Apple designer Jony Ive creates unique ring made from one diamond block
The ring will be auctioned off to raise money for HIV/AIDS charity
Apple’s chief design officer, famous for his simplistic designs, has created a diamond ring - and it’s undoubtedly one-of-a-kind.
Sir Jony Ive, the British industrial designer best known for designing the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, typically follows the design standard that “less is more” - and has now turned his talents to jewellery.
Teaming up with fellow designer Marc Newson, the pair have crafted a diamond ring made entirely from one block of diamond.
The ring, which resembles nothing like a typical diamond ring, features a flat top that seamlessly morphs into the rest of the ring - and will be made to fit the buyer, up to a size 5.
According to Sotheby’s, where the ring is expected to sell for $150,000 to $250,000 at auction, the ring has been made exclusively for (RED) by Diamond Foundry - to raise money to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in eight African countries.
The auction house described the ring as: “consistent with their mutual obsession with transforming raw material into objects of value, Ive & Newson’s design is singular, clear and uncompromised by the traditional metal settings and bands that have previously been required to create ‘diamond rings.’
“Theirs will be created by removing material rather than adding - an ambition made possible by the extraordinary scale of the stone which will enable the ring to be completely made of this material.”
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Show all 2To create a multi-faceted diamond ring that does not require a band, the ring will be “faceted with several thousand facets,” between 2,000 and 3,000 facets, "which has never been seen before on a single piece.”
The bidding for the unique diamond ring, which will fit small hands only, will begin on December 5 2018 in Miami.
This isn't the first time that Ive and Newson have startled people with their dedication to simplicity.
In 2016, the designers were asked to design the Christmas display at Claridge's hotel in London - an honour previously asked of Christopher Bailey for Burberry and John Galliano.
However, rather than decorating with lights and holly, the Apple designer and Newson decided to use bare unadorned trees to convey holiday spirit - as well as a sprinkling of snow.
Of the minimalistic decor, the pair said: "There are few things more pure and beautiful than nature, so that was our starting point, layering various iterations of organic forms with technology."
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