A creative former local student has created a one-of-a-kind ‘Wanaka Ring’ which reflects the natural topography of the land in this unique area.

Freedom Holloway and her peers came up with the idea for the Wanaka Ring during a business enterprise class at Mount Aspiring College (MAC). It was chosen as the MAC 2014 leavers’ ring, and after the school year ended, requests for the ring kept coming, so Freedom and her brother Vincent decided to continue with the project and refine the ring for a second edition - which has now launched.

The design of the ring was a long and involved process, and the ring holds aspects of the mountains, lakes and rivers, and land. “We wanted to immerse ourselves in our surroundings,” Freedom said. “We took photos of the mountain lines, and the one that resonated with us most was the Black Peak mountain range, so we took that exact photo and put that mountain line into the ring. We decided to flip the range to represent the reflection of the mountains on Lake Wanaka.”

Wrapping around the back of the ring is a thin pit, which represents the Clutha River/Mata-Au. “I chose this river for two reasons: historically it was a commonly-used route out of the area with its surrounding land used for Maori settlement, and simply because it holds many special memories for myself, as the designer, floating down Clutha River rapids as a kid.”

The Wanaka Ring represents the area’s unique topography, which holds a special place in the designer’s heart. PHOTO: Supplied

The third aspect of the design is the land. “When designing the second edition, I stumbled across Joe Waide’s Wanahaka [a Maori culture experience] at the waterfront,” Freedom said. “I came back to watch it again the next morning to film his performance and ask him about it... After speaking with Joe, I realised the importance of including a feature that acknowledges the land and its history. The coordinates of Wanaka engraved on the inside of the ring recognise this.”

Freedom initially gained knowledge of jewellery making through Aspiring Jewellers in Wanaka, and had her ring brought to life by The Village Goldsmith in Wellington.

Despite now being based in Wellington, where she studies fashion design at university, Freedom plans to continue to design more jewellery which represents places special to her.

While specific plans are still under wraps, developing her concept further is “something I’m really excited about,” Freedom said. “We have some amazing plans and are about to start discussions with a number of partners.”

Learn more about Freedom’s company, Silver Compass, or the Wanaka Ring, here. Wanaka App readers can use the code ‘MyWanaka’ at checkout for an exclusive discount.