Helena Bogucki / Tenille Evans / Nicholas Potash / Kasia Piechocka

Let's move from yesterday's shores to the sea itself. These rings commemorate the SS Koombana, a ship which disappeared off the coast of Western Australia during a cyclone in 1912. View many more interesting collections in the portfolio of Australia-based Helena Bogucki.

For more of that old-world maritime feel, check out these scrimshaw rings from Australia's Tenille Evans (insert Captain joke here).

If the SS Koombana story doesn't scare you away from the water, at least beware of waves. Oh, and fins. Ring by California's Nicholas Potash.

Bonus link: here's a fin-like ring that's actually a fishing weight. It's by UK jeweller Kasia Piechocka, from her collection titled "About the Man Who Loved Fishing" (dedicated to her father).

Even more jewellery:

• FIN (Austria) - bike tires


• Anna Lodi (Italy) - playful & colourful


• Belinda Daw (Australia) - silver bands

Rosie White / C. Madeleine's / Catherine Weitzman

Rosie White combs the beaches of East Yorkshire to gather material for her silver and driftwood jewellery. (I'm assuming that only the driftwood shows up on the shores, not the silver, but don't quote me on that.) Her brooches are my favourite!

Here's another great driftwood ring; it's vintage so there's only one available at Florida's C. Madeleine's.

Bonus link: Catherine Weitzman has lots more beachy jewellery, from octopi to starfish to this coral ring in gold. Unsurprisingly, she's based in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Even more jewellery:

• Nina Morrow (New Mexico) - painted driftwood


• Elise Hatlø (Norway) - lacy & pretty


• La Valise d'Alice (France) - charm necklaces

Jie Sun / Ryota Nishimoto / Silvia de la Rosa Cueto / Julia Jiao / Gather Jewelry

I got my tweezers out — it's another edition of Random Pluckings from My Bookmarks. First up is this resin and silver "seed" ring by Amsterdam's Jie Sun.

Quietude in wood by Japanese product designer Ryota Nishimoto.

Wood and crystals from Mexico's Silvia de la Rosa Cueto.

Machine-cut acrylic (with box) by Rhode Island-based Julia Jiao.

Crystal pyramid by California's Gather Jewelry.

Bonus link:
For more wood, like this piece with inlaid ebony, check out Viktoria Borbely. Originally from Hungary, she now makes her home in Denmark.

Even more jewellery:

• Katie Dear (UK) - wood & perspex


• Corey Egan (Michigan) - modern metal


• Federica Rettore (Italy) - glam bangles

Samuele Armelin / JeweLights

Now this is a green lantern ring.

If the Green Lantern doesn't float your boat, superhero-wise, you could always go with the more iconic Batman or Superman. All rings above by Italy's Samuele Armelin.

Bonus link: Germany's JeweLights has a must-see gallery of amazing LED jewellery, including this green light ring with customizable scrolling text (from the "Secret Garden" set).

Even more jewellery:

• L x Ring (Japan) - LED rings


• Thanh-Truc Nguyen (Germany) - lacquer & mesh


• Lisbeth Jewelry (Vancouver) - chains & charms

Elizabeth Boyd Hartmann / Lynn Ban

White Wednesday with Michigan artist Elizabeth Boyd Hartmann.

Bonus link: if you prefer black, you should check out New York jeweller Lynn Ban; her website requires an account to view the collection but you can see pieces at Barneys.

Even more jewellery:

• White Feather Designs (Ontario) - organic metal


• Akihiro Ikeyama (Japan) - antlers & atoms


• Carrie K. (Singapore) - metal & leather

Coral Cohen / Sachiko Estavoyer

I never thought I'd say this, but: I just love this bacteria and fungus! In "Bactus," microorganisms are trapped inside glass pods, creating living rings that are "growing and evolving constantly." Rings by Israel's Coral Cohen, who has lots more of interest in her portfolio...

...like this.

Bonus link:
For fungi of the edible variety, see Japanese jeweller Sachiko Estavoyer's "shiitake" collection. Unlike most mushroom rings, hers have the stems facing outward.

Even more jewellery:

• Jami Rose (Australia) - bacteria-created


• Joe Churchman (Oregon) - sculptural foam


• Morganne Bello (France) - flowery gems

Mitos / Eva Fehren / Chris Neff

Mixed Metal Monday: faceted bands in silver, blackened silver and gold from Denmark's Mitos (Miryam Stenderup).

Some more mixed metals in these stacking claw rings by Eva Fehren (New York artist Eva Zuckerman).

Bonus link:
Here's another stack of mixed metals from the "Black and Gold" collection by Ohio's Chris Neff.

Even more jewellery:

• HRH Collection (California) - twotone chains


• Sia Taylor (UK) - delicate & minimal


• Amber Mix (Poland) - amber & silver

Gillian Harvie / Marieke van Diepen

The fact that my neighbour likes to blast shrill, trumpety jazz at three in the morning makes these house rings all the more appealing to me right now. Nevermind the square footage — when can I move in? Find "The Whole Street," "Hilltop Houses" and "H for House" rings, plus much more to amaze and delight, in the portfolio of UK artist Gillian Harvie.

Bonus link: this house ring is made of a page from a Chinese dictionary — specifically, the page containing the definition for "home." Aptly, it's from the "Home" series by Dutch artist Marieke van Diepen.

Even more jewellery:

• House of Harlow (California) - deco style


• Noot (France) - modern metal


• Silvia Weidenbach (Germany) - enamel adornments

Amy Robson / Annette in Oz

"It's a twister! It's a twister!" If you recognize the line, you know what inspired the ring.

Need a hint? This one's called "Follow the yellow brick road." Both rings above by Amy Robson of Oz (by which I mean Australia, of course).

Bonus link:
Annette in Oz is Australian mixed media artist Annette Husband, who combines etched metal with vintage parts (as in this ring with tintype photograph).

Even more jewellery:

• Esther & Dorothy (Poland) - vintage parts


• Nina Gale (UK) - folded circles


• We Love Toto (Australia) - geometric clay

Mariko Sumioka / Samera Afzal

These shingles give me tingles. Check out this gorgeous work by Edinburgh-based Mariko Sumioka, inspired by the architecture of her native Japan; pictured are her mon ("gate") rings.

Above, more pieces from her "Teahouse" series.

Bonus link:
Also based in Scotland and inspired by gates is Samera Afzal, whose collection of hinged jewellery is based on the entrance gates at Holyrood Palace.

Even more jewellery:

• Blue Door (Hawaii) - Hawaiian nature


• EABurns (UK) - spikes & triangles


• Jemma Lulu (New York) - modern classics

Yael Friedman / Kelly Ornstein

From puzzles to paper to paper puzzles, not to mention leather animals (is that redundant?), Israel's Yael Friedman has plenty to keep you occupied.

Bonus link:
While Yael has lots of interesting takes on diamond-shaped rings, here's another from the eclectic portfolio of Rhode Island-based Kelly Ornstein.

Even more jewellery:

• LerènieS (Italy) - contemporary paper


• Moxham (UK) - modern leather


• 3:am / Audrey Girotto (Brazil) - bold necklaces

Bande des Quatres / Lané Vorster

With names like "Koolhaas," "Van der Rohe" and and "Klee," it's no secret what inspired these rings. Pictured are pieces from the "Architects" and "Bauhaus" series by Montreal's Bande des Quatres (Erin Wahed & Janis Kerman).

Bonus link: similarly inspired are Rhode Island jeweller Lané Vorster's kinetic "Postmodern Architecture" rings, like this one, "The Guggenheim."

Even more jewellery:

• Philippe Planas (Montreal) - coins & architecture


• Drakenberg Sjölin (Sweden) - silver petals


• Uccelli (UK) - bells & peapods

Amanda Trimmer / James Colarusso

England's Amanda Trimmer invites you to join her Secret Superhero Society. Her lasercut card rings and brooches, created by layering elements taken from comic book heroes, gain you entrance into a club of fellow collectors. Visit her site for more playful pieces, such as the "Power-Up" power pods for "those days where nothing seems to go right no matter what you do."

Bonus link: if you are having one of those days, New York's James Colarusso will tell you it's not due to Friday the 13th. The number 13, prevalent in his jewellery, is one the Sicilian culture regards as lucky.

Even more jewellery:

• Kismet (Turkey) - metal & diamonds


• Anna Heasman (UK) - barter bangles


• Ulla Ahola (Finland) - brooches & beads

Frags / Rosie Bill

When I first came across this design duo, they went by "Fragmentos," but I like their new name better. Madrid-based Argentines Julian Pastorino and Cecilia Suarez are now known as Frags — direct and incisive, just like their jewellery.

Bonus link:
For rings with actual fragments — that is, old chinaware set in silver — visit UK jeweller Rosie Bill. You can commission her to do the same with your old heirlooms.

Even more jewellery:

• Ravit Mahalal (Israel) - porcelain fragments


• Bergner Schmidt (Germany) - bold concrete


• Paper Boat Press (Australia) - ceramic clouds

Noitak Design / Aline Battegay

Poland's Noitak Design (Katarzyna Wójcik) turns erstwhile dolls into "The Freaks."

Bonus link: for more plastic body parts, like this hand ring, check out another jeweller who explores the notion of freakiness: Switzerland's Aline Battegay and her "Polymorphic Perversions" series.

Even more jewellery:

• Freak Carousel (UK) - playful resin


• Andrea Rivera Hurtado (Florida) - modern metal


• Michelle Ross (Toronto) - chain clusters

Artemis Valsamaki / Wool Bulb / Kelly Robinson / Harue Young

The expression "more fun than a barrel of monkeys" shall henceforth be replaced by "a box of bunnies." Officially. I mean it. Ring by Greek jeweller Artemis Valsamaki.

Here's another bunny — and a cat, and a planter — by Russian felt artist Wool Bulb (aka Ksenia Schinkowskaya).

Bunny #3 from Missouri's Kelly Robinson.

Bonus link:
Here's yet another bunny, striking a silhouette pose, from London-based jeweller and graphic designer Harue Young. She also has pendants available.

Even more jewellery:

• Toodlebunny (Vancouver) - brass & chains


• Charlotte Valkeniers (UK) - knit leather


• Lora Mallory (California) - beaded circles

Ruth Moore / Atsuko Ito

At my old office, we'd get fresh flowers every Monday morning. I think I would've preferred these silver ones instead (allergies, you know). Otherworldly blossoms from UK jeweller Ruth Moore.

Bonus link:
Some more pretty silver blossoms, this time from Japan's Atsuko Ito. I like the way she presents her jewellery; everything looks like a still-life painting.

Even more jewellery:

• Wataru Yamazaki (Japan) - botanical metal


• Richard de Latour (France) - modern leather


• Coomi (New Jersey) - fine stones

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