Tube L ring

Tube was born within the Unsuitable collection, which came about at a time when Maite was rather fed up with having to fit into every social paradigm: either you live and dress within certain norms, or you are unsuitable. Unsuitable is her answer.

Maite has always wanted some of her collections to be a small statement, personal and social, about things she doesn't think are right and that have been simmering inside her for a while. This is one of them.

The collection is a metaphor from start to finish. Its pieces are large, very linear and very close-fitting, almost as if they were strangling you: a very fine line that can choke you, like life itself. And at the same time they are eye-catching, because that is the contradiction she was after: something beautiful, delicate and simple can also suffocate.

Over time, Tube evolved until it was pared back to its essence: two rings, the L and the S, which are now part of the Silence collection, alongside the Tubos series.

It is one of the few pieces from the workshop with a polished finish. Maite hardly ever works with it, because she prefers the subtlety of matte, but here the metaphor of contradiction only worked if the piece shone much more and took centre stage.

The ring is a 1.2 mm wire with 24-carat gold plating, with no enamel and no colour: all its strength lies in the line.

It is made on Calle Alameda, in the Barrio de las Letras, in a workshop you are welcome to visit. If you come by, you will probably see the next one being made.

It is adjustable, so it adapts to your finger. Being polished, it shines more than almost anything else from the workshop: it works on its own, as a statement piece, or alongside matte rings to play with the contrast. There is also an S version.

The hypoallergenic coating protects the piece from contact with skin and perfume. A polished finish shows fingerprints more than matte: if it loses its shine, give it a wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Keep it dry and stored separately, and avoid putting on scent while wearing it. With normal wear and this care, the gold plating lasts for years.