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Betony Vernon Rings

American

The paradigm shift took place over lunch in Florence, Italy, circa 1992. Betony Vernon, a striking flame-haired jewelry designer, was showing off her most recent creation: the 18-karat-gold O-ring, designed with a nod to a bondage collar, with a smaller ring affixed to its front.

Playfully, Vernon's partner put his pinky through the smaller ring as she donned the larger one. Then, the unexpected happened. “There was an electric impulse running through this piece,” she recalls. “We both felt it.” The feeling changed her life. “That was the moment I knew that jewelry can provide sensation and reinforce an intimate bond.”

Enabling others to experience electric moments like that — to “bring luxury, fantasy and sensual possibilities to the fine-jewelry world” — has been Vernon's aim ever since. “Sex and luxury were never associated,” she noticed, and the jewelry designer set out to change that. The result was her 1992 Sado-Chic collection, which became the Paradise Found collection.

Vernon grew up in Virginia and studied art history, religion and goldsmithing at Virginia Commonwealth University. Following her graduation in 1990, she moved to Florence, later earning a master’s in industrial design from the Domus Academy in Milan. Europe has been home ever since.

Vernon's designs are provocative, sexy. But if you look no further than that, you’re missing a much bigger (and more interesting) point. Vernon’s rings, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories represent a vital part of what she sees as her life’s mission.

“Pleasure,” she explains, “has been associated with sin, wrongness and naughtiness, not with joy, happiness and bonding.” Vernon has set out to demolish that “pleasure taboo.”

So, how is pleasure reflected in the design of Vernon's jewelry (and remember, we are talking sensuality not sexuality)? Early in the design process, she asks, “How many senses can I turn on?” Every detail relates to a sensual experience.

That crisp snap a clasp makes when opening or closing? A pleasure to the ear.

The softness and spring of noble metals, silver and gold? A pleasure to the touch.

And always, Vernon believes, jewelry embodies memory, legacy. A pleasure for the soul.

Find a collection of Betony Vernon jewelry on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Betony Vernon
Betony Vernon "Double Sphere Calcite Massage Ring" 18 Karat Gold
By Betony Vernon
Located in Rome, IT
The "Double Sphere Calcite Massage Ring" was designed by Betony Vernon in 2017 to be worn as a statement piece as well as to provide a healing massage. Th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Betony Vernon Rings

Materials

18k Gold, Gold

Betony Vernon "O-Ring Band Mini Ring" Ring 18 Karat Gold in Stock
By Betony Vernon
Located in Rome, IT
The "O-Ring Band Mini Ring" was designed by Betony Vernon in 1992 and manufactured in lost wax elements. The "O-Ring Band Mini Ring" is part of a timeless signature Betony Vernon's s...
Category

1990s Italian Contemporary Betony Vernon Rings

Materials

18k Gold

Betony Vernon "Double Sphere Calcite Massage Ring" Sterling Silver 925 in Stock
By Betony Vernon
Located in Rome, IT
The "Double Sphere Calcite Massage Ring" was designed by Betony Vernon in 2017 to be worn as a statement piece as well as to provide a healing massage. Th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Betony Vernon Rings

Materials

Sterling Silver

Betony Vernon "Ostrich Feather Puff" White Ring Sterling Silver 925 in Stock
By Betony Vernon
Located in Rome, IT
The "Ostrich Feather Pleasure Puff" ring was designed by Betony Vernon in 1994 to tickle your fantasy. The ring it is still coveted by collectors today as the "Ostrich Feather Pleasure Puff"'s playful yet elegant allure literally creates a sensation, in and beyond the boudoir! Wear it as a show stopping cocktail ring or as a tool to tickle and tantalize even the most sensitive areas of the body. How to adorn: The feathery pleasure puff ring is designed to be worn ideally on the middle finger. The feathers can be sprayed with your favorite perfume to tantalize the sense of smell, as well as the sense of sight and touch. In spite of their delicate appearance, feathers are very resistant and can be vapor-cleaned and fluffed. Avoid that the feathers come into contact with essential and massage oils. Note: For a full initiation to sensual tickling see chapter 13 - The Touch of a Feather, in Vernon's book The Boudoir Bible...
Category

1990s Italian Contemporary Betony Vernon Rings

Materials

Sterling Silver

Betony Vernon "Wing Ring" Ring 18 Karat Gold in Stock
By Betony Vernon
Located in Rome, IT
Betony Vernon designed the "Wing Ring" Ring in 1999. Straight from the '90s, the wings are the symbol of lightness, spirituality and freedom and it is in th...
Category

1990s Italian Contemporary Betony Vernon Rings

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

Betony Vernon rings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a range of Betony Vernon rings available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique items was designed with extraordinary care, often using sterling silver. While looking for the most stylish antique or vintage Betony Vernon jewelry to pair with your ensemble, you’ll find that Betony Vernon diamond rings, from our inventory of 4, can add a particularly distinctive touch to your look. We have 56 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 1990s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider rings by Laura Dalben, Sacchi Gioielli, and Berca Atelier. Prices for Betony Vernon rings can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $779 and tops out at $54,496, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $3,337.

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