My gorgeous client Charmaine has a huge malachite ring I made for her, and she wanted some earrings to match. These malachite gemstones are in my gemstone collection, so I created this pair of earrings to give her.
This was the first time I attempted this particular style of bezel setting, and I’m pretty pleased with the way they turned out!
My lovely client Natasha saw these charoite gemstones in my gemstone collection, and asked me to create a pair of stud earrings to match a ring I made her previously for her mum.
Small and sweet, and a little bit matching. I love them.
Lovely Laura recently commissioned me to create a matching ring and earrings for her friend as a wedding gift.
The stone in the ring is malachite, and the earrings are azurite/malachite.
Malachite is just such a wonderful stone – what an amazing natural colour!
Lots of people like to know the process behind the creations I produce, and I sometimes forget – just because I know how I do this, doesn’t mean everyone does! These lovely dangly gemstone earrings were a wedding gift from my friend and client Natasha to a dear friend of hers.
Natasha found these sparkly amethyst, Rose de France and aquamarine rose cut cabochons in my gemstone collection.
First I shaped the bezels. A bezel is the part that goes around the stone and holds it in place on the piece. I take a strip of silver, bend it into shape with my half round pliers, and solder the join. Once the bezels have been immersed in pickle (an acid solution) to remove the buildup of borax and the oxidisation, I rinse and dry them and hammer them into shape with a mallet on my ring mandrel.
I solder the bezels onto a silver backing plate. After I pickle, file and emery the bezel settings, I check that the stones all fit nicely into their little housings.
Then it’s time to add some links to join the bezels together. I create the links, line them up and solder them on.
I add the ear wires. As always, I am amazed that something that looks so unappealing will soon become something beautiful!
After some more cleaning up, I mount the earrings in sealing wax to hold them still while I set the stones with my engraving ball and chasing hammer.
After yet more emerying and finishing, the earrings are ready to go off to their new home!
In case you want more, I have written before here, here here and here about my processes. Happy reading!
As part of a bracelet I’ve been asked to put together, one of my clients wanted a special box to keep to tiny and precious booklets inside.
It is set with a carnelian, one of his favourite stones.
The piece will like a charm bracelet, filled with pieces that have significance to my client – what a great way to wear all those memories at once!
My gorgeous client Natasha commissioned me to make these amethyst, rose de France and aquamarine earrings as a wedding present for a friend.
Natasha always has such beautiful ideas, and chooses such lovely gemstones from my collection.
Thanks, Natasha, it is always such a pleasure to work with you!
My lovely client Rosie loved a pearl ring I’d created for another customer and wanted one of her own.
I made her this one. Pearls and silver look so gorgeous together!
Rosie, one of my lovely clients, commissioned me to create this necklace for her. It is completely handcrafted from sterling silver and black onyx, and the cabochons were cut specially for this commission by the lovely and talented Annaig from Annaig’s Gemstudio.
I’m often wowed by the ideas and requests I receive, and this was one of those times.
It’s a real statement piece, and I envisage it being worn by generations. It’s a privilege to do this kind of work for such wonderful people. Thank you, Rosie!
When you have the husband who has everything, what do you make for his birthday? Well, you might remember I created this money clip last year.
This year, a belt buckle was requested. It was quite a challenge to build, as it is made from 2mm thick sterling silver which had to be shaped three-dimensionally.
I’m happy to say this buckle has been worn every single day since it was given – it’s not so shiny any more – in fact it’s looking quite tarnished and worn, just the way its owner likes it!
Benson wanted to give his wife a special gift for their wedding anniversary. Sensible man, he went for custom made jewellery!
We put a spin on this cuff bangle and included his wife’s initials.
I hope it was a hit on the day!