Tag Archives: big

Charoite and Sterling Silver Ring

Charoite and Sterling Silver Ring

Natasha contacted me after she saw my work on FaceBook, to ask if I could make her partner a ring.

Charoite and Sterling Silver Ring

After some lovely email chat, I sourced a stone for her partner, and Natasha asked if I could also turn the piece of charoite I had in my gemstone collection into a ring for her mum.

Charoite and Sterling Silver Ring

I’m so pleased with the way this turned out; I think it’s gorgeous, and Natasha and her mum do too. I’m working on Natasha’s next ring now. I love my job!

Morenci Chrysocolla Pendant

You might recall this fabulous olive green titanium coated drusy ring I created – I made this divine pendant for the same lovely client.

Morenci Chrysocolla and Sterling Silver Pendant

I was able to make this pendant in the same style as an existing pendant that she loved.

Morenci Chrysocolla and Sterling Silver Pendant

This chrysocolla comes from Morenci, Arizona, in the USA. Isn’t it gorgeous!

smithing – creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

It’s always a joy to see other people’s creative techniques. I have written before here and here about the process of silversmithing, and I thought you might like another little insight into this world.

Emerald Green Drusy Agate Oval Cabochon

First, the drusy gemstone (from my never-ending collection!) and a rough design sketch. I’ve already created the bezel (the metal that wraps around the stone) in this picture, bending a straight strip of metal (like the one pictured) around the stone.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

The next step is preparing the backing plate. He’s some sawing and filing in action.

After filing, comes emerying.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

And laying out the component parts to see how it will look. The balls of silver are made by heating some little pieces of silver until they melt – the molten silver naturally gathers up into a sphere. It’s fun stuff!

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

I emery the back of the bezel flat, so that the join between the two pieces of metal will be exact and the solder will flow correctly.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

Then it’s time for a bit of heat.

I love how from this dirty blackened thing comes an object of beauty!

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

Into a solution of sulphuric acid to remove all the oxidization etc.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

While the piece is pickling, I create the bail (the part from which the pendant will hang), and a little plate stamped with my maker’s mark and ‘925’ to show the piece is made from sterling silver.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

Those are soldered onto the piece, then it’s back in the pickle and after that, a rinse off.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

After a good clean-up, with lots of emerying down to a fine grade, I mount the piece on a wax dop so that i can set the stone.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

My engraving ball comes in super-handy here!

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

Some time with my chasing hammer, and the stone is set.

smithing - creation of a gemstone and sterling silver pendant

And finally, the finished piece!

Bright Green Drusy Agate and Granulation Sterling Silver Pendant

If you like this pendant, you can see more of it here in my shop.

Olive Green Titanium Coated Drusy and Sterling Silver Ring

Olive Green Titanium Coated Drusy Ring

A comment was left on a picture of a custom ring I posted on Facebook that I had created. The commenter said she had seen someone wearing the ring in the place where she works! I was so surprised and pleased.

Olive Green Titanium Coated Drusy and Sterling Silver Ring

That lovely commenter went on to arrange for me to create her a couple of custom pieces, one of which is this gorgeous titanium drusy agate ring.

Olive Green Titanium Coated Drusy and Sterling Silver Ring

The drusy has been treated (see my blog posts about treatments here), and I think it is just stunning. Maybe you’d like your own ring made with a similar stone? Let me know!

Agate and Turquoise Sterling Silver Cloud Brooch

Agate and Turquoise Sterling Silver Cloud Brooch

What a wonderful thing it is to have kindred spirits in this world. One of them for me is a very dear bestie who I have been friends with since first grade.

Agate and Turquoise Sterling Silver Cloud Brooch

This year, I felt she needed to soar among the clouds – so when I came across this cleverly constructed agate and turquoise doublet cabochon, it was just the thing!

Agate and Turquoise Sterling Silver Cloud Brooch

I hadn’t made a brooch before, so this is a prototype really – I’m hopeful that it will withstand the test of time!

Supernova Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Supernova Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Supernova Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

My gorgeous friend Marg, who is an artist (you can view her beautiful work here on her website), commissioned me to create this ring for one of her daughters.

Supernova Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Marg’s daughter chose this divine drusy agate cabochon, as it reminded her of a supernova. As soon as Marg told me I could see how very apt this imagery is!

Supernova Blue Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

It is always a joy to work with a fellow artist who appreciates not just my work, but the underlying complexities of being a creative type. Thanks as always, dear Marg!

Lapis Lazuli and Sterling Silver Ring

Lapis Lazuli and Sterling Silver Ring

Lapis Lazuli and Sterling Silver Ring

One of the benefits of being part of organising a school reunion is that along the way, you get back in touch with some lovely people that you haven’t seen since your high school days.

Lapis Lazuli and Sterling Silver Ring

I was thrilled to be commissioned to create this lapis lazuli ring for one of these gorgeous friends (there is a love story attached to this friend and the reunion, but that is a tale for another day!)

Lapis Lazuli and Sterling Silver Ring

Could there be much better than creating a thing of beauty for a person with a beautiful heart?

 

Sterling Silver Cross Pendant

Small Sterling Silver Cross

Sterling Silver Cross Pendant

I previously created this cross for a lovely customer to give her partner.

Sterling Silver Cross Pendant

As my client’s partner is a personal trainer, the dimensions my client requested turned out to be a little large for everyday wear – so she asked if I could construct a second cross, leaving the first one for special occasions.

Sterling Silver Cross Pendant

I enjoyed revisiting this process – thanks, Bella!

Grey Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

Grey Drusy Agate Ring

Grey Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I love all the cabochons I source, but once in a while I come across a cabochon that I just can’t part with. This grey drusy agate is one of those.

Grey Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I love this ring, and I’ve been wearing it nearly every day!

Grey Drusy Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

If you’d like a custom made gemstone ring of your own, check out my gemstone collection, and let me know which one you love the most!

Faceted Black Onyx Jewellery Set

Faceted Onyx Jewellery Set

Faceted Onyx Jewellery Set

 

One of my clients fell in love with faceted onyx (as have I!), and she asked if I could make her this matching ring and pendant set.

 

Faceted Onyx Jewellery Set

 

I was thrilled to! I love that she matched the set with a pair of coal black Czech glass earrings, too.

 

Faceted Onyx Jewellery Set

 

Love the whole set. Thanks, Ash!