This is the story of Gilda and Giuseppe and their bespoke wedding rings, created in my laboratory during the experiment Goldsmiths for a Day experience.
When I decided to create an experience that could combine the choice of wedding rings with a truly unforgettable moment, I thought of something that went beyond simply buying two rings.
I wanted the wedding rings to become a casket capable of holding memory, emotions, sharing and presence. Not just personalised jewellery, but an experience to be lived together.
Personalised wedding rings as an experience to remember
The spark was right there, before my very eyes: in the wedding rings. Two apparently simple rings, yet capable of becoming the symbolic place where a couple cherishes their journey together.
I like to think that, during the experience, the couple reflects on the most important moments of their love: their first meeting, their first trip, the decision to get married, and the desire to build something together.
Perhaps that is exactly how it went with Gilda and Giuseppe too.
Gilda and Giuseppe: Goldsmiths for a day
A day we think about as children. “I wonder if, and when, my wedding will come.” It happens naturally to ask oneself this question while growing up.
After all, having been invited since childhood to the weddings of others, it's inevitable that between a banquet for an aunt and one for a friend, you end up asking yourself.
That day has arrived for us. 23rd July 2017.
For Gilda and Giuseppe, the wedding had to be a special day. And the wedding rings had to be, too.
The day our love reached the promise of staying united forever, as one. Our wedding. Everything had to be perfect and special. Including the wedding rings.
We wanted a piece of jewellery that could speak, tell our story, and remember. In short, personalised rings that had a soul.
From the laboratory to the couple's memory
Among a multitude of offers that all looked so similar, we finally came across something unique: Antonio Colonna's proposal, which immediately intrigued us.
We wanted something that was really special, didn't we?
And Antonio persuaded us by telling us about the Goldsmith for a Day experience: a multi-hour full immersion to be lived in his workshop, where we would create our own wedding rings.
On the first of July 2017, twenty-two days before their wedding, Gilda and Giuseppe came into my goldsmith's workshop along with two female friends who were photographing and filming every stage.
We wouldn't have thought that two little gold plates could turn into our wedding rings, crafted by our very own hands.
We didn't believe it was possible to handle tools we never could have imagined holding between our fingers, to watch how gold changes shape.
It was incredible to have the opportunity to put into those wedding rings the same love and care that changed us every day.
Perfect, bespoke and emotional rings
It was an exciting experience, which I keep telling my friends about and which I highly recommend.
We really became Goldsmiths for a day, getting excited and learning new things at the same time.
Gilda and Giuseppe’s wedding rings were not simply chosen. They were experienced, crafted and watched as they took shape.
Every day we look at our wedding rings and think of the beauty of the silk-finish effect on the sides, the fortune of having a unique object and the love we put into making them.
Perfect rings, just as we wanted them. Bespoke, emotional, capable of encapsulating a multitude of meanings that are fundamental to us: love, sharing, passion.
Due dates to remember
Let's also think of all those who, when they see them, say: “Nice, different from the others.” But let's also think of the awareness that, after all, the meaning of life is to accumulate as many significant dates as possible.
We have two extra.
23 July 2017. 1 July 2017. Thanks, Antonio.
PS: the wedding was lovely. But despite that we hope there aren't any others in our lives.
Gilda and Giuseppe
Personalised wedding rings, not just rings
This story tells well what a faith can become when it is not chosen merely as an object, but lived as an experience.
A wedding ring can be elegant, technically refined, well-proportioned and precious. But it can also become a tangible memory of a shared moment: the day two people laid their hands on their own symbol of love.
Those who wish to explore this path further can visit the dedicated page at Goldsmiths for a Day experience or the one dedicated to Bespoke wedding rings.
The first meeting is intended to clarify the direction, timetable and feasibility. It does not require an immediate decision.
Photo: www.luigiporzia.com