ZPJ Love Stories - Breanna & Gregor

When Gregor brought me a bag of gold nuggets to use for his and Breanna's wedding rings, I made sure I let him know the risks about melting down alluvial gold, and how it can be more difficult than it seems. I have worked with client's alluvial gold before and it can be riddled with impurities, and take some time to refine, but this gold was exceptional - sliding through the roller like butter.

Yet, what truly made this gold special was the story behind it. Gregor shared the touching history of how this gold came into his possession:

"(The wedding rings) are made using nuggets found by my grandparents in Central Otago. I used to join them on their gold missions in the hills a good 25 years or more ago, it is incredibly special to come full circle and have our rings made with this gold, particularly as both Gran and Grandpa have now passed. The rings look stunning and we are grateful that Zoë treated the whole process of working with this gold with such care, respect, and excitement!" - Gregor

Gregor commented on the highlights of the ring design process, but it has to be said - I think I enjoyed it just as much as they did!

"A highlight of the ring design process was Zoë's genuine enthusiasm, and willingness to 'give it a crack' with regard to using my grandparent's gold nuggets. Zoë helped to ensure we created rings that are unique and that we are stoked with." - Gregor

In addition to the custom rings, Breanna chose to wear the Baroque Pearl Hoops on her wedding day. These featured large baroque pearls set on 9ct yellow gold hoops.

I had made Breanna's engagement ring the year earlier and Breanna also shared the story of their engagement with us, which perfectly complements the essence of their wedding:

"The proposal was memorable for the stunning mountain location (Chukhung Ri - 5,550 m above sea level in Nepal) and breathless (literally) views, plus Gregor secretly carrying the ring all the way from NZ and in his tramping pack until the 9th day of the Nepal trek. In harmony with the engagement story, the wedding day was atop the Queenstown hills with the beautiful Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu as the backdrop. The deep blue sapphire in my engagement ring and yellow gold reflect the ubiquitous colours of inland Otago's environment." - Breanna

Has a ZPJ piece been a part of your love story? We'd love to hear about it! Please get in touch at hello@zoeporter.co.nz

If you'd like to chat about designing a custom engagement ring, wedding ring, or other special piece, fill out our commissions form!