Tag Archives: silver

Flashback – Silver Textured Overlay Pendant

At the Goldsmith’s School I studied at, the second piece that all students created was a pendant. We were asked to come up with a couple of designs, bearing in mind that we would have to cut the pieces out of sheet metal with a jeweller’s saw. Good to see I’ve had the spiral theme going for a long time!

After cutting out the circle for the base layer of the pendant, I stippled it by hammering with a stippling tool (a steel rod with a design carved into one end) all over the metal. Then I cut out the top layer, and soldered it and a a simple cup hook bail on (with some assistance from the teachers!)

I was always very taken with how, out of a room full of people given the same basic brief, so many very different pieces come to life. I’m still pretty fond of this piece, although I don’t wear it very often – perhaps I should get it out!

Sterling Silver Skull Money Clip

Not everyone’s cup of tea, I know, but waaaay back when I was doing a casting workshop as part of my silversmithing training, my husband requested a skull.

I carved this one out of wax, and after the casting process, it lived on my bench for a couple of years. Finally, I cleaned it up, and thought about what piece to create with it for the minimalist man who has everything!

A money clip was the answer. This is the only piece I have ever made my husband, and it was a long time coming – but I think he found it worth the wait. This is a one-of-a-kind piece – not only because I made it for a loved one, but because I don’t have the specialist equipment required to do casting. The perfect gift for a metal-loving guitar player!

Sterling Silver Crown Pendant

A client emailed me to ask if I could help her with a costume jewellery piece she loved that had deteriorated and could no longer be worn.

As she could’t replace the piece, and it had been created in a cheap base metal, I was happy to replicate it for her in sterling silver.

Now it should last forever. Ah, the joys of working with precious metal!

Flashback – Plain Sterling Silver Ring

When I started attending the Goldsmith’s School in Brisbane back in 2005, the first piece that everyone made was a plain half round ring. This is known in the trade as a ‘wedder’ (as it is a basic wedding ring.) The ‘half round’ refers to the profile of the ring.

It is possible to use a rolling mill and roll wire to be half round, which is the easy way to make one of these rings; we started with a thicker, flat piece of metal, shaped it into a ring, then filed and emeried until it was half round – it’s a good way to learn those basic techniques, and also to get an understanding of the complexities of silversmithing.

I made this ring to give to my son at the time – I don’t think it would even fit onto his pinkie finger these days!

Almandine Garnet and Wave Sterling Silver Pendant

I was approached by a new father, who wanted to have a special piece made for his partner to celebrate the birth of their first child.

The design idea started with the baby’s birthstone, which is garnet, and her mother’s love of water. I provided a few quick sketches, and the lovely dad and I worked together to finalise the design.

The baby’s name is stamped on the back of the pendant, making it the perfect piece to treasure for a lifetime!

My Jeweller’s Workshop

23 Jul 2012

For a while now, I’ve been taking random pictures of my workspace. Sometimes I post these on my Instagram page, and sometimes on my FaceBook page; but I thought it was time I posted them here for you to see. Look how clean my workspace was only a few months after I first got my jeweller’s bench set up! Look at that nice new engraving ball.

2 Jul 2013

A year later, and I’ve achieved the more lived in look. All clean work in progress mess of course! I spy the beginnings of the Elementals collection.

24 Jan 2014

As time goes on, storage becomes more of an issue, as you can see by the stacks of boxes full of Czech glass.

28 Feb 2014

Here you can see my jump ring winder… and I think those are parts of this bracelet and ring combination piece.

03 May 2014

That’s a wax stick for stone setting you see there amongst the tools and bits and pieces. I was working on this chrysocolla pendant amongst other things here!

15 May 2014

More joy, and more pieces in the works.. including this peacock blue round drusy ring, and this stormy blue oval one. That’s my ring sizing equipment in the top left hand corner.

19 Sep 2014

Besser brick is not very exciting, but I brighten up my space with a fabulous piece painted by a three year old, and I love my beautiful Granny’s landscape oil painting of the cliffs at Fairlight – it is calming and inspirational. And yes, I do drink a lot of tea!

Star Sapphire and Sterling Silver Pendant

I created this pendant for my client Nick using a star sapphire that was his mum’s, which has great emotional value to him. It was previously set in a ring; and then in a bangle which had seen better days.

I was able to free the stone, and send it down to my lovely friend Annaig of Annaig’s Gemstudio to have a little gem-cutting done. Annaig worked her magic and made the back of the stone flat so that I could bezel set it.

I know Nick was really happy with the end result, and so am I – a modern masculine look for a treasured sapphire! Thanks to Annaig, and to another lovely friend, Lisa of Springwood Porcelain, who referred Nick to me!

Pink Opal and Sterling Silver Ring

I do make more petite rings sometimes, and this pink faceted opal cabochon from my small gemstone collection was just perfect for the occasion!

My lovely son asked me to create a ring for a friend of his. Her favourite colour is pink – so what better stone?

I designed the setting to bring the pink opal away from the finger where it might otherwise be lost, but is still small enough for a dainty ring wearer! Love you my son. xx