Caged Fire is the name of an innovative diamond ring created by local artist and jeweler Greg Neeley. The design is making history, and the stunning piece looks the part.
One large diamond and four smaller ones seem to float in space, and appear to be erupting from a cauldron of rose-gold flames.
The unique style is turning heads in the jewelry trade, and recently gained recognition as a finalist for the 2013 Saul Bell Design Award.
Like many artistic ideas, this one came from the subconscious on the edge of sleep.
“It flashed in my mind a way to create an effect that allows diamonds to be suspended using tiny bars. As far as I know, it is the first time diamonds have been set using this technique,” Neeley said.
Neeley says he became obsessed with the idea, “working night and day” to determine if it would work. First he plotted the artistic and engineering details of the ring using computer aided design software.
Once the design was laid out, he entered the unknown, because nobody had ever used wire bars as a format for suspending diamonds. With the help of specialized laser welding equipment graciously offered by Garcia and Co. in Cortez, he set to work.
“We didn’t know if the diamonds would hold, but it worked perfect the first time,” he said. “The bars had to be positioned within 1/10 of a millimeter.”
Caged Fire features 18k rose and white gold and has a total of 3.23 carats worth of diamonds. A large 2.23-carat diamond dominates the piece as four smaller diamonds appear to float around it, suspended at different levels.
It is being shown at Elinoff & Co. in Telluride and is retailing for $80,000.
“It is really cutting edge, really mind-blowing,” said gallery owner Neal Elinoff. “I actually cried the first time I saw it, that’s how much it affected me. It is the first time that diamonds in a piece of jewelry are not traditionally set, and are not loose. There is no historical record of this technique.”
The piece has garnered attention from international jewelers, including a top holding company in Israel, he said.
Five finalists receive the Saul Bell Design Award. They are chosen from entries from around the world.
“I had turned in a real artsy piece and it didn’t get a second look, but this one was a real original idea and the judges appreciated that,” Neeley said.
His goal is to become a featured designer for jewelry manufacturing companies.
“The challenge is to push the limits of jewelry making techniques, and if it works you can break into a new category and create a new collection,” he said.
He operates out of his Cortez studio, Greg Neeley Design, and has been making jewelry since 1972.
Neeley is also an accomplished sculptor, specializing in bronze casting. He was commissioned to create a life-size portrait of a Ute Mountain Ute chief and also is known for wildlife sculptures. His “Emerging Species” collection featured the Hotrod Giraffe, a sculpture bedazzled in gems that was featured in front of Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas.
He meets customers by appointment only. Call (970) 565-0100.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com