Photograph by Katherine Bish
Like many of my friends, I've developed a certain fondness for fine jewelry over the years. Yet I never really understood what goes into a piece from start to finish. Besides the size of the rock, exactly what makes a ring so breathtaking and, oftentimes, so expensive? To find the answer, I visited artist/jeweler Adam Foster at his newly opened Clayton boutique, Adam Foster Fine Art Jewelry.
Foster's philosophy contrasts with that of some other jewelers. "I'm not here to sell people the biggest diamond," Foster explains, noting his disdain for a beautiful rock atop a less-than-stellar setting. "There are plenty of great materials, but when they are paired with bad design, it doesn't work." His work's as custom as it gets. He meets with each client to discuss the details that go into the jewelry. "Many people will buy a ring they like, but there are a couple aspects they're not in love with," he says. "They have to love it from every angle."
Once the particulars are clear, Foster sketches a rough outline of the piece. The doodles are then transferred to a computer rendering, so the client can see the piece in fine detail. Of course, this process is far from Jetsons-like, where the bauble pops out on a tray seconds later. Instead Foster carefully navigates a complex computer program to design every component. Such a process has its benefits: Not only can clients see exactly what they're buying, but also they can change their minds—adding a stone, for instance, or changing from white gold to platinum—before production.
The program sends the final image to a 3-D router to create a wax mold. Foster then uses the mold to create the final piece. I thought the digital process was complicated, but it's a breeze compared to the intricate work Foster puts into every facet of the tangible result. He cuts each stone and polishes it with pumice, so a once-cloudy rock becomes a shimmering jewel. It's a delicate process, and Foster must be extremely careful. "I could lose up to 60 percent of the original stone through cutting and polishing," says Foster. "It depends what the form of the original stone is and what shape the client wants in the end."
Depending on the complexity of the project, the work takes from one to several months. "This is a process that involves more than the customer having knowledge of the four C's," he says, referring to cut, color, clarity and carat weight. After developing a rapport with customers, Foster feels personally responsible for how much his clients love the final product. "I still know every person who bought a wedding ring from me," he says.
And while some of the mystery behind the process might have disappeared, his clients' astonishment never does. "Women still want that surprise in the end," Foster says. "Holding the diamond is a different thing entirely."
