‘The ReBelles’, takes inspiration from heroines throughout history, celebrating their achievements, intellects, and courage. Comprising of seven limited-edition made-to order cocktail rings, each piece showcases Stephen Webster’s impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail and is bursting with unique personality and charisma, referencing the heroine who inspired it.
“Each cocktail ring has its own individual story, connected only as a collection by the fact that each piece is inspired by a strong powerful women throughout history, and in all walks of life. Specialist jewellery techniques feature across the seven cocktail rings, with a combination of stones that I find work together but may surprise people. This approach plays to our strength, incorporating everything we possibly can in regards to our skills and craftsmanship, and visualising this into a collective. This is really us at our best.”
- Stephen Webster, MBE.
INTRODUCING RED SAIL SUNSET
Inspired by Ching Shih
After a mega pirate of the seven seas Ching, died in 1807, his wife was the unlikely but more than capable successor. She was known from then on as Ching Shih, which translates to ‘Ching’s widow’. As she stepped comfortably into his pirate boots assuming the role of a pirate in chief, commanding The Red Flag Fleet of 1,800 ships and a vast crew of some 80,000 men.
By comparison, the famous pirate Black Beard, plundering the seas around the same time and had a mere four ships and 300 men. The Red Flag Fleet was formidable, robbing towns, markets, and villages from Macau to Canton. Ching managed to implement some basic codes of conduct: rape as well as the failure to share the bounty according to the agreed 80/20 split was punishable by death, and the less serious offence of a mid-life career change rewarded by having one’s ears chopped off.
The Qing dynasty, the Dutch and British Navy’s were no match for Ching Shih and her pirates of the Orient. In 1810 a truce was declared; widow Ching and the entire fleet were given amnesty. They got to keep the bounty and their freedom in exchange for hanging up their cutlasses, patches and parrots and lowering the Jolly Roger once and for all. Ching, not quite ready for a quiet life, opened a gambling house, where she made money at the mah-jong tables until her death at 69, a ripe old age for a pirate!
The Red Sail Sunset ReBelle depicts power and leadership that Ching Shih presented throughout her Pirate life. Set in 18ct yellow gold and featuring a cutlass on each side, seeming to slice the top of the central Citrine which is surrounded with Ruby set sails. The arms create the mount of the ring with one adorned in black tattoo motifs and Ruby and Diamond jewellery. Perfectly embodying Ching Shih’s Red Flag Fleet as she sails into the sunset.
Limited production of 10 per design, each ReBelle is numbered and engraved with their individual name. Discover the collection online here or exclusively at our Mount Street Salon, click here for directions.
