About this Post: Dorothée Rosen is a Halifax goldsmith who’s an absolute GEM of a human being! In this post, I chat about the ring I had made from a gem I’ve been hanging on to for many years. Read about my shiny new purchase!
It was a few months ago when I first stepped into Dorothée Rosen’s studio to discuss having a ring made. But the simple fact is, this ring was at least 15 years in the making!
Years ago, when my folks were on a cruise through the Mediterranean, my father took part in a Trivia Contest where various questions were asked about the ship they were sailing on and the ports they were visiting. After a few rounds…he was deemed the winner and walked away with a large blue topaz gemstone.
When my folks came home with t-shirts and various trinkets for the kids, they gifted me the beautiful gem which has sat in my jewellery box ever since.
I’ve thought of that gem many times through the years, dreaming of a necklace or a ring I’d have made…but never taking it further from the random thoughts that popped up from time to time.
This past Christmas, when writing my weekly “Wednesday Wish List” blog posts to help support local shops and artists through the pandemic, I discovered local goldsmith, Dorothée Rosen, and was absolutely in AWE of her work.
I followed Dorothée on social and subscribed to her newsletter, and over the months, have truly gotten to know her as she shares her passion for her work through her stories, photos and videos…as well as her weekly “lives” on Facebook and Instagram where she discusses everything from purchasing gems to cleaning your jewellery and everything in between.
At some point, I decided that Dorothée was the PERFECT person to do something with this gem I’d been given! This spring, I reached out and visited her studio where we began our discussions.
Dorothée made me feel comfortable immediately. Knowing very little about the process, she was very happy to show me around and put me at ease with her vast knowledge.
Here’s what I can tell you about Dorothée besides the fact that she’s an absolute GEM of a human being! Dorothée immigrated to Canada in 1989. In 2005, she graduated from NSCAD with a major in jewellery design and metalsmithing along with a minor in art history. She is a super proud mom of two creative adult daughters and we completely found common ground in talking about our children and their talents!! Dorothée sells her work online, at art exhibits (in Canada and abroad), in various galleries, and from her studio in Halifax. She absolutely loves designing with diamonds and sapphires (working with a Gemologist from Montreal). Dorothée can meet with you at her studio to discuss a one-of-a-kind piece or she an connect with you through a zoom call.
Dorothée believes in ethically sourcing her materials. She’s also happy to re-work any heritage rings that have been handed down…creating truly exquisite pieces with great meaning to the individual wearing her creations.
Dorothée is simply a darling of a human being…easy to chat with and more than insightful in helping you choose from her inventory or custom create the absolute perfect piece of jewellery that you’ll cherish for years to come! For a woman who spends her time around shiny things all day long…she is completely down-to-earth and a joy to spend a bit of time with!
When choosing a ring, I was drawn to Dorothée’s “one footer” collection…and for the size of the gem I presented, we quickly changed to a one and a half footer! The process was easy. To start, we had an initial visit to chat, determine the size, and view some of her inventory. From there, Dorothée sent a quote and I made the initial payment for work to begin. A few weeks later, I visited the studio to see the ring in its “raw” state and make sure we were on the same page (this is where I slightly panicked about the size of the gem…but Dorothée assured me it was going to be spectacular so I completely put my faith in the artist!) A few weeks later, I visited to pick up the final piece. All in all…it was about an 8-week process as Dorothée is rather busy creating custom works and preparing new designs for upcoming shows (including a Canadian trade mission to Germany!)
My ring is AMAZING! Honestly, when I put it on my finger I commented to Dorothée that it was the “perfect amount of obnoxious”! The gem is large…but when wrapped in gold and grounded by the 1 1/2 feet of twisted silver…it’s perfectly, PERFECTLY proportioned. I’m truly thrilled that I am finally wearing this beautiful gem that my parents gave to me so many years before.
And…I’m now a believer that every woman should purchase a fabulous ring for themselves!
*******
Along with my EXQUISITE ring, I purchased my youngest a pair of dragonfly earrings to celebrate her finishing her apprenticeship as a tattoo artist. Dorothée and I chatted about the fact that when creatives and tradespeople finish their apprenticeships, there isn’t really a “graduation celebration” as with university graduations. However, Dorothée was telling me that in Germany and other European Countries, there’s a special day set aside to celebrate the current year’s finishing apprentices. So…I picked up a pair of earrings to gift my daughter in celebration of her success.
A HUGE thanks to my new friend Dorothée for being so easy to work with and for creating this shiny, beautiful ring that I absolutely treasure! Make sure to follow her on social and visit her website to learn more about her work and products.
As well, a big thanks to Mom and Dad for bringing home that fabulous gem, so many years before!
Dear Colleen,
What a wonderful way of telling the story of the creation of your crazy beautiful outrageous and perfect ring. Thank you so much for capturing the journey so well!
I am so glad that your dad’s gift is now seeing the light of day, instead of sitting in a jewellery box.
You are 100% correct about the idea of women purchasing themselves rings – absolutely! I see this more and more. Or at the very least, creating wishlists on artist’s websites, and emailing them directly from there 😉
Thank you so much for supporting local artisans as you do.
It was so great to get to know you through this process. Great too, to connect on the proud Mom spectrum – congratulations again to your daughter for completing her apprenticeship as a tattoo artist.
Thanks again for the sweet shout-out. All the best and take good care,
Dorothée Rosen
PS: also loved your previous posts on the spa. And/But no jewellery in the spa waters, please!
Thank you Dorothee! I’m so glad you liked the post and I’ll be careful to never wear it in the spa water! Really appreciate all you did…your work is truly inspiring.