A selkie is the Celtic name for a mystical fairy (or a type of "fair folk") of the sea. In the water, they appear as seals, but on land, they shed their seal skin and take on human form. Selkies are not like mermaids (half human/half sea creature) because they change from seal to human form when they shed their seal skins by the sea.
I see selkies as extremely protective as well as shapeshifters of necessity. They are transformative as well as torn between two worlds, always intending to return to their heart's desire, home.
“It occurred to me that there have always been selkie women: women who did not seem to belong to this world, because they did not fit into prevailing notions of what women were supposed to be. And if you did not fit into those notions, in some sense you weren't a woman. Weren't even quite human. The magical animal woman is, or can be, a metaphor for those sorts of women.“—Theodora Goss
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- This ring is currently a size 6.5, but we can resize it for you prior to shipping. We can resize this ring in-house complimentary to you down to size 4.5 and up to size 8.5 (quarter/half/whole sizes 4.5–8.5; please see the resizing info below)...possibly a bit further (please use our Contact page to inquire).
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RESIZING INFO (for the finished ready-to-ship ring in the photos): complimentary in-house resizing up or down takes approx. 14 business days to complete as it is not a fast process and takes several hours (sometimes a full day) of careful work. Please select your ring size from the drop-down menu.
- Details about this gemstone: approx. 10 mm x 15 mm freeform cut Australian opal doublet (this gemstone does have a hairline fracture (visible in many of the macro photos) that does not go all the way through the stone, is stable, and can only really be visible when looking closely in certain lighting...it was difficult to show in the photos even with a macro lens). Please note that the pricing reflects this "flaw". The stone was carefully hammer set which is only suitable for strong gemstones. An Australian opal doublet is an opal that features a thinner slice of natural opal on top of a backing (typically host rock from opal called "potch"). This allows thinner slivers of opal (which often grows in thin seams within a host rock) to be used and appreciated rather than discarded. The opal was mined in Australia which has some of the most stringent environmental laws in the world for mining these colorful gems. Opal is the only gemstone that represents all of the colors of the rainbow (not every opal will take this "snapshot" of every color, although they will often contain multiple colors). The flash and colors within opal are observable due to a phenomenon called light refraction (similar to the effect of a prism). Light passes through the stone and allows one to observe "color". This is why different lighting situations may change the look of the opal. It is truly magical!
- Opal care: Australian opals are not particularly sensitive to water as Ethiopian opals and are stable, however, they are otherwise known as nature's glass. They do require extra care to protect them from scratching and cracking. We'd advise you to remove your ring when doing any activities that could damage the ring to be on the safe side, but otherwise, it is a beautiful ring to wear (just needs a little extra loving care than something like a diamond or sapphire).
- Hand carved & one of a kind: hand-carved ring made by the artist in wax, cast in 14K gold (the wax is burned away and only the gold remains in the final piece); no mold was taken of this ring so it is the only one like it in the world.
- low profile ring that sits directly on the finger (please note that a curved band could be stacked below...please reach out for suggestions, if desiring a ring set)
- All Knot & Splice gemstones are carefully sourced
- Band width: approx. 1.8–2.5mm (in the back); this band is organic and a bit wavy which is the artist's intentional style
- Center "crown" setting (entire face of ring): 19.07mm x 19.04 mm (3.25 mm tall)
- Currently a polished finish (can be finished with a matte/brushed finish...please note, as you wear the ring, it will burnish and become more polished with time); polishing and brushed finishes will wear as they are loved and worn.
- 14K yellow gold (we use recycled milled metals)
- hallmarked "14K" and signed "NJM" (Nicole Jo Melton) on the inside band
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General shipping details:
- There is only one ready-to-ship ring (finished photographed ring). Please see our current processing times on the FAQ page; please allow up to 14 business days for resizing (complimentary)
- SHIPPING within the US: this fine jewelry order will be fully insured in the US via Third Party insurance (not noted on the outside of the package) with a signature required for delivery. There is no need to purchase additional insurance.
- International shipping: please select UPS expedited, USPS Priority Mail, or Priority Mail Express for this item. Your package will be shipped with full third-party insurance and a signature required.
Please note: While every effort is made to photograph the items to be an accurate representation, photography and computer monitors have limitations and differences. These images were taken with a Canon DSLR and macro lens (this shows much more detail than the eye can see). Colors and brightness may vary on different devices. I believe these pieces look so much prettier in person when held in the hand and admired by the eye (I've also been told this many times by Knot & Splice customers). I hope you're delighted when you receive your special piece.