The two mythical sea monsters, Charybdis and Scyllia, opposed Odysseus as he tried to cross the Strait of Messina. Some scholars now believe Charybdis was actually a large whirlpool, a true monster for real life sailors. I’ve always like the idea of a sea monster (being an avowed landlubber), but found myself thinking about whirlpools for this design. Creating the design in a square just appealed to my sense of irony.
This design combines concentric, angled steps with a Simplicity style crown. The combination suggests deep, swirling currents beneath placid waters.
The choppy water effect of Charybdis Square’s offset facets is best seen in larger, lighter toned gems like the pale morganite pictured above.