, and all the better for it.
The Beribboned Parti Sapphire ring is built around an 8.11ct Asscher cut, bi-colour Sri Lankan sapphire, with bands of sky blue and pale yellow held within a single crystal.
Neither treated nor assembled, the colour zoning within the stone is a natural record of the conditions in which the crystal formed. No two gems divide in quite the same way. A gem cutter can choose how to orient the colours, but not where they fall, an unpredictability that feels particularly suited to a maker who believes that “it is the imperfections in a marriage that truly make it beautiful.”
Crafted in rich 18ct yellow gold and sitting 8mm high, the setting features neoclassical floral garlands worked between diamond accented claws, while flowing ribbons set with rubies flank the stone. Small round brilliant white diamonds draw the eye to the intricate detailing that continues down the setting.
Turn the ring over and the ornament continues beneath the setting, an intricate detail largely hidden from view and reserved for the wearer.
“The garlands, that’s my inspiration. Little bows inside. And the sapphire is a parti sapphire, there’s a bit of yellow in it. Sri Lanka. Eight carats.”
The Antheia Ring takes its name from Antheia, one of the Charites of Greek mythology, associated with flowers, gardens and blossoms.
At its centre sits a magnificent 7.55ct oval green sapphire, held in 18ct yellow gold by six diamond accented claws. A decorative scroll split shank extends from the setting, with a white diamond positioned where the band divides.
The split shank is a detail worth noticing. Rather than enclosing the finger in a single continuous band, it introduces space and movement into the design. Combined with William’s scrollwork, the ring shifts in character depending on the angle, revealing something different from above, from the side and on the hand.
Garlands recur throughout William’s work, drawing on a decorative tradition associated with beauty, celebration, love and abundance. Here, entwined around a ring designed to mark commitment, the motif feels particularly fitting.
For all the thought, history and intricate detail that goes into these rings, we return to the question posed at the beginning: who does William imagine choosing his jewellery?
When pressed, William describes his customer simply as someone who wants something a bit different and has an appreciation for antique style. In practice, that includes serious collectors he has never met, who follow his work on Instagram, message him on WhatsApp and, in some cases, remain known to him only by their usernames. One Los Angeles collector meets him at a hotel in Beverly Hills and looks, William says, “like a librarian.”
Next up for William is September's Bangkok gem show, where the artist will be searching for new stones to bring back to the studio. What they will become is yet to be determined, which, given his approach to making, seems entirely appropriate. The stones come first. What William builds around them, we will have to wait and see.
The Beribboned Parti Sapphire ring and Antheia Green Sapphire ring are now available to view at Pieces of Eight, 28 Russell Place, Melbourne CBD.
William also takes bespoke commissions through the gallery, beginning with an unhurried consultation where we look at stones and talk through what a piece could become. Book your appointment with our team to discuss a commission here.
