Most rings begin with a design and then search for the right stone. This one feels like Ramona Laloma found the stone first, stared at its completely unreasonable shape, and decided the only correct response was to follow it wherever it wanted to go.
The result is this long, winding piece of Dry Creek turquoise—nearly white, streaked with sand, rust, and smoky earth—flowing vertically across the hand like a river viewed from the sky.
It is gloriously oversized, beautifully weird, and far too interesting to behave like a normal ring.
Why This Piece Matters
Dry Creek turquoise is prized for its pale and often unexpected coloring. This enormous cabochon presents a particularly earthy expression of the material: a creamy white field interrupted by reddish-brown mineral islands, fine golden traces, and occasional hints of atmospheric blue.
The shape is extraordinary. Instead of cutting the stone into a conventional oval or teardrop, its long natural curve was preserved. Ramona framed it with a hand-cut serrated bezel and a broad, restrained silver border, allowing the turquoise itself to determine the silhouette.
At 24 grams, this is a substantial sculptural object with serious presence across the hand.
Artifact Registry
- Artifact Name: The Desert River Ring
- Artist: Ramona Laloma
- Hallmark: Artist signed
- Materials: Natural Dry Creek turquoise and sterling silver
- Construction: Large freeform cabochon, hand-cut serrated bezel, oxidized recess and substantial handmade band
- Ring size: 8.5
- Weight: 24 grams
- Era: Vintage
- Collector’s Gallery Value: $1,295
Curator’s Field Observation
The cabochon’s extreme verticality is the defining feature. Its narrow center and expanding ends create the impression of movement, almost as if the stone were slowly bending around the finger.
Ramona wisely kept the silver architecture minimal. The darkened channel around the serrated bezel creates a sharp visual boundary, while the outer silver frame gives the irregular stone a finished, intentional silhouette without attempting to tame it.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This stone looks like somebody picked up an entire desert river and fossilized it.
It’s absurdly long, completely asymmetrical, and has all these tiny rust-colored continents floating through it. Ramona could have chopped it into three polite little stones. Instead, she preserved the whole strange creature.
Correct decision. This is why we leave the weird rocks alone and build the jewelry around them.
Most rings begin with a design and then search for the right stone. This one feels like Ramona Laloma found the stone first, stared at its completely unreasonable shape, and decided the only correct response was to follow it wherever it wanted to go.
The result is this long, winding piece of Dry Creek turquoise—nearly white, streaked with sand, rust, and smoky earth—flowing vertically across the hand like a river viewed from the sky.
It is gloriously oversized, beautifully weird, and far too interesting to behave like a normal ring.
Why This Piece Matters
Dry Creek turquoise is prized for its pale and often unexpected coloring. This enormous cabochon presents a particularly earthy expression of the material: a creamy white field interrupted by reddish-brown mineral islands, fine golden traces, and occasional hints of atmospheric blue.
The shape is extraordinary. Instead of cutting the stone into a conventional oval or teardrop, its long natural curve was preserved. Ramona framed it with a hand-cut serrated bezel and a broad, restrained silver border, allowing the turquoise itself to determine the silhouette.
At 24 grams, this is a substantial sculptural object with serious presence across the hand.
Artifact Registry
- Artifact Name: The Desert River Ring
- Artist: Ramona Laloma
- Hallmark: Artist signed
- Materials: Natural Dry Creek turquoise and sterling silver
- Construction: Large freeform cabochon, hand-cut serrated bezel, oxidized recess and substantial handmade band
- Ring size: 8.5
- Weight: 24 grams
- Era: Vintage
- Collector’s Gallery Value: $1,295
Curator’s Field Observation
The cabochon’s extreme verticality is the defining feature. Its narrow center and expanding ends create the impression of movement, almost as if the stone were slowly bending around the finger.
Ramona wisely kept the silver architecture minimal. The darkened channel around the serrated bezel creates a sharp visual boundary, while the outer silver frame gives the irregular stone a finished, intentional silhouette without attempting to tame it.
Eric’s Notes from the Field
This stone looks like somebody picked up an entire desert river and fossilized it.
It’s absurdly long, completely asymmetrical, and has all these tiny rust-colored continents floating through it. Ramona could have chopped it into three polite little stones. Instead, she preserved the whole strange creature.
Correct decision. This is why we leave the weird rocks alone and build the jewelry around them.
