Two lighthouses were built upon a rocky headland in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, for certainty of safe passage and return to Portland and Maine. Twilight-cut gem, Fresnel lens-like shape with phenomenal flashes of light. Two diamonds either side of center are the two lights. 14K Yellow Gold.
The Two Lights Ring
The background story: Two lighthouses were built in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 895 feet apart. The two were built in this location because of the treacherous rocks and to distinguish the spot from Portland Head Light at the entrance to Portland just 4 miles away. For mariners at night, seeing two lights close together told them exactly where they were on the coast and how close they were to Portland. In our Two Lights ring, the two diamonds on either side of center represent the two lighthouses.
The gem in the center represents the old Fresnel lens in traditional lighthouses. Its barrel shape and arched curvature mimics the shape of the lens. The style of cutting of the center gem is called the twilight cut, a cut that produces a mystical light show of sweeping brilliance. Coincidentally, the lamps of lighthouses were traditionally lit at twilight.
The Two Lights ring design is modified from the design of a Georgian ring from the early 1800s. The original ring was a low-profile design with a white gem in the center surrounded by seed pearls. We based our Two Lights Ring on this Georgian design, choosing this period of jewelry design because of a famous ship wreck on these same outer Cape shores which occurred in 1808 during the Georgian Era. The loss of the ship The Charles was part of the reason two lighthouses were built at this location. This ring was created to honor this scenic and historic part of our coast of Maine.
For history and more information about Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, visit: newenglandlighthouses.net
Eureka Blue
Gems and jewelry of the Eureka Blue Tourmaline find are coming to an end. This is one of the last pieces of jewelry available from this historic discovery.
Eureka Blue tourmaline came to first light September 24, 2009 with the opening of gem pocket #1 on Plumbago Mountain, Newry, Maine. What quickly followed was the opening of a series of additional gem pockets yielding the rarest and most desirable of all colors of tourmaline…blue!
Eureka Blue is a unique shade of tealy blue-green tourmaline. It has been described as the color of the twilight sky at winter solstice. This find of winter teal gems is yielding some of the most sought-after cut and polished Maine tourmaline we have ever had the privilege to offer.
