The original story of the ring is so unique. Now it has a new lease of life
Sentimentality and family connections were huge factors for Eilidh Kerr and her fiancé, Marc Campbell, when creating her engagement ring.
Made from opals belonging to Eilidh’s grandmother’s engagement ring, which had originally been made by a Polish prisoner of war, Katie Lees helped to keep the history of the ring alive while bringing it up to date with a fresh design.
“Marc contacted Katie about making my ring and had decided the opals from my gran’s ring were perfect as they had always been my favourite stone,” explained Eilidh, 29, a fundraising insight specialist at Maggie’s cancer charity.
“The original story of the ring is so unique and I’m so happy that it’s been able to get a new lease of life and live on through my new ring.
“The jeweller who made my gran’s ring had been brought to Scotland as a prisoner of war and when the Second World War ended, he stayed in Ayrshire and began to work at Ballochmyle Hospital where my papa also worked as a lab technician.
“They became friendly and, knowing he still created jewellery in his spare time, my papa asked him to make the ring for my gran.
“I had worn my gran’s ring as it had been originally for years after she died, but it became damaged so I had actually asked Katie separately to repair it for me, not knowing what she and Marc were plotting.
“The new ring’s main stone is a grey kite salt and pepper diamond with my gran’s opals sitting in a triangular shape around it. To contrast the
Eilidh’s grandparents Sam and Mary Guthrie, and the original ring
blue of the opal and greys of the diamond, small white diamonds have been added between the opals and on each side of the band to pull it all together.”
She added: “Because heirlooms are so precious, I understand that sometimes people want to keep them safe and this often can lead to them actually rarely being worn.
“However, by incorporating them into new pieces, it’s as if they get to start a new chapter in a new life.”
As well as the ring itself, the date on which Marc proposed was also highly personal to the couple.
“Marc proposed to me on his mum, Barbara’s birthday, who we lost six years ago,” said Eilidh.
“He had told his mum years ago that I was the girl he wanted to marry so he wanted the date to be lovely and positive, making it a happier time for everyone.”