Cocoa pod stacking rings and the pebble cluster ring, what a seed pod ring means, and how to size and stack them
Why does the shape of a ring matter more than any other jewellery?
You see your rings more than your own face. Count it one day. Typing, cooking, driving, holding a cup.
So the shape had better mean something. A plain band means nothing until you give it meaning. A nature inspired ring arrives with one.
Anitanja Lawaetz designs her nature inspired rings in St Lucia from two places she knows: the cacao pods that grow across the island, and the pebbles and reefs along its coast. Artisans in Bali make each ring by hand, so no two are identical, and every ring ships from the UK. That’s unique rings in the honest sense. See them all in the rings collection.
What are nature inspired rings?
Nature inspired rings are rings whose band or setting takes its shape from a natural form, such as a seed pod, a leaf, a pebble or coral. Jewellers also call them botanical rings or organic rings.
Are organic rings better for everyday wear than polished bands?
Organic rings are better for everyday wear than polished bands, because a textured surface wears in rather than wearing out. A polished band shows every scratch from the first week. A ridged or pebbled ring hides them.
What are the cocoa pod stacking rings?
The cocoa pod stacking rings are bands that repeat the ridged shape of the cacao pod all the way round the finger, designed to be worn alone or several together. They’re part of the cocoa collection.
What is the pebble cluster ring?
The pebble cluster ring is a sculptural ring that gathers rounded, textured forms across the finger, like pebbles in the shallows or coral heads on a reef. It’s the ring to choose when you want someone to ask about it.
I wrote about it as an ocean ring, and as a coral inspired ring, because it’s both.
What does a cocoa pod ring mean?
A cocoa pod ring means commitment and value, because the Maya drank cacao at their weddings and honoured Ek Chuah, a god of cacao and merchants, while the Aztecs used cacao beans as money.
Put that on your finger and it stops being an accessory. It becomes a touchstone. Turning a ring with meaning is a small way of coming back to yourself, and that’s the most empowering thing jewellery can do.
The full history is in cocoa pod earrings and the story of cocoa.
Which metal should a nature inspired ring be?
A nature inspired ring should be in the metal that matches how you’ll wear it: sterling silver for a cool tone you can polish back to bright, gold plate for a warm gold surface over a base metal, and brass for a soft, slightly antique gold that deepens with wear.
Sterling silver is 92.5 per cent silver. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Gold plate is a thin layer of gold bonded over a base metal, so it wears gradually with friction, and rings take more friction than any other jewellery. Each product page lists the metal under Materials. Read it before you buy.
Can a ring turn your finger green?
A ring can turn your finger green when copper in the metal, from brass or from the base under a plating, reacts with moisture, soap and the natural acids on your skin. It isn’t harmful and it washes off. Keeping rings dry, taking them off to wash your hands and wiping them after wearing all help.
How do you clean a textured ring?
You clean a textured ring with a soft toothbrush, a drop of mild soap and warm water, then dry it completely. Skip abrasive polishes on plated pieces; they take the gold with the grime.
How do you stack nature inspired rings?
You stack nature inspired rings by pairing one statement ring with two quiet bands, or by spreading rings across different fingers instead of building one tall stack.
Can you wear the pebble cluster ring with the cocoa pod rings?
Yes. Put the pebble cluster ring on your middle finger and two cocoa pod stacking rings on the ring finger beside it. Texture next to texture works because the shapes are different.
How do you find your ring size?
You find your ring size by having a finger measured or by measuring a ring that already fits, then reading it against the UK ring size scale, which uses letters from A to Z with half sizes between. The ring size systems differ by country, so check you’re using UK letters.
Should you size up for a wide or textured ring?
You should size up slightly for a wide or textured ring, because more metal touches your finger. Measure at the end of the day when fingers are warmest. If you’re between sizes, get in touch before ordering.
Can a nature inspired ring be an engagement ring?
A nature inspired ring can be an engagement ring, and more couples are choosing one over a classic solitaire. Read my guide to nature inspired engagement rings for motifs, stones and metals.
So which piece would I choose first?
Start with two cocoa pod stacking rings on one finger. Add the pebble cluster ring when you want the conversation.
Thanks for reading! @queenofvitality
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