HELLO WORLD!
Thank you for following me forward on my mission…
When I think of the words ‘championship ring’, I think of a piece of jewelry that symbolizes a grand achievement backed by excellence, perseverance, teamwork and often — blood, sweat, and tears. When one of my dearest friends and client came to me with a request to craft a custom signet ring, I knew that the job fit perfectly within this realm, and I immediately had a vision for the design…
Let’s rewind to September 23rd, 2023, when my red bottom Louboutins are gracing the entryway of the Natural History Museum in New York City. It’s the first night of RollieFest — an exclusive, invitation-only event tailored to watch collectors, founded by super collector and client Geoff Hess. The 175 attendees of the soiree (41 of which flew in from around the world to be there from countries including Japan, United Arab Emirates, and the Netherlands) started to pour into the venue, eager to see what the weekend had in store for them. Each attendee came with a deep-rooted passion and nostalgia for one thing… timepieces.
I already had a general idea of what to expect, as Geoff had commissioned me several months earlier to craft security-tag credentials that served as exclusive entry into the event. Instead of the cookie-cutter badge necklace, we opted to create stainless steel ID tag necklaces that featured the RollieFest logo on the front, and each individual attendee’s name on the backside of the tag. Although the necklaces served as a gateway through the doors of the coveted weekend, they also served as keepsakes of the memories had. To say that I was ecstatic to see the pieces that I had created dangling around the neck of each attendee that evening AND experience what Geoff had been planning over the course of the last year, is an understatement…
The guests enter one by one, and soon the event is in full effect. After hours of meeting and mingling with each other, we sit down for a welcome gala dinner at the museum’s Irma and Paul Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life. Perhaps one of the most unique experiences about the dinner is that all guests are intimately seated underneath the 94-foot-long Museum’s iconic blue whale. The blue whale immediately became a symbolic memory of the beginning of a weekend of special events to cherish forever. Geoff stands up to deliver a heartfelt speech that captivates everyone in attendance, and the weekend is off to the races.
The following day my glossy Chanel loafers step into the Rainbow Room, which is famously located on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Plaza. It’s day two of RollieFest! Organized chaos immediately ensues as the watch collectors pull out their rolls and cases of timepieces to display on the white cloth tables— some showcasing ultra-rare, never seen before pieces. The “oohing and ahhing” was prevalent. I stand in awe overlooking the room. How could it be that the love for these tangible items could bring together this many people? It’s simply amazing. The showcasing was followed by a lively brunch and finally a panel discussion featuring select enthusiasts within the industry.
Later that evening, I walk through the doors of Manhattan Motorcars wearing my gold bejeweled Giuseppe Zanotti heels. It’s time for a final gathering — a cocktail hour surrounded by cars… and of course timepieces. I watch as timepieces exchange hands, and guests laugh and reflect on the unforgettable past 48 hours. Soon I feel the energy in the room shift slightly as the evening comes to a close. RollieFest weekend is ending, but collectively, our love for timepieces lives on eternally.
Let’s fast forward to the following week when I’m sitting behind my white marble desk at my office located in the New York City Diamond District. My phone rings with a call from Geoff.
“What a weekend…” He says.
We immediately started reminiscing about each day, and how incredible it was that he had organized an event of such high caliber.
“Let’s make a ring.” He says.
I couldn’t think of a better way to recognize his achievements, and so the design process ensued. After an hour long creative meeting the idea became crystal clear. The iconic blue whale from the RollieFest gala dinner had to be the main focal point of Geoff’s ‘championship ring’.
Let’s dive into the thoughtful details of this very special piece unique that was created for Geoff…
The official RollieFest ring is crafted out of solid 18K white gold palladium, weighing approximately 26 grams total and measuring appoximately 17 millimeters in diameter. Our 18K white gold palladium is both nickel free and hypoallergenic compared to traditional white gold. It features a whale tail design at the forefront with accompanying text that reads “RollieFest New York 2023.” The text sits atop a guilloché background — a design technique found on the most coveted watch dials and very rarely on jewelry. The guilloché detail successfully represents a merging of two seemingly related industries. The top of the ring is painstakingly hand-painted over a two week period with different gradations of blue enamel to reflect the mesmerizing hues of the whale and the ocean. The ring is finished with our logo and quality markings engraved in the inner shank, as well as the significant start date of the event — 9/23/2023.
Quality lies in the details, so in turn, no detail is overlooked.
Jewelry is meant to tell a story, and it’s meant to keep memories alive. Jewelry is meant to be passed down, and it’s meant to carry on a legacy. I’m on a mission to achieve this in all of my designs, forever.
Now back to perfecting my craft ✍🏻 And on to the next creation…
Sincerely yours,
KATRINA VRAKAS