Three selectable ring widths
Until now, cobaco BRIDAL has been delivering men's rings and women's rings as a pair. However, when we actually meet with customers, we often receive inquiries like, "I prefer the thinner one, but can I also have the women's type?"
I have mixed feelings about dividing into men's and women's categories in this era, so I decided to allow customers to freely choose their preferred ring width.
We have newly established an intermediate ring width. You can now choose the ring width from three sizes: "narrow," "regular," and "wide."
Four colors to choose from
For example, there is the metal "K18". There is K18 yellow gold as well as K18 pink gold. To elaborate, even within yellow gold, there are several types, and the composition can vary slightly depending on the manufacturer that produces the metal, so in fact, there are many varieties.The metal composition is not limited to just one type of metal for each kind.
The reason I am talking about this is that a troubling issue has arisen with a certain type of currency.
K18 Natural White Gold, which has been popular since before the renewal.
White gold has long served as a substitute for expensive platinum, as it can be produced at a lower cost. By applying a plating process called rhodium coating, it ultimately achieves a whiteness similar to platinum; however, the actual color of the metal itself is actually "a slightly yellowish white."
We want you to wear it in its original form without hiding its true color, if possible. At cobaco BRAIDAL, we have intentionally delivered natural white gold without any coating.
Finally, we return to the "troubling issue." It has come to our attention that the shade of natural white gold used by the craftsman who will be creating the rings for the renewed cobaco BRIDAL is slightly different from what we have handled in our store so far.
Compared to what we have handled in the past (top photo), the color tone has become more whiter (bottom photo). Since there are color differences depending on the manufacturer of the raw material, this color is also very attractive. From now on, we will go with this color for "K18 Natural White Gold." That's what we've decided.
I made a decision. I thought I had decided, but the colors I've been working with so far are still hard to give up... Even when I consulted with people around me, they ended up saying, "I want this color to be an option too." After much deliberation, I consulted with the craftsman, and they agreed to try another material.
K18 champagne gold. It was quite similar in color to the natural white gold we have dealt with so far. It was worth the effort. We will decide to add it to our lineup soon.
The cast is complete. From left to right: K18 Yellow Gold, K18 Champagne Gold, K18 Natural White Gold, Pt900 Platinum. You can choose from four colors.
DESIGN01: Plain | There is nothing more difficult than simplicity
The design that has been exchanged the most with craftsmen is "Plain." It is a simple design with no decorations, yet one wonders where so much adjustment was necessary. The focus was on the roundness of the ring.
In the plain design, the corners of the ring's surface are rounded to create a more delicate and understated impression than the actual width of the ring. If the corners are left sharp, it lacks delicacy, and on the other hand, if they are overly rounded, it can create an overly edgy design in a negative sense, losing the impression of simplicity. We communicated with the craftsman multiple times to explore a pleasing roundness.
DESIGN02: Tsuchime | 360-degree same pattern
First, take a look at the hammer design before the renewal.
There is a part called "ushita" that comes to the pad of the finger when worn. To make it easier to work when resizing, the ushita is not decorated.
If there are patterns or decorations under the arms, it becomes quite difficult to resize, or even if it can be resized, it is challenging to do so without altering the original impression. However, having the same pattern all around is ideal from a design perspective.
In this renewal, we have changed the design to feature a hammered pattern all around. Thanks to the skilled craftsmanship of our artisans, even after resizing, the hammered pattern can be perfectly recreated.
In a word, while there are various types of hammer marks, ranging from those resembling jagged mountains to smooth, slime-like forms. The sharper the edges, the stronger the sense of individuality in the finish. I wanted it to blend into everyday life, so I aimed for a hammer mark that is as gentle as possible, yet never appears dull.
DESIGN03: Curve | The Relationship Between Ring Width and Curvature
The curved ring, when finished with the same ring width as other designs, inevitably gives a bulky impression. By designing it to be a few millimeters thinner than other designs across all ring widths, it achieves a sleek and refined appearance.
Another consideration is the relationship between the width of the ring and the degree of curvature. As the thickness increases, the presence of the curve becomes more pronounced, so to avoid it standing out too much, we have made adjustments so that the curve gradually becomes gentler as the width of the ring increases.
DESIGN04: Combination | Design born from skilled craftsmanship
The combination color design that was finally realized during the renewal.
The combination ring that was previously offered had a rhodium plating applied to half of the K18 yellow gold ring to give it a white appearance. However, since it is merely a plating, it will start to wear off over time. We have received inquiries from customers saying, "The plating is coming off," and we have re-plated it several times.
Marriage rings become a part of life as the years go by. We felt the need to deliver something that can withstand the test of time, which is why we have removed it from our lineup.
I want to create a true combination ring that connects two different materials, K18 yellow gold and platinum, instead of just plating. Since then, I have been continuously searching for a craftsman.
The rate at which metals expand when heat is applied (thermal expansion rate) differs between platinum and gold. When the two materials are welded together, the degree of contraction as they cool is different, which can lead to the joint coming apart or warping if not done correctly, resulting in a poor finish. This makes the processing technically challenging.
A design that has finally been realized after several years thanks to the encounter with a skilled craftsman. We are finally able to add it to our lineup.
This is the end of the story about the newly transformed cobaco BRIDAL. May you encounter many "unique forms just for the two of you."
