When a Twig Becomes a Ring | From Wax Model to Sterling Silver Part 2

Every jewelry design begins with a vision, but the real magic happens when wax is transformed into precious metal. This updated wax model reveals how the branches naturally divide, rise, and gently cradle the gemstone before becoming a sterling silver ring.

Creating nature-inspired jewelry isn't about forcing a design—it's about allowing nature to guide the process.

As I refined this wax model, the trunk became more defined before dividing into two graceful branches. That simple change gave the ring exactly what I wanted: the feeling that the gemstone had been discovered growing within a living tree rather than being held by traditional prongs.

The branches aren't identical because nature isn't symmetrical. Each one follows its own path, twisting and growing as though shaped by years of wind, rain, and sunlight. Together they gently lift the Moss Agate, allowing the stone to become the focal point while the branches quietly support it.

Once the design is complete in soft wax, it will be cast in sterling silver, preserving every carved groove and every organic texture. A medium oxidation will deepen the bark-like details, creating contrast that makes the ring appear as though it has grown naturally over time.

This stage of the journey is one of my favorites because it captures the transition between imagination and reality. The wax is temporary, but the design it holds will soon become a lasting piece of jewelry meant to be worn, treasured, and eventually passed on.

Nature has always been my greatest designer.

I simply listen.

Jewelry that feels like it grew, not made.

— Dawn Vertrees Jewelry

 

Nature Designs the Prongs

A New Sterling Silver Ring Coming Soon

Sometimes, before a piece is cast in precious metal, I like to take a glimpse into the future.

The image you're seeing isn't the finished ring—it's an AI rendering created directly from my original hand-carved wax model. It allows me, and all of you, to see what the design will look like once it's cast in sterling silver.

For me, this is one of the most exciting parts of the creative process.

As I sculpted the wax, I watched a simple twig transform into a living tree. The trunk rises naturally from the band before dividing into two graceful branches. Instead of using traditional prongs, those branches become the setting itself, gently lifting and presenting the Moss Agate as though it had grown there naturally.

This is exactly how I imagine nature would design a ring.

The sterling silver version shown here is my vision of the finished piece—a preview of what's to come while the original wax model begins its journey through the casting process.

In approximately 3 to 4 weeks, this design will become a real sterling silver ring, handcrafted from the original wax sculpture shown above.

Nature Designs the Prongs

"Only one hour into carving, and the branches are already finding their way around the Moss Agate. Nature has a beautiful way of designing the prongs. 🌿✨"

Nature Designs the Prongs...

Sometimes the best jewelry designs don't begin with a drawing—they begin with listening to nature.

Today, only one hour into carving this new ring in blue wax, the design is already beginning to tell its own story. Rather than forcing traditional prongs around the gemstone, I allowed the branches to grow naturally, wrapping around a 10 x 8 mm oval Moss Agate cabochon as though the stone had always belonged there.

The beauty of working in wax is that every curve can evolve organically. One branch becomes two. A gentle twist becomes the beginning of a tree. Before long, the prongs disappear, replaced by something that feels alive.

There are still many hours of carving ahead before the bark texture, flowing lines, and final details emerge, but this early stage is often my favorite. It's the moment when an idea first takes root.

Sometimes, nature designs the prongs better than we ever could.

Materials

• Sterling Silver
• Oxidized Finish
• 10 × 8 mm Oval Moss Agate Cabochon
• Hand carved in wax using the lost wax casting process

 

Nature Designs the Prongs... I Simply Follow

 

Tree branches growing vertically, naturally forming twig-like prongs that inspired Dawn Vertrees' floating gemstone jewelry designs and handcrafted lost wax jewelry.

Horizontal tree branch resembling an organic gemstone setting with natural twig prongs, inspiring Dawn Vertrees' nature-inspired engagement ring designs.

Nature Designs the Prongs... I Simply Follow

When a Tree Teaches a Jeweler

There are moments when inspiration doesn't come from a jewelry store, a design book, or a sketch on paper.

Sometimes it comes from standing beneath a tree.

Recently, I found myself looking up into a canopy of branches. Most people would have seen beautiful leaves, twisting limbs, and filtered sunlight. I saw something different.

I saw prongs.

Not the manufactured, perfectly symmetrical prongs found in traditional jewelry, but something far more elegant. Nature doesn't force balance—it creates harmony. Every branch grows with purpose, supporting the next until something beautiful is lifted toward the light.

That is exactly how I have designed jewelry for years.

Nature Never Uses Four Identical Prongs

When I sculpt in soft wax, I don't begin by asking, "Where do the prongs go?"

Instead, I ask,

"How would nature hold this gemstone?"

A tree doesn't grow identical branches around a leaf. A vine doesn't wrap perfectly around a flower. Every curve has movement, every twig has a purpose, and every branch supports the life growing from it.

That philosophy has become the foundation of my jewelry.

A gemstone shouldn't look trapped.

It should look as though it has grown there.

The Floating Gemstone

One of the signatures of my designs is what I call my Floating Diamond Collection.

Rather than forcing a diamond into a traditional setting, I allow graceful twigs and branches to rise naturally beneath the stone, gently lifting it as if presenting a gift from the forest itself.

The result is light.

Air.

Movement.

The gemstone appears to float while remaining securely held by nature-inspired forms.

Nature Solves the Engineering

As I studied these branches, I realized something that made me smile.

Nature had already solved the hardest part.

Every twist and intersection creates incredible strength without looking heavy. The branches divide naturally, creating support points that are both beautiful and functional.

As a jeweler, my job isn't to improve upon nature.

My job is simply to listen.

More Than Jewelry

Every ring, pendant, and pair of earrings I create begins with observation.

A walk beneath the trees.

A winding root.

A tiny twig reaching toward the sunlight.

These quiet moments become precious metals, gemstones, and heirlooms that carry the spirit of the forest into everyday life.

When someone wears one of my designs, I hope they feel more than beauty.

I hope they feel connected to something timeless.

To growth.

To strength.

To nature itself.

Because sometimes the greatest designer has always been standing silently in the forest.

And I'm simply grateful to translate its work into jewelry.

---

❤️ Dawn Vertrees
Master Lost Wax Artist | Nature-Inspired Jewelry Designer

"Nature designs the prongs... I simply follow." 🌿💎

The Floating Diamond Bridal Set Grows: Sculpting the Companion Ring in Wax

Every bridal set begins with a vision. Today, that vision grows as the companion wedding band is sculpted by hand in wax. Designed to flow naturally around the floating diamond engagement ring, each twig is carefully shaped to look as though it grew together in nature—creating a bridal set that celebrates love, craftsmanship, and the beauty of the forest.

💚

Every collection has its quiet moments of growth. Today, I’m sharing the next chapter in the Floating Diamond Collection—the companion ring that completes the story.

Nature’s Continuing Embrace

The original Floating Diamond ring asks the eye to linger on the stone gently lifted by two sculpted leaves. This matching band (or second engagement option in the set) weaves the narrative further. Twigs flow organically around the finger while additional leaves rise to support and frame the design, creating a harmonious set that feels like it grew together.

In the wax stage shown here, you can see the hand-sculpted details: the flowing band with bark-like texture, the varied leaves that echo the engagement ring, and the way the structure cradles the diamond with lightness rather than heavy prongs.

From Wax to 14k Rose Gold

In about two weeks, this wax model will be cast in 14k rose gold. I envision a light oxidation to highlight the organic textures—the bark will catch subtle depth, while the polished leaves and diamond will shine in contrast. The warm rose tones will beautifully complement the green-to-purple hues often seen in the wax, bringing the piece fully to life.

The Full Set Vision

Worn together, the engagement ring and companion create a cohesive woodland-inspired bridal set. Each element supports the other, much like branches and leaves in nature. This design is ideal for those seeking something unique, meaningful, and free from traditional prong-heavy settings.

I’ll share casting updates, the finished metal version, and more process photos as this piece moves forward. Custom options are available—reach out if you’d like your own variation with different stones or details.

— Dawn

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection: Where Nature Lifts Light

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection: Where Nature Lifts Light

 

Introducing the Floating Diamond Collection

Where Nature Lifts Light

For years, I have created nature-inspired jewelry featuring twigs, leaves, vines, and gemstones sculpted entirely by hand in wax.

Many of my designs begin the same way—with a simple question.

This collection began with one:

How can a diamond appear to float between two leaves?

As the jewelry world evolves, more people are discovering the beauty of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones. I wanted to create a design that embraced this new chapter while remaining true to the artistic style that has defined my work for years.

The result is the Floating Diamond Collection.

This ring features a diamond gently lifted and supported by two sculpted leaves emerging from a natural twig band. Rather than relying on traditional prongs as the visual focus, the leaves become part of the story—offering and protecting the gemstone while creating the illusion that it is suspended between them.

Every detail began as a hand-carved wax model. The bark texture, the shape of the leaves, and the flowing lines of the band were sculpted one cut at a time, allowing the design to grow naturally rather than forcing it into perfect symmetry.

Nature rarely grows in straight lines.

A branch twists.
A leaf bends.
A vine follows its own path.

I believe jewelry should do the same.

The Floating Diamond Collection combines the beauty of nature-inspired design with the brilliance of modern gemstones, creating pieces that feel as though they have grown around the stone rather than simply holding it in place.

This photograph shows the ring resting on a jeweler's mandrel—a fitting reminder that every finished piece begins at the workbench, where an idea slowly takes shape in wax before becoming jewelry.

This is the beginning of a new collection.

And like every collection before it, it begins with a sketch, a carving tool, and a love of nature.

Welcome to the Floating Diamond Collection.  — Dawn

Floating Leaf Collection Sketch – Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring by Dawn Vertrees

 

Floating Leaf Collection
Sketch – Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring by Dawn Vertrees

For years I have created nature-inspired jewelry featuring natural diamonds, rough gemstones, twigs, leaves, and organic forms sculpted by hand in wax.

As the jewelry world evolves, I wanted to create a design specifically for those who love the beauty of lab-grown diamonds and gemstones while still appreciating artistic craftsmanship and meaningful design.

This sketch marks the beginning of a new collection.

The Floating Leaf Engagement Ring was inspired by a simple question:

How can a gemstone appear to float between two leaves?

The design features a one-carat round faceted lab-grown diamond nestled between two sculpted leaves that rise gracefully from a textured twig band. Rather than relying on traditional jewelry styling, the leaves appear to lift and present the gemstone as if it had grown there naturally.

The result is a ring that feels organic, elegant, and timeless.

While this first design showcases a round lab-grown diamond, the setting is being developed to accommodate a variety of lab-grown gemstones, including:

• Lab-Grown Diamond
• Lab-Grown Emerald
• Lab-Grown Sapphire
• Lab-Grown Ruby

Each gemstone brings its own personality to the design while maintaining the same floating leaf concept.

This ring will eventually become part of a complete wedding set. The matching wedding band will feature a simple twig design that complements the engagement ring without competing with it. Together they create a harmonious woodland-inspired bridal set rooted in nature.

As with all Dawn Vertrees Jewelry designs, every detail begins as an idea, a sketch, and a hand-sculpted wax model before becoming a finished piece of jewelry.

The Floating Leaf Collection was inspired by a simple idea: a gemstone lifted and offered by nature.

Two sculpted leaves rise from an organic twig band, cradling a faceted gemstone so it appears to float between them. The design creates a sense of lightness and wonder, inviting the question, "How is the gemstone staying there?"

Available with lab-grown diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, each piece celebrates beauty, craftsmanship, and the organic forms found in nature.

This is the first sketch.

The collection is still growing.

💗

When a Simple Berry Tells the Story...

The first glimpse of the Leaf & Berry Twig Ring. A little red berry inspired what would become the beginning of the Berry Collection.

Front view showing the intertwined branches rising to offer the center stone, a guiding principle behind my nature-inspired jewelry designs.

Side profile highlighting the bark texture, leaf detail, and substantial branch structure that form the foundation of the design.

🌿🍒

Every design has a beginning.

Sometimes it starts with a gemstone.
Sometimes it starts with a sketch.
And sometimes it starts with something so small that most people would overlook it.

For me, it started with a simple little red dot.

That tiny berry became the spark that inspired what is now growing into the Leaf & Berry Collection.

The ring shown here represents the earliest stage of that journey. At this point, the design is only about 30% complete. Like the vines and branches that inspire my work, it will continue to grow, change, and evolve as new ideas emerge and future versions are created.

The foundation begins with intertwined twig structures that naturally weave around the finger. Small leaves emerge from the branches while tiny berries appear throughout the design, creating the feeling of a living woodland vine rather than a traditional jewelry setting.

At the center, the branches rise upward and gently offer the stone. This reflects one of the guiding principles behind my work: gemstones should feel lifted and presented by nature, not simply held in place. The stone becomes a gift offered by the branches that grew around it.

The berries may be one of the smallest details in the design, yet they carry the greatest meaning. They serve as a reminder that inspiration can come from the simplest things. A single berry became the seed from which an entire collection began to grow.

This blog will follow the development of the Leaf & Berry Twig Ring as the design progresses from wax model to finished jewelry. Future updates will document design refinements, castings, gemstone variations, finished pieces, and new additions to the Berry Collection.

Today, it begins with a single berry.

Tomorrow, we'll see where it grows.

— Dawn Vertrees

Updated Wax Model & 14k Rose Gold Visualization

"Every design goes through a period of growth. After studying the original wax model, I refined the branch tips so they embrace the diamond more naturally, strengthening the feeling that the stone is being lifted and offered by the surrounding twigs. The updated wax model allowed me to fine-tune these small details before casting."

"Seeing the design visualized in 14k rose gold revealed details that are difficult to see in colored wax. The soft oxidation settles into the bark texture while the polished berries catch the light, creating contrast and bringing the organic elements to life. Comparing the wax model to the rose gold version helps me evaluate the flow, balance, and overall emotion of the piece."

"Sometimes a simple berry tells the story. What begins as a small accent becomes part of a larger journey, guiding the eye through the design and connecting every branch, leaf, and detail to the center stone. Each refinement brings the ring closer to my vision of nature gently presenting a precious gift."

From Story to Wax

Every custom piece begins with a conversation.

My client described her vision as delicate tree branches entwined together, with the season's first snowflakes settling on sparse leaves. Because her engagement ring needed to remain delicate to fit her size 4.5 finger, we chose to carry more of the story into the matching ring holder pendant.

The pendant became a place where nature, memory, and function could come together. Twisting branches form the structure, leaves represent life and growth, and a snowflake rests within the design. Surrounding it are tiny white gold spheres, capturing the feeling of snow flurries drifting through the winter air.

These photos show the journey from the original sketch to the developing wax model, where a client's vision slowly becomes a wearable piece of art.

Every piece begins with a story.

💘

Original concept sketch showing the client's vision for a nature-inspired ring holder pendant featuring entwined branches, leaves, and a snowflake motif.

Determining the size and proportions of the ring holder pendant before carving begins.

Keeping the soft wax aligned while building the framework of the ring holder pendant.

The ring holder pendant begins to take shape as the branches, leaves, and snowflake elements are refined in wax.

A digital visualization created from the wax model to help the client imagine the finished pendant.

❅

While wax models allow me to create and refine every detail of a design, they can sometimes be difficult for clients to visualize as finished jewelry.

Using AI-assisted imaging, I can create a digital representation of how a wax model may appear when cast and polished in precious metal. This helps bridge the gap between the wax stage and the finished piece, allowing clients to better understand the design before casting begins.

The design itself remains my original work. AI is simply being used as a visualization tool to help bring the concept to life.

Where Vines Hold Light — Forest Design Collection

It started with a feeling I couldn’t ignore.

Shop Online DV Jewelry Designs or our Etsy Shop

A deep blue sapphire lifted by flowing vine-like gold
—where nature’s movement meets quiet strength.

The first image captures that moment when everything begins to settle into place—soft movement, natural curves, and a stone that feels alive within the design. The rose gold carries warmth, while the sapphire draws you inward, like something discovered rather than set.

A closer look at the flow
—each vine wraps with intention,
lifting the sapphire as if grown into place.

As you move to the next, the perspective shifts. The structure reveals itself more clearly—the way each vine wraps, not to confine, but to support. There’s intention in every line, yet nothing feels forced. It grows the way nature does—quietly, organically.

The same form, reimagined in light
—where a diamond is lifted and offered within flowing gold.

Then the story changes slightly.

A diamond takes the place of color, and suddenly the design speaks in light instead of depth. The form remains the same, but the emotion shifts—cleaner, brighter, yet still grounded in that same flowing structure.

In white gold, the movement sharpens
—cool tones revealing every ridge, every shadow,
every line that carries the stone forward.

In white gold, the piece becomes something else again. Cooler, more refined, the textures stand out differently. The contrast between light and shadow deepens, and the organic lines feel almost sculptural.

The full expression—two rings grown from the same form,
flowing together as one continuous movement, lifting the stone in quiet harmony.

And finally, the full composition.

The wedding set brings everything together. The curves extend, the movement continues, and the design feels complete—not as a single piece, but as something that belongs together. Each ring flows into the next, like branches from the same root.

This collection was never about holding a stone in place.

It was about lifting it.

💙

Letting it exist within something that feels grown, not made—so that when it’s worn, it carries more than beauty.

It carries feeling.

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The Beginning of the Oakwood Twig Collection

Oakwood Twig Collection — where growth becomes form.

Oakwood Twig Collection

Inspired by Growth. Made with Meaning.

There are moments in the creative process where everything begins to align—where an idea stops being a thought and starts becoming something real.

This is one of those moments.

The oak leaf—strength,
structure, and naturally guided form.

At the center of this collection is the first ring.

This is where it begins.

I will be starting this piece in wax, shaping it by hand—allowing the form to develop the same way branches do: not forced, but guided. The stone is not simply set; it is lifted and offered, held by the structure like a gift formed by the earth itself.

This is the foundation piece. Everything else grows from here.

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The acorn—small, grounded, and full of potential.
Where growth begins.

Nature doesn’t rush, and it doesn’t repeat itself perfectly—and that’s the point.

The oak leaf carries strength and identity. The acorn represents beginnings—small, grounded, and full of potential. Together, they tell a story of growth, endurance, and quiet power.

That story is what this collection is built on.

🤎

The first ring now begins in wax—
where each curve will be shaped by hand,
guided by the same natural movement that inspired it.

 

Oakwood Twig Collection Sketch Designs

Oakwood Twig Collection Sketch Designs

The Oakwood Twig Collection

The Oakwood Twig Collection begins here—where nature wraps, lifts, and offers each piece like a gift.

You don’t design in straight lines—and this collection doesn’t either.

It grew the same way branches do—naturally, without force, each curve finding its place. Every twig wraps with intention, every leaf settles where it belongs, and every detail is built to feel like it was always meant to be there.

These pieces aren’t just inspired by nature…
They’re guided by it.

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Where It Began

The rings are where this collection first took root.

Twigs wrap around the band like growing branches, forming structure without feeling rigid. Oak leaves layer gently into the design, creating a sense of protection and movement at the same time.

Crafted in sterling silver with 14K rose gold leaves, finished with soft oxidation in the recesses and a gentle polish, these pieces balance contrast and warmth in a way that feels natural and effortless.

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The Collection Grows

From there, the collection began to expand.

A sterling silver pendant lifts and presents a moss agate stone, wrapped in flowing twig forms and accented with oak leaves—never held tightly, always offered.

The earrings carry that same movement—light, organic, and alive—formed from oxidized sterling silver branches with oak leaves and acorns that feel as if they’ve grown into place.

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A Natural Pairing

The collection also moves into more personal pieces.

A solitaire engagement ring with a 1ct round diamond pairs with a coordinating oak leaf band, bringing structure and symbolism together. The design allows the stone to feel lifted and presented, while the band continues the language of natural growth.

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Still Growing

This collection is not finished—and it’s not meant to be.

Some pieces will remain simple and quiet. Others will grow more detailed and layered. But every design will follow the same path—guided by nature, shaped with intention, and created to be felt as much as seen.

These pieces already exist—just not in metal yet.
They’ve taken shape here first.

And I can’t wait to show you what they become.

Three Mushrooms, One Journey

 

Three Mushrooms, One Journey

  

Beneath the surface, where life quietly forms, three mushrooms rise.

The Explorer. The Watcher. The Newcomer.

Each one carries a different moment in the same journey.

Where the Story Begins

A single branch rises, holding three lives at different stages.

This ring wasn’t designed—it grew.
The branches formed first, and the mushrooms followed, each finding its place naturally within the structure.

Three Paths, One Form

Three forms, each moving in its own direction.

If you look closely, no two mushrooms move the same way.

One reaches outward, one remains still, and one is just beginning to emerge.

The Explorer

The Explorer leans away from the others—drawn outward.

It represents the part of us that moves forward without certainty…

simply because something inside says go.

The Watcher

The Watcher stands steady at the center.

Not everything needs to move to grow.
Some things deepen by simply being present.

The Newcomer

Held by the forest

The branches wrap and support each form, not forcing direction—only holding space.

Every line, every texture was left intentionally, so when oxidation settles in, the depth reveals itself—just like bark on a tree.

This piece isn’t just worn… it’s felt.