(via gmanews.tv) Fashion designer Rajo Laurel is not only known for his romantic and feminine gowns and dresses. His cobweb dress was recently featured on the cover of international fashion bible Women’s Wear Daily on February 9 (he did the same cobweb technique for Rica Peralejo’s wedding gown overlay as seen here - J&B).

Rajo’s impeccable fashion sense extends to other things — such as sheets, cakes, and mattresses. Now, he turns his eye for the exquisite to jewelry, partnering with Iloilo-based F&C Jewelry to create ten wedding bands that are almost works of art. “We sell love, just like him,” said F&C’s Marissa Florete Gorriceta.

(see the other ring designs in Rajo’s blog)

Wedding rings symbolize eternity and commitment. The practice of wearing one’s wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand stems from the Greek belief that the vena amoris or “vein of love” ran from the heart to the tip of the ring finger. Today, couples exchange rings to signify their eternal commitment to each other. In the Philippines, classic, traditional designs are still favored while white gold is becoming the trend.

“Designing jewelry is something natural to me,” said Laurel, whose grandmother taught him how to design jewelry when she would let him play with her loose stones as a child. “What was difficult was designing something that would last a lifetime.”

But Laurel succeeded, coming up with designs like Triad, 14-karat tri-color gold rings that, according to a feng shui master, is auspicious this year of the Tiger. Then there’s Code, which is inspired by the Morse Code. Rouched, on the other hand, takes inspiration from rouching, a sewing technique where fabric is gathered in a repeating pattern. There are also white gold rings with diamonds that spell out a message of love.

“It’s based on the way I make dresses,” Laurel explained. “I like this ring because it’s masculine and feminine at the same time.”

According to Marjorie Florete of F&C, “Jewelry is still viewed as an investment, one that can be passed on to the next generation.”

With the Rajo Laurel collection, this is certainly the case.

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related news item:

• Put a ring on it | Business World