Death is always around us, yet we rarely notice its presence.

Life is finite. We all know that one day it will come to an end, yet we go about our everyday lives without truly acknowledging it.

I sometimes wonder how old I was when I first became aware of death. For as long as I can remember, it has existed somewhere around me. It was never absent. I simply wasn't always aware of it.

When my friend Fernanda organized this exhibition following the loss of her younger sibling, she invited artists to reflect on a deeply personal question: “What does death mean to you?”

Her invitation made me pause and consider my own relationship with death - something I had always known existed, but had rarely taken the time to reflect on.

I realized that, for me, death is not necessarily defined by what it means, but by the simple fact that it exists.

Rather than representing death directly, I wanted to explore its quiet presence in our everyday lives - something that has always been there, even when it goes unnoticed.

At Le Conte, my designs often begin with paintings. For this piece, I drew inspiration from Hans Holbein the Younger's The Ambassadors, particularly its use of anamorphosis, where a distorted image reveals itself only when viewed from a particular perspective.

Keeping Le Conte's signature brushstroke forms, I explored how reflection could reveal a hidden skull within the sculptural surface of a ring. What initially appears abstract becomes recognizable through a change in perspective.

Through Around Us, But Not Always Seen, I wanted to give form to something we rarely stop to acknowledge.

Death does not suddenly appear when we notice it.

It was always there.

Metal: 14K Yellow Gold

Gemstones:

• Red Sapphire — 4 × 3 mm, Pear Cut

• Natural Diamond — 4 × 3 mm, Pear Cut, D–F Color, VS Clarity

• Natural Diamond — 2 mm, Round, D–F Color, SI Clarity

• Black Diamond — 3 mm, Round

Dimensions:

• Ring Top: 13.2 × 13.98 mm

• Ring Size: US 7

Please note: all loose stone sales are final sale.