Jony Ive and Marc Newson Have Designed a Lab-Grown Diamond Ring That You Have to See to Believe
Imagine a diamond ring with no band or metal settings. It floats on the finger and is flawlessly cut. It’s essentially a solid block carved with intricate facets and a hole through the middle—a tiny, glittering sculpture. Such a ring was never thought possible until now, brought into being by two of the world’s most forward-thinking industrial designers. The Red Diamond was designed by Sir Jony Ive, the man who invented “i” style at Apple, and Marc Newson, the man who has given us, well, everything from furniture to appliances to shoes to future cars.
The ring was created by Diamond Foundry using never-been-done-before science to grow a rough diamond. The process involved manipulating atoms to form a sizable base layer for the diamond’s initial growth, as well as the Diamond Foundry’s plasma reactor technology. “We loved the idea of growing a diamond with the sole intention of transforming it into a ring,” says Ive.
The ring will be auctioned by Sotheby’s during Art Basel Miami on December 5, with all proceeds benefiting Bono’s charity Red, which raises funds to support HIV/AIDS programs in Africa. In addition, part of this year’s proceeds will also also go towards the Rebuild Foundation initiative in Chicago, championed by the artist Theaster Gates. Other works in the auction include those by Christo, Frank Gehry, Jeff Koons, and Ai Weiwei.
