Rebekah Joy Martinez / Christine Brodersen / Simona Materi / Amy Burkholder

A trio of botanical rings today, starting with this bourgeoning work in silver and pearls from the "Secret Garden" collection by RISD student Rebekah Joy Martinez.

Putting focus on the under-represented physalis plant is Germany's Christine Brodersen (who also has some nice knot rings).

Not your typical leaf ring! Gorgeous "Supernatural" ring by Italian jeweller Simona Materi.

Bonus link:
Another botanical ring from Chicago jeweller and art therapist Amy Burkholder, whose "Enlightenment" series focusses on the ginkgo leaf.

Even more jewellery:

• Arisa Kawai (Japan) - real plants


• Yuko Ebina (Califorina) - cherry blossoms


• Vincent Torguet (France) - plexiglas necklaces

24Karas (Elizabeth Karas) / Cadeaux Jewelry

Elephants just might be the opposite of lace but they all get the same precious, delicate treatment from New York's 24Karas (Elizabeth Karas), who makes "jewelry for dreamers." For me, the combination conjures up images of a princess riding a pachyderm through the streets of Jaipur...

Bonus link: pictured at far left is another elephant ring; the elephant is actually a gold opium weight. Also pictured is an amazing sphinx ring. Both pieces by Switzerland's Cadeaux Jewelry.

Even more jewellery:

• Elephantine (Seattle) - sweet & simple


• LedaOtto (Italy) - modern deco


• Dua (Argentina) - copper verdigris

Hollie Paxton / Reliquiae Jewelry (Lisa Wells)

It's a long weekend for some — are you beach-bound? If so, you may encounter UK jeweller Hollie Paxton and her fun "seaside" collection.

Bonus link:
Despite being in Colorado, Lisa Wells is also inspired by the sea. Check out her site, Reliquiae Jewelry, for an assortment of embellished shell rings.

Even more jewellery:

• Rachel Rader (Seattle) - mermaid jewels


• Nataša Grandovec (Slovenia) - folksy metal


• Moral (Finland) - tagua beads

Elyona / Jeu de Tree

In "Bridge Builder," Korea's Elyona imagines a young engineer during the Industrial Revolution and turns out a collection filled with nuts and bolts and rings based on the geometric structures of the engineer's bridge. Visit the site for all the pieces!

Bonus link:
Elyona's logo (pictured at far left) reminded me of this triangular oxidized silver ring from Australia's Jeu de Tree (Nadine Treister).

Even more jewellery:

• Dama Jewelry (New York) - bridges and cogs


• Paula Pizani (Argentina) - anodized circles


• Chelsea E. Bird (Rhode Island) - enamel & silk

Sophie Monet / Shayan Afshar

Wood, turquoise, crystal and gold leaf are the four basic food groups feeding this collection from Los Angeles jeweller Sophie Monet, who's inspired by the natural environment.

Bonus link:
If you like those pyramids but consider yourself a metaltarian, check out these rings from another Angeleno, Shayan Afshar.

Even more jewellery:

• Marlyn Schiff (Pennsylvania ) - crystals & metal


• Miriam Verbeek (Netherlands) - felt neckpieces


• Marina Zachou (Greece) - lines & stones

jungjung / José Andrés

With all those fruit rings out there, it's nice to see veggies getting their due! These crochet sprout rings are part of a larger "vege" collection by Japan's jungjung, which includes an adorable array of radishes, beans, cauliflower and more.

Bonus link: check out this post from the kevinEats blog for an account of an elaborate meal at é by José Andrés in Las Vegas. It includes a serving of beet rings presented in a jewellery box!

Even more jewellery:

• Hsiang-Ling Lu (UK) - rice & thread


• Yinjoux (Australia) - modern macramé


• Cheek-ie (New York) - brass & fabric

Miss Pelpa (Marta Oviedo) / Theresa Moore

Argentina's Miss Pelpa (Marta Oviedo) is here to brighten your Monday with these bulbous rings made from paper mache!

Bonus link:
Here's a ring that's literally bulbous. Lightbulb ring by UK jeweller Theresa Moore, who works mainly with silver and seaglass.

Even more jewellery:

• Mr Throgmorton (Australia) - cast bulbs


• Réka Fekete (Netherlands) - metal panels


• Charlene Cross (Florida) - copper & silver

Nicola Mather / Zara Lo

Before you enjoy your weekend, enjoy the work of Nicola Mather. The UK jeweller works mainly with stainless steel and photo-etched silver.

Bonus link: more photo-etched rings from another UK jeweller, Zara Lo. These copper pieces were inspired by Broadcasting Tower, a student residence in Leeds.

Even more jewellery:

• Nissa Kubly (Wisconsin) - photo-etched pendants


• Rah Rah (UK) - metal & shale


• Elena Crişan (Romania) - contemporary silver

Colin Kippen / Margriet Livain

Forget your smartphone — this baby can fax! Visit Oregon's Colin Kippen for this plus a great array of rough, oxidized silver rings that look like they were chipped off a rocky cliff.

Bonus link: here's another paper scroll ring — but you supply your own message. Write a little note, roll it up tightly, and insert in the silver tube. "Message in a Ring" by Dutch-born Miami jeweller Margriet "Mahi" Livain.

Even more jewellery:

• Laura Wood (North Carolina) - paper & metal


• Dorothea Prühl (Germany) - figural necklaces


• Julia Patterson (UK) - polypropylene brooches

Katsura Sasaki / Thereza Pedrosa

Oh. I would trade my first-born for one of these. Only, I don't have a first-born... but maybe I could borrow yours? They're worth it! Beaded dodecahedron rings by Japan's Katsura Sasaki.

Bonus link:
If dodecahedrons are too geometrically showy for you, scale it back to these simple 2-D shape rings by Italy's Thereza Pedrosa.

Even more jewellery:

• Adina Reyter (California) - basic shapes


• Danielle Butters (Australia) - modern silver


• Maria Sol Marsico (Argentina) - folded textiles

Maayan Kanyas / Susan Ewington / Topman

Careful — these rings have a dark side! Hinges, protrusions and a dark/light contrast figure prominently in this collection from Israel's Maayan Kanyas.

Above, more hinges and protrusions, this time from Australia's Susan Ewington.

Bonus link: here's another cool hinged ring available at Topman, brother site of popular UK fashion retailer Topshop.

Even more jewellery:

• Curse of the Multiples (Montreal) - black plastic


• Ruby Browning (UK) - graphic leather


• Renate Scholz (German) - sprouting beads

Danielle Nicole Hills / Fortune Favors the Brave

If Danielle Nicole Hills offers to uncork a bottle of red, make sure you know what you're in for. Shown above are the New York metalsmith's "Medical Sample" (with stage blood) and "Predator" rings from her collection, Gilding Primal Instinct. I get the feeling this is one person who embraces, rather than fears, Friday the 13th!

Bonus link: if you do have a case of friggatriskaidekaphobia, perhaps this totem shield ring from Fortune Favors the Brave (Shannon Davenport and Julia Wilson) will help you feel somewhat protected.

Even more jewellery:

• Martha Mitchell Design (UK) - bottles & snacks


• Talisman Unlimited (California) - hammered gold


• Dina Hald (Norway) - pictorial enamel

o*LiveLand (Olive Kraus) / When the Music's Over

Scratch what I said yesterday. If anything reminds me of Cracker Jack, it's these treat-filled rings in crocheted vinyl from Missouri's o*LiveLand (Olive Kraus).

Bonus link: want more vinyl? How 'bout a vinyl record? When the Music's Over is a UK shop selling rings and cuffs made from recycled vintage records. Buy one and they'll send you a design picked at random.

Even more jewellery:

• Vinyl Cuts (Australia) - vinyl cutouts


• Kirsten Sonne (Denmark) - recycled toys


• Jensen-Conroy (New York) - modern knits

casaKiro (Vania Ruiz) / Caco Honorato

These rings are like boxes of Cracker Jack — there's a treat inside every one! Chilean architect Vania Ruiz of casaKiro works with resin and silver, embedding materials native to her country (like lapis lazuli and alpaca wool).

Bonus link:
Also paying homage to his home country of Chile is jeweller Caco Honorato; this lapis lazuli, silver and copper ring is from his "100% Chileno" collection.

Even more jewellery:

• Magica Orfebres (Chile) - silver & beads


• Saltodepulga (Spain) - acrylic creatures


• Aude Lechère (France) - gold & gems

Liesl Hazelton / Artifacts (Casey Perez) / National Design Collective

I was going to hold off on this posting because these are the only thing on the designer's site right now. But they're sockets. What more could you need? Socket rings by Australia's Liesl Hazelton.

Well, I guess if you have a socket, a plug would be handy, too. Silver and bronze pair from New York's Artifacts by Casey Perez.

Bonus link: more industrial rings from Toronto's National Design Collective (Scott Bodaly, Heather Lam and Jessica Tien), in silver with detachable stainless steel screws.

Even more jewellery:

• Rachael Grigulis (Australia) - machine-like


• Eva Slotta (Germany) - modern silver


• Élise Bergeron (Quebec) - rough metal

Taisuke Nakada / Selene Lozano / Ruth Temur / BulletGirl

Shot.

Pierced.

Sliced.

Mondays painful for you? At least you have it better than these rings. Above: iron and silver bullet-hole rings by Japan's Taisuke Nakada, gold hoop rings by Argentina's Selene Lozano and enamelled sliced-top rings by Germany's Ruth Temur.

Bonus link: it's bullets and nothing but for Houston's BulletGirl (Jessica Meyer), who aims to change the bullet from a symbol of violence to one of inner strength. All of her sleek pieces are made the shiny little projectiles.

Even more jewellery:

• Hot Caliber (California) - flattened bullets


• Melanie Warnstaedt (Germany) - colourful ovals


• Noosa (Netherlands) - studs on leather

Rudee Tancharoen / To22

If my ring obsession gets any worse, this is me in two years. In her interactive art piece "Me: Jewellery," Thailand's Rudee Tancharoen invites the person to be the ring. Visit her site for more, including actual pieces of wearable jewellery.

Bonus link: for another conceptual piece, read about the "Universe Ring" by international design collective To22 (Todd Bracher, Efe Buluc and Mark Goetz).

Even more jewellery:

• Claire Lavendhomme (Belgium) - art jewellery


• Alicia Marilyn Designs (New York) - gold bubbles


• Celine Kraft (Germany) - metal & gems

Frédérique Coomans / Dilan Walpola

Not only does this bracelet-ring drape over the hand like a scarf, it even looks like it's wearing a scarf itself! For more, check out the cool "Squamate" series from Belgian jeweller Frédérique Coomans (while you're there, be sure to check out her collection made with baby doll parts, too).

Bonus link:
Here's another ring designed to drape down the hand, this time from between the fingers on down. It's the "talon clip" by New York artist Dilan Walpola.

Even more jewellery:

• Harakiri (Quebec) - talons & bones


• Mayhem by Muntik (Indonesia) - hectic & eclectic


• Funkis (Australia) - hoops & wood

Foglianera (Alessandro Bean) / Body Farm

I just realized the only thing separating me from a Hollywood serial killer is that I post photos of my obsession all over a website instead of all over my blood-smeared basement walls. I'm sure that puts Alessandro Bean's mind at ease. For more of the Italian jeweller's awesome work, visit his site, Foglianera.

Bonus link:
Speaking of blood smears and serial killers, here's a bloody knuckleduster ring (on a leopard-print background) from Tennessee's Body Farm.

Even more jewellery:

• Nuit N° 12 (France) - skulls & daggers


• Tove Thambert (Sweden) - rope & chains


• HK (Japan) - magnetic pearls

Clizia Ornato / Colleáyn T. Klaibourne

If only I could wear one of these and get shipped to Japan for 80 cents. Featuring real postage stamps and kimono fabric, "Letters to Japan" reflects Clizia Ornato's time spent in Nippon (or, less formally, Nihon, both native names for Japan). The Italian jeweller also has collections inspired by her travels to Africa and the Americas.

Bonus link:
Making stamp rings of the rubber sort is Minnesota painter Colleáyn T. Klaibourne, who handcarves her designs.

Even more jewellery:

• Hiruma Ikumi (Japan) - stamps & ceramic


• Ridley & Dowse (UK) - silhouette pendants


• Emily Green (Australia) - colours & shapes

If this page is missing posts from the first few days of this month, it's because I've reached my Blogger page limit! To read all posts, see the full monthly archives at TheCarrotbox.com

Nicola Clarke / Giorgio Chiarcos

Like wrinkles on a face, the wear and tear on these rings only serves to make them more interesting. Fine silver "to be worn" rings by UK jeweller Nicola Clarke.

Bonus link:
Italy's Giorgio Chiarcos also favours an eroded look in his contemporary metalwork. These bright bands are from his "colour" collection.

Even more jewellery:

• Mercè Juvés (Spain) - eroded & organic


• Heather Bearinger (California) - cool beadscapes


• Nadine Delepine (France) - florid & feminine