Dancing Ballerina: A Kinetic Cocktail Ring by Margarita Prykhodko

Reimagining Hans Christian Andersen's Tale in Exquisite Detail

The Dancing Ballerina is inspired by the timeless tale of the Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen. The ring encapsulates the romance between the one-legged soldier and the delicate paper ballerina, with a unique kinetic mechanism that brings the ballerina to life. The ring rotates from the slightest movement of the hand, making the ballerina appear as if she is dancing.

The creation of the Dancing Ballerina was a meticulous process. The model was developed in the 3D Matrix program for the jewellery industry based on the Rhinoceros program. The figurine was then grown by prototyping on a 3D printer from wax and cast in two colours of gold. The base product was adorned with 223 precious stones before the parts were assembled into a single figure.

The Dancing Ballerina is a masterpiece of design and engineering. Despite the intricate mechanisms, the ring weighs only 37.20 g. It is made with 18k white & yellow gold, alongside 4.03 carats of round-cut & pear-shaped white diamonds. The ring stands on a double-flip coin base, allowing it to function as a small sculpture in addition to being a wearable object.

The project started in April 2017 in London and was completed in November 2019. The overall process of production, improvements, and quality check took about two years. The ring was privately exhibited at The Ritz London.

The Dancing Ballerina ring is a testament to Margarita Prykhodko's ability to overcome design and technical challenges. The most challenging part was to integrate the rotary mechanism into the design, making the ring light, ergonomic, and elegant. The mechanism is intricate and small, so it was crucial to ensure that not a single dust particle made its way into the mechanism for its flawless function.

The Dancing Ballerina ring has been recognized for its outstanding design and innovation. It was awarded Silver in A' Jewelry, Eyewear, and Watch Design Award in 2021. This award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.