British jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas has collaborated with Chinese jeweller Austy Lee on a series of one-of-a-kind rings that are inspired by Russian architecture.

The collaborative series of four cocktail rings were created as part of the 10^th anniversary celebrations for Ducas’s jewellery brand Annoushka. The rings, which are sold in handmade lapis lazuli boxes, launched in Annoushka’s Harrods concession in London today.

The sculptural rings each pay homage to a different Russian city: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan and Sochi. The gold rings have been embellished with bold colour, brought by gemstones like amethyst, tsavorites, onyx and sapphires, as well as electric blue, green and purple coatings.

The typical onion domes of the Russian landmarks have been brought to life with lustrous golden pearls, bought at source by Ducas from fishermen in Ilo Ilo. Or Tahitian and white pearls faceted by Austy Lee himself with criss-cross marks that mimic the often elaborate architectural flourishes found on such buildings.

Lee, a jeweller known for his technical prowess, flexes his skills with other covetable trimmings, such a moveable central spire in the Kazan ring that detaches to create two rings.

“I have always loved statement jewellery where there is no compromise,” says Ducas, for whom the collection recalls a childhood spent travelling through Russia with her mother. “Austy Lee’s jewellery is the perfect example of that. Exquisitely crafted and beautifully detailed, it is wearable sculpture, rich in colour and complexity.

“Meeting Austy was serendipitous and I am so glad I wandered into his treasure trove of a studio in Hong Kong. His enthusiasm when he introduced me to his beguiling collection had me smitten on the idea of working together and I am delighted to introduce his work to a global audience through Annoushka.”

In homage to Annoushka’s Touch Wood collection, each of the rings designed with Lee contain a piece of wood, which the brand says will provide talismanic properties for its wearer.