How We Captured Alaska's Talkeetna Mountains in a Custom Ring
Everyone has a happy place. A spot that feels like home, no matter how far you've traveled from it. For Taylor's wife, that place is Hatcher Pass, a rugged stretch of Alaska's Talkeetna Mountains she's loved since childhood. In the heart of Alaska’s backcountry, Hatcher Pass brings together history and natural beauty with alpine valleys, winding roads, and rugged peaks. The area began as a Dena'ina Athabascan travel and trade route before becoming a gold mining district in the early 1900s. Clusters of old red cabins from that era still dot the landscape today.
Taylor envisioned a custom ring for his wife that would bring these elements together, creating a mosaic of memories she can carry with her every day.
We designed the ring around an 18k rose gold band, first building it in CAD so we could engineer the mountain-shaped divider as part of the structure itself. This was the first time we created a true mountain-shaped divider, and it was important that it not be a separate insert or a soldered detail. The entire band was cast as a single piece of gold, with the ridgeline rising directly from the metal. That approach gave the design strength and permanence. The warm tone of rose gold felt right for a piece rooted in connection, and the 8mm width gave us the space we needed to capture the details that mattered most.
Above the ridgeline, pale pink morganite inlay fills the sky. This stone is a variety of beryl known for its soft, pastel hue and its associations with tenderness and enduring love. Against the rose gold, it mimics the glow of an Alaskan sunset. Below the ridge, moss agate inlay forms the mountain landscape. No two pieces of moss agate look the same. Each reveals its own pattern, color, and depth. It's a stone strongly associated with nature and grounding, making it a natural fit for capturing wild terrain. It is also one of Taylor's wife's favorite stones.
The smallest details often carry the most meaning. Tucked within the moss agate, we placed tiny pieces of red fire opal to represent the historic mining cabins scattered across Hatcher Pass. Fire opal is another of her favorites, making the choice both symbolic and personal.
Crafting this ring required precision at every step. After casting the band as one continuous piece of gold, we machined the double inlay channels: sky above, earth below. Each stone was hand-cut, shaped, and carefully set. The morganite was crushed and arranged to create an even, luminous sky. The moss agate was positioned to mirror the rugged terrain of the pass, with the fire opal accents placed to suggest the red cabins without overpowering the design. A protective resin sealed everything in place, and the band was polished to a smooth, lasting finish. Inside, a small fish symbol engraving serves as an extra personal touch.
The finished ring brings together sky and stone, history and home. The morganite catches light like an alpine glow. The moss agate grounds the design in the wild. And those tiny red opals? They're a reminder of a place that shaped her and the memories she carries with her, no matter where she goes.
There's something fitting about the rose gold, too. Hatcher Pass was built on gold mining, and now a different kind of gold carries its memory forward.
At Honest Hands Ring Co., we believe the best rings tell a story. If there's a happy place, a memory, or a piece of your journey you want to carry with you, we're here to help you build it. Start your custom ring today.
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