Stepan Terteryan & the Personal Experience
When talking to Stepan Terteryan specifically about the engagement rings he designs I was struck by how unusual it was to come across a designer who is able to set aside the strong stylistic vocabulary of his collection to create engagement rings that are truly unique and totally suited to the individual.
He offers couples an escape from the highly pressured High Street shopping experience and guides them to dream up a design that reflects their personal love story. For Stepan, the designer’s role is part skilled craftsman and artist and part psychologist.
He gets couples to show him examples of jewellery that they admire so he can see the flavour of their tastes. His stone collection offers them a wide range of options and he is sensitive to their budget, finding solutions to create a ring that matches their dreams without compromising their finances.
The Mini Soap Opera of the Commission
Stepan Terteryan has a gentle humour and humanity that he brings to the whole engagement ring commission. I loved how he likens the process to almost watching a mini soap opera evolve in his studio.
Over several meetings he learns more and more about the character of the lady or man for whom he is designing an engagement ring. Based on their likes and dislikes, their hobbies, their photos and their existing jewellery collection, he can form a mental picture of the personality and shape the ring to reflect the individual.
Personally I am in love with the lace patterns he spins in precious metal through his filigree work. It is clear that a designer with the patience and eye for minute detail which this technique requires, is able to do magic with any style that he puts his mind to.