In keeping with the nautical theme I seem to have going, a diving bell a la Jules Verne is another piece that I made. Ok, so it’s not really a diving bell. But close one eye and it could be!!
I created this pendant for the goldsmithing training course that I am presently undertaking. The brief was fairly simple – make something incorporating a hollow ball! Great fun.
The first project for the goldsmithing course I am doing this year was to design a piece incorporating a bearing seat setting method (a ledge put inside the bezel wall for the stone to sit on), and one or more 12mm or larger stones in either a ring or pendant, with texture. I fell in love with these carnelian cabochons, and had to use them in my piece! Carnelians can be quite brown, but these orange ones are just delicious! I’ve got my eye out for some spessartite garnet cabs which can also be that lovely glowing tangerine colour.
It was a great fun project, both the designing and the making of it! With each project, we have to come up with the concept, do a tech drawing of it, do an art drawing of it, and of course create it. So much fun!
My dear friend Narelle designed this swirl ball cuff ring.
It was a birthday present for her sister, Trini.
I love the whole idea, and it was an interesting challenge to make!
I created this pendant for my dear friend Morgan some years ago. It was my first foray into creating schnörkels (my teachers have a German heritage, and at school that’s what are these things sometimes known as curlicues!) The gemstone is a piece of eudialyte from North Russia.
Looking back at it, I can see many imperfections. I think we’re all hypercritical of our own work, but this one in particular is very homemade to me. However, Morgan claims to love it still, and imperfections are all part of the learning curve, after all!!
I wonder if everyone looks back on their earlier work with a certain amount of cringeworthiness. Authors, actors, artists, musicians – we’re all putting ourselves out there in some way! Still, I created this with my own two hands (and some metal and stone 🙂 ), and that must be something to be proud of.
For his 16th birthday, I told my son, Liam, that I would custom make him his own ring.
He chose this gorgeous piece of dendritic quartz, which I set in sterling silver for him.
Beautiful and blokey all at the same time!