Explore five stories of five utterly different rings for five equally different people.  As a designer, Ruth loves to take each clients' story and encapsulate that story in their jewellery. It's a piece of living history.

Becoming geometric: Lisa's ring

Celebrating a 20 year wedding anniversary is always a significant moment - as it was for Lisa and her husband.

The reality is, however, that our tastes in jewellery change over time. Lisa no longer particularly liked her engagement or wedding rings, yet they carried a lot of significance after 20 years. 

So she brought them to Ruth and asked her to transform the rings into something fabulously geometric!

The central band of this ring uses the gold and the diamonds from the original rings. The outside geometric bands are added white gold, creating a very striking ring. People and marriages grow and develop - and so can your rings!

"[The ring] has come out even better than I could have imagined and am absolutely over the moon. Thank you Ruth for your care, time and patience with this, I haven't taken it off since I got it." Lisa

Wrapped in love: Julie's ring

Julie's husband had bought her a ring while they were on holiday. It had the most beautiful pear-shaped emerald set into it, which she absolutely loved. But she didn't love the ring itself.

When she came to Ruth, she wanted all the beauty of the cut emerald captured in an equally beautiful ring. She also has arthritic knuckles, which can make getting rings on and off really challenging.

So Ruth designed this wrap-shaped ring for her. It's a particularly good shape for people like Julie - it's both easy to get on over your knuckles and stays in place rather than spinning around your finger.

Tragically, during the design phase of this ring, Julie's husband passed away very suddenly. This ring came to mean so much more to Julie: a symbol of the love her husband wrapped her in during their marriage.

This was a beautiful item to design, and even more beautiful because of its significance for Julie.

A grandmother's pride: Liz's ring

Liz is very proud of her four wonderful grandchildren. She wanted to represent each of them in a ring, using four birthstones for their four birthdays.

Liz wanted four raw, uncut stones: a garnet for January, a sapphire for September, an amethyst for February and a ruby for July. Raw gemstones have stunning texture and wildness to them - it's how they grow in nature. So Ruth sought out some beautiful precious stones for Liz and designed a beautiful ring for Liz to wear.

For Ruth, one of the loveliest things about this project was spending time chatting with Liz. As Liz has Parkinsons, Ruth visited her at home to discuss the project and thoroughly enjoyed their time together.

Finding freedom: Jo's ring

The Freedom Ring, as Ruth has nicknamed it, is in a rugged mountain shape with raw uncut tourmalines set into it.

Jo was going through a divorce when she came to Ruth. She didn't want to keep her old wedding and engagement rings any more, but wanted something to go on her ring finger as a representation of the phase of life she was entering.

Ruth was able to buy Jo's old rings off her, and Jo used the money towards this new statement ring.

This ring is beautifully textured, with the ring shape and settings stitched from silk before being cast in silver. It makes a striking statement about a new season after the end of a relationship.

That's why Ruth calls it the Freedom Ring!

"Amazing custom jewellery. Ruth made me a custom tourmaline ring and absolutely nailed it. I love it. She's brilliant." Jo

Reflecting her: Marie's ring

James commissioned a bespoke engagement ring for Marie, so that he could propose to her. And he really wanted her to love it not simply because it was beautiful, but also because it captured something of who she was. Every feature of this ring is shaped by who Marie is.

Firstly, she is from the Czech Republic, so James sent Ruth loads of images, not just of rings he liked but also of traditional Czech designs. Ruth was captured by the paisley motif of Marie's Czech scarf - and that became the central motif of this ring. 

Secondly, Marie loves pink and red, so Ruth discussed rubies and pink sapphires as options. They're both hard-wearing stones that are perfect for engagement rings. 

Thirdly, Marie has a small, slender frame. This is really important because a large chunky ring would be overbearing on her slight fingers and hands. The design needed to be beautifully detailed and also delicate.

Finally, James wanted their favourite verse from the book of Proverbs in the Bible inscribed on the inside of the ring.

It was also important to James that the stones were fairmined. This means that you know the stones come from economically, environmentally and technologically sustainable mines. Each of the stones is traceable back to its mines: the diamonds from Canada, the large sapphire from Madagascar and the smaller sapphires form Malawi.

This is not just a ring! Everything, from the materials used to the inspiration and intricacies of the design, mean this ring is uniquely for Marie.

"We are both exceptionally happy with the ring and the design you came up with. Marie is particularly delighted with the engraving and the spiritual meaning behind it, as well as the beautiful main stone... Thank you again, from both of us, for all the wonderful work you've done in creating this beautiful ring." James