Taking stack of the designer’s inspirations When it comes to Dawes Design rings, the more the merrier. With hand-hammered 18k gold and gemstone creations from more than a dozen collections—­including the wavy California Canyon, delicate ­Dewdrop, and sleekly modern Blockette—the stacking and mixing-and-matching options are practically endless…especially for brides looking to liven up their left ring finger. (Not an option, however, is sending Dawes your own diamond to pop into one of her designs: “Most of my diamonds are rose cuts,” she explains. “And because they are all hand-cut, they have a quality and personality that needs to fit with my ­aesthetic.”) Here’s more on the Santa Rosa, Calif.–based designer’s sunny aesthetic.Dawes’ Spectrum-winning emerald, diamond, and aquamarine necklaceAge: 42Number of years in the biz: 12Number of employees you oversee: 4F