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"  I have a complicated relationship with jewelry. I adore the multi-faceted glitter of gems and the glamour of gold, and I appreciate the artistry of a custom-made piece. However, I get all bent out of shape when it comes to weighing the costs of my jewelry to the environment, to those who find and handle the raw materials, and of course, to myself (this economy makes it difficult to justify a splurge). Last year, when my now-husband and I decided to get married, I put strict parameters on the engagement ring: no diamonds, no unnecessary dazzle, and no debt. We decided together on an 18k yellow-gold band with a little clover made of dark red rubies. Designed by Jessica Fields, it reminded us of the stained-glass windows in the cathedrals we&amp;#039;d seen on a recent trip to France.  For the wedding ring, I planned to get a plain gold band...until a friend told me about Blanca Monr\u00F3s G\u00F3mez. The Barcelona-born, Brooklyn-based artist, who has designed jewelry for Nicole Miller, has a wonderfully organic style. I was smitten with her earrings that resemble dried flower buds, and her &amp;quot;seed&amp;quot; rings that look delicate solo, and lovely and wilder when worn in stacks of multiples. I also liked that Blanca uses recycled metals and works with environmentally responsible sources\u2014and lives within walking distance from us, allowing us to &amp;quot;shop locally.&amp;quot;     When we visited the Blanca at her adorable Park Slope apartment, she offered us wine and beer, introduced us to her cats and her husband, and let us try on her designs. We wished we&amp;#039;d seen her rose gold rings earlier, as they flatter any skin tone, from my husband&amp;#039;s pinky-white to my dusty-beige. We also liked her custom nesting bands: the bride&amp;#039;s ring has a cluster of bubbles on top that fit seamlessly into the underside of the groom&amp;#039;s band. I told Blanca that I was leaning towards a simple 18k band, but she could see the sparkle in my eyes when I tried on her diamond pieces (too bad the black diamonds set in rose gold clashed so badly with my rubies!). She proposed a gold band with a dusting of itsy-bitsy diamonds (chips from larger stones used for other pieces) in different sizes, arranged to look like they were sprinkled on randomly. And, even though this would be custom-made, the price was much more reasonable than other rings i&amp;#039;d seen and liked. I couldn&amp;#039;t resist.  I&amp;#039;m including a photo of the ring Blanca designed for me. This is the first ring Blanca has created in this style, and although she admitted that it was tricky to set such small stones, she&amp;#039;s pleased with how it turned out. I love that the band is narrow and elegant but also sturdy, and I&amp;#039;m delighted by the way the tiny stones at the ends make me think of floating bubbles. I also love how this one-of-a-kind piece fits perfectly with my engagement ring. We had several visits, conversations and email exchanges with Blanca, who made the entire experience feel more like hanging out with a friend than shopping for jewelry. My husband and I can&amp;#039;t stop admiring my ring, and I&amp;#039;ve already started thinking about coordinating pieces\u2014for anniversaries, of course. \u2014Corrie Pikul, Associate Articles Editor Follow ELLE on Twitter. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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