chasing the dream in ring heaven today i share our first feature called ARTIST'S SPOTLIGHT where we invite an artist to tell us about their path within the jewelry trade. VERONICA CARRILLO Veronica reached out to me here, on my website, and I can’t tell you how happy that made me. I’ve been putting in the effort to keep my site updated, and moments like these remind me why it’s all worth it. After our initial connection, I checked out her work on Instagram and was immediately captivated. Her creativity, skill, and unique perspective were undeniable. I knew right away that I wanted to learn more about her journey and share it with all of you. We connected via DMs, and as we exchanged stories, I was struck by how incredible her path has been. Veronica’s work isn’t just visually stunning—it carries depth, emotion, and a sense of personal evolution. Her journey into her craft wasn’t linear; it was shaped by passion, persistence, and a willingness to embrace change. She shared how she first started, the challenges she faced, and the moments that reaffirmed she was on the right path. There were setbacks, of course—every creative journey has them. But what stood out to me was her resilience. Instead of seeing obstacles as roadblocks, she treated them as stepping stones, refining her skills and vision along the way. What I find most inspiring about Veronica’s story is the way she channels her experiences into her work. Every piece she creates tells a story, reflecting her growth, her emotions, and the lessons she’s learned. It’s a reminder that art, in any form, is deeply personal yet universally resonant. I feel so fortunate to have connected with Veronica, and I hope her journey inspires you as much as it did me. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out her work. and thank you, veronica, for sharing a bit about yourself and your journey! looking forward to what's to come! here is veronica's story, in her own words: "I come from a Latino family where my mom always dreamed of giving me the opportunities she didn’t have because of the challenges her family faced. She taught me the value of education and pushed me to pursue it with determination. Fortunately, I had a natural affinity for the sciences, which made it clear early on that I would pursue a career in that field. At the same time, creativity has always been a huge part of who I am. My first creative endeavors were simple but meaningful—making beaded jewelry, decorated headbands, and hair accessories for friends and family, who quickly became my first “clients.” This initial spark of creativity grew into a true passion, and I wanted to formally learn the craft of jewelry-making. My earliest teachers were YouTube videos and basic tools I picked up at hardware stores. After earning my degree in Laboratory Sciences, I began taking night classes to dive deeper into the craft, exploring metalsmithing, wax carving and casting, stone setting, and eventually CAD design. For the past six years, I’ve worked full-time as a fertility scientist—an incredibly rewarding and challenging career. But no matter how busy life gets, jewelry design has always been my creative escape. Now, as a mom to my daughter Isabella, my priorities have shifted. My goal is to find a balance between spending quality time with her and pursuing my passion. I often say I’m a scientist by day and a jewelry designer by night. Balancing these two worlds can be demanding. My days begin at 4:30 a.m. for work, include trips to the Diamond District, and end late in the evening, cherishing time with Isabella before bed. Despite the challenges, I’m taking a leap of faith this year to shift my focus entirely to jewelry design. My vision is to create bold, innovative pieces that push boundaries and resonate with a wide audience, while also gaining the flexibility to spend more time with my daughter. It’s a big step, but I’m excited to embrace this new chapter and see where it takes me." @veronicacarrillojewelry

Victor reached out to me on Instagram a while back to share his work, and I was immediately captivated by his style. We started chatting —first in English—but after noticing his last name, I asked where he was from. It was no surprise to learn he’s also from Latin America, specifically Colombia! From there, our conversation naturally shifted to Spanish, and everything just flowed. I knew I had to share his story—an artist who feels deeply and channels his emotions through his work, inspired by the Portuguese literary classics he discovered after moving to Portugal. Victor's passion for drawing is at the heart of his creative process, bringing his pieces to life. He also collaborates with another talented Colombian artist, designer Carolina Salazar —be sure to check out her Instagram for stunning textile prints and patterns! VICTOR TOMIC I come from Colombia and I have been in the jewelry world for many years. Currently I am living in Portugal, where I am working towards reopening my own space in Colares (a whimsical villa near Lisbon, where the sea and the mountains come together – the perfect setting for an artist). Yet, beyond craftsmanship, my work is about communication. It is a language of emotions, thoughts, and reflections on society—an intimate expression of what words often fail to capture. Rather than writing, I have learned to shape my ideas in silver and gold, allowing metal to speak where language falls short. One might think writing would be easier, but I believe meaning is often best understood through beauty—through form, texture, and symbolism—rather than through endless words. Jewelry, for me, is more than adornment. It is a dialogue, a simple yet profound conversation about life, about us. I have also immersed myself in the works of Luís de Camões, the father of the Portuguese language. Before truly knowing his work, I instinctively chose three of his poems. Now, I see them as three diamonds. As I read further, I realized that Camões’ life was a relentless pursuit—intense, passionate, yet without a clear destination. That is why the ring I designed takes the shape of a star, a sun. It represents the unattainable, that distant light we all look up to with both madness and hope. But by wearing it, we remind ourselves that this light must also be found within. Camões: passion to the core. A longing for peace within. A living poem—where his story ends, and ours begins. Not perfect, just human. Not a brand, just myself. Not mass-produced, just one at a time. No customers, only friends. Not fear, only trust. Not luxury, just life.No illusions, only truth. No envy, only love. No secrets—everything to share! @victorstomic

here are the winners of the BAGUE EXTRAORDINAIRE AWARD , chosen by me among the over 130 artists/designers participating in the Cluster Jewellery Fair, which took place in London in December 2024. it was not an easy task and I must say that there were inumerous incredible rings and so much more! i will soon share interviews with the three artists on Instagram, so stay tuned. GRACE MIELL CARMEN VOLLEBERGH SANDRINE DIODATI

I was so honored by eleonora's invitation to create an award for this incredible jewelry show, with over 130 artists from all over the world. I went to the opening on friday at Protein Studios, december 13 (!!) and it was super fun! i'll share the winners on a special post! meanwhile, here are some of the pieces i really enjoyed at Cluster Jewellery: by portal jewellery by nicole albagli by the polska traveller by the polska traveller by sheila westera by sheila westera by weme jewelry by nana watanabe

i have admired his work for a long time and it was simply amazing to visit Kasun's shop and atelier and to see all his pieces first-hand! despite the super rainy day, enzo and I made it and we were enchanted by all his unique, beautiful and exquisite pieces! kasun wearing kasun

an amazing photo from the epic night that was Auric! photo taken by emefa cole, featuring shola, jet, anna, enzo peres, eliane, castro and guy. on thursday i visited the Goldsmiths' Centre at the invitation of clio saskia and also had the opportunity to meet and see other artists' work too. clio is such a beautiful and talented young woman who didn't start out as a jeweller but lucky for us, this is the path she chose. it was such a treat to see her atelier, chat with her about her interests, references, her mine in Australia (she mines her own stones, how cool and utterly ethical is that! i also met with the incredibly talented ellis mhairi cameron whose work is sublime and utterly enchanting. she has gone deep into her scottish heritage and developed magic in her rings and all pieces she creates. a determined artist, she is as unique as her work. next i sat down at the centre's cafeteria to chat with ana thompson and genevieve schwartz and they were the sweetest, telling me all about their inspirations, their references and they showed me the most beautiful pieces too! it was so wonderful! ana thompson ana thompson genevieve schwartz genevieve schwartz

it was a indeed a feast for the eyes - a very quick trip but filled with gorgeous jewelry - mostly rings, of course - and so many incredible artists! it was the best! first stop was wednesday night in a beautiful house in notting hill. the private viewing with the talented jet mcquiston , emefa cole , shola branson and castro smith . here are some of the pieces i tried on and dreamed about! first up is jet - her work is perfection,filled with details and special symbolism all around: next i tried on emefa's chunky and heavy and marvellous rings! they are a direct reflection of the forces of nature, her heritage and culture: then came the time to try on shola's magical and perfect rings: completely precious and the stones are to die for!! and finally castro's epic carved rings, each one more amazing than the other - he is such a marvellous character and it was amazing to talk to him! there's lot more to share and i'll be doing this over the next few days! bisous!

a few months ago I received a very special invitation by the Head Curator at Cluster Jewellery, Eleonora Varotto: she invited me to participate in their jewelry fair which takes place in London from december 13 to 18. together we decided that I would create a special award to be given to the most beautiful ring in the event, according to me! the winner will also be on my page on instagram and we will have an interview which I will share here on the blog. at this moment I am looking over the work of all participants and I must admit this is going to be a tough job since there are so many beautiful pieces. together with my designer we came up with a very elegant certificate which will be printed and given to the artist on december 17 during the event. I will participate in the opening which takes place on friday , december 13, and I cannot wait to see everything in person. of course I will be sharing all of my adventures here on the blog and also on instagram. stay tuned! bisous! (if you click on the image a link will take you directly to my page on the Cluster Jewellery website)

the time is almost here! after planning for a month, @fancythisrings will be going to London for a flash visit to participate in two events and also visit selected artists. i will also meet valery demure for coffee and see friends & family - it's going to be amazing and of course i'll be sharing everything here and on my instagram page. take a peek of what's to come: this private event brings together four of the most outstanding contemporary artists whose pieces are extraordinary examples of the highest level of creativity and craftsmanship. it is an honor to have been invited and i'm truly excited to see their new creations first-hand. and these are some of the artists whose studios i'll be visiting as well: this is kasun london , whose amazing pieces can be recognized from miles away. so sleek, smooth, dangerous and fun, all at the same time. so much glamour!! this beauty by clio saskia is among one of my favorites. love her style, the delicacy and of course, the impeccable craftsmanship. unforgettable! the first word that came to mind when i saw this beauty was fabulousness! her work is inspired by her Scottish heritage and it is out of this world: ellis mhairi cameron stefania's gorgeous work never fails to astound me. the stones, the organic feel and of course this color! GAH! i'm so looking forward to meeting the artist behind ambersoukjewellery i'll come back with more in no time! meanwhile you can see it all realtime on Instagram! bisous!

and i've already gotten the most beautiful gifts! i have long admired rita martinez's work as well as valeria rossini's - while in paris visiting galerie sophie etc i had the opportunity of seeing some of their work and also try it all on - however, i missed their presence at the gallery and this saddened me! well, they took it upon themselves to put a smile on my face and boy did they succeed! i received the two most beautiful rings and i have been wearing them ever since: