ABOUT
This ring was given to me by a family friend named Dragon during my trip to Guangzhou, China during the summer of 2017. It is a reminder of my time living in a completely different environment and culture. The size eleven platinum men’s ring is about a quarter-inch thick with six rivet-like designs etched into its base. The word LOVE is engraved along the ring’s side. The “O” holds a line in the center to imitate the rivet design common in Cartier’s “Love Collection” jewelry. Cartier is a French brand in the luxury fashion industry. Like luxury brands such as Balenciaga or Louis Vuitton, Cartier goods are remade and sold as counterfeits in public markets within provinces like GuangDong. In GuangZhou, I witnessed how these open markets function. These markets have adapted to economic conditions and have become so enlarged that they take up entire malls for selling counterfeits. These markets use an app to promote clothing by taking pictures of their goods and posting them online with an asking price. When Dragon gave this ring to me, I was not aware of the value of an actual Cartier ring–$3,650.00–until I later looked it up online. Dragon had a box with dozens of other designer rings from Louis Vuitton to Bulgari in different sizes. This gave me the impression that the rings he sold may not be legitimate. However, to me, this does not take away the ring’s value. In fact, the monetary price holds no importance in comparison to the memories attached to it. This ring is linked to a point in my life where I was able to witness everyday life and the sights of a different culture. The knowledge acquired from that period in time is what makes this ring so important to me.

— Jean-Pierre Hernandez