The Elvish smith who forged the Three Rings in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium is Celebrimbor.
Celebrimbor was a Ñoldorin Elf and the lord of Eregion, a realm near Moria during the Second Age. He led the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, a guild of highly skilled Elven smiths. Working with knowledge gained from Sauron in disguise, the smiths created the Rings of Power.
Celebrimbor forged the Three Rings independently of Sauron’s direct involvement, although their creation was connected to the broader ring-making project. The Three were later known as Narya, Nenya, and Vilya. They were associated with fire, water, and air and were used to preserve and protect rather than dominate.
Celebrimbor is sometimes confused with Fëanor, another famous Elven craftsman. Fëanor created the Silmarils in the First Age, while Celebrimbor belonged to a later age and made the Three Rings. That difference in both artifact and historical period is decisive.