Wētā Workshop was intrinsically involved in the design and physical effects manufacture for all three films of The Lord of the Rings™ trilogy.
Primary: Rhodium-plated 10k White Gold
Secondary: White Topaz
A star gleamed upon her hand, as though light itself had taken form and found rest there. Forged with the mastery of Celebrimbor, Nenya seemed less an object of the material plane and more a moment of the ethereal preserved. It was entrusted to Galadriel and kept within the safety of Lothlórien, whose unwithering beauty was but an echo of its deeper power.
Of the three rings kept by the Elves, Nenya was the most secret, worn by Galadriel and hidden from sight. The design carries that idea into the metal itself. Where most rings present their stone, this one withholds it.
The challenge Jasmine Watson was set was one of originality. Costume designer Ngila Dickson wanted a ring that was beautiful yet unlike any other, which left a single question: how to set the stone in a way no one had quite seen before. "We were always looking for a way that we could do things that were complex, but also unusual and original," she says. The answer was to hide it in plain view.
A white topaz sits beneath a filigree of dragonflies, seen only in glimpses through the metal above it. The top that holds the stone is pierced from a sheet; the metal carved away until only the openwork remains, and the dragonflies are then hand engraved into that surface. "It's pierced from a sheet," Jasmine explains. "So I essentially carve it out of metal. You don't see the topaz in its entirety; you only see glimpses of it through the fine piercing."
It is exacting work. Piercing leaves no room for correction, each cut removing metal that cannot be returned, and the engraved dragonflies must hold their delicacy while sitting true over the stone they conceal. The result is a ring that rewards a second look, its light shifting as the topaz catches and releases it through the metal.
That elaborate top once posed a problem. On the original, its complexity meant it could only be fixed to the prongs on one side using glue, a practical solution under the pressures of a film production. Making the ring again, 26 years on, Jasmine has resolved that compromise. With the experience of those years behind her, she welds the top to the band, a stronger and more lasting join than the original allowed. The design is more faithful to the original intention; what the years have added is mastery.
Made once more by master jeweller Jasmine Watson, the Ring of Galadriel transcends mortal means. It is an unwithering beauty that conceals a greater power.
FEATURES
JASMINE WATSON
Jasmine Watson is a master jeweller whose lifelong dedication to making began in childhood, evolving into a dual practice that spans both studio jewellery and internationally renowned film work. As principal jeweller for The Lord of the Rings and contributor to productions including Narnia, Mulan and The Rings of Power, she brings cinematic storytelling and meticulous craftsmanship to every piece she creates. Her work bridges traditional enamelling and contemporary methods, resulting in finely detailed jewellery that reflects both artistic heritage and imaginative design.
Using traditional methods is important to me, because there is so much more you can bring to the piece. You create something with a lot more character, and a lot more longevity... As a maker, I'm very much about preserving the craft.
PLEASE NOTE: Minor variations will occur as this is a handmade ring.
Every ring is carefully packed in a velvet lined jewellery box for the safest possible delivery.
A Certificate of Authenticity signed by Jasmine Watson will also be enclosed.
MASTER JEWELLER’S COLLECTION
Patience is the greatest tool on the jeweller's bench. Under close light and a steady hand, each piece is brought into being, shaped and set with a precision that allows no approximation.
These pieces of jewellery for The Lord of the Rings were created by master jeweller Jasmine Watson, under the direction of costume designer Ngila Dickson. Twenty-six years on, Jasmine has returned to that work, recreating a selection of her pieces for the Master Jeweller’s Collection. Nothing about the method has been shortcut. The same designs and intent; the same hands guide the work; each decision led by experience rather than haste.
The aim is simple: to make each replica both as it was, and as it should be. To hold one is to hold the closest expression of the original that can exist.
PRICING
Ring of Galadriel: USD $13,999
HOW TO ORDER
Orders can be placed by e-mail. Please include the following information:
Freight costs vary according to destination. Your order will be shipped directly from Wētā Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand. Any Import Duties and Taxes due are the responsibility of the Purchaser.
As this is a made-to-order item, there are no Wētā Dollars available for this item, nor can Wētā Dollars be used to purchase it.
