Tag Archives: sterling silver

Flashback – Pearl and Sterling Silver Ring

On a trip through China with my family in 2008, as part of a tour of Shanghai we visted the Jin Mao Tower (at the time the sixth tallest building in the world). Our tower entry tickets rather bizarrely entitled us to a free pearl each at the top of the tower (don’t ask, I still don’t know!), so we wandered past many vendors of tourist tat, and found a counter where a girl whisked out some big flat oysters, popped them open with a pair of pliers and a screwdriver, and offered us a choice of pearls!

We each chose one, and I held onto them for some time, then decided to set them in a ring so that I could enjoy them.

The top of the ring is reticulated – a method that involves heating a sheet of silver to almost melting point, so the surface becomes textured. Fun stuff!

As another addition to my family was on the way at the time, my very kind teacher Sue, gave me a little seed pearl to set in the top of the ring along with the other three. I treasure this ring, and still wear it today!

Small Sterling Silver Cross

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

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.

I enjoyed revisiting this process – thanks, Bella!

Grey Drusy Agate 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.

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

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!

Moss Agate and Sterling Silver Ring

I was contacted by a lovely person who wanted a ring made for her partner.

She came to visit me, and after checking out my collection of gemstones chose this piece of moss agate, which she felt would really suit her tall Nordic girlfriend.

I was so pleased with the way this ring turned out – it was a pleasure to create it!

Flashback – Jade Pendant

Some years ago, my gorgeous husband came home from a work trip to Hong Kong with this beautiful piece of jade for me. Yes, I love him!

I created an elaborate design for the stone, and built that during my goldsmithing classes. Part of the component creation included making some chenier – which is hollow tubing, to go through the middle of the jade, which was cut in a donut shape. That was fun!

At the end of the day decided I didn’t like what I had made, so removed a good portion of the framework and left a simpler way to wear the jade. Sometimes, you have to modify your original idea to make the piece work!

Agatised Fossil Coral and Sterling Silver Ring

One of my gorgeous clients, who has a great collection of Silver Forge rings, asked if I could create her a ring with this piece of agatised fossil coral from my gemstone collection.

This stone is enormous, and I was happy to accept the challenge!

It is the longest stone I’ve set so far, and I think it turned out very nicely.

Thanks, lovely Charmaine! 🙂

Sterling Silver Bangle

It was my lovely mother-in-law’s birthday, and I wanted to make her something nice!

This bangle is simple, and was fun to make, and great for every day wear.

Perhaps I’ll make myself one!

Flashback – Sterling Silver Sphere Ring

At The Goldsmith’s School where I did my training, after learning to set a stone, I was taught how to create a hollow ball or sphere.

There is some danger involved – once you have cut out two circles, domed them to be exactly half of the diameter that you require, you solder the two halves together, and because there is a hollow space in the middle of the ball that you are closing, the risk is that the ball explodes as you are soldering it. This hasn’t happened to me, but I always wear my protective glasses just in case!

This ring was not born from my own idea, as I borrowed the concept from a beautiful piece I bought years ago from a jeweller who had a stand at the Brunswick Street Markets – I have seen this notion replicated in many places however, and it is a simple smithing concept. I try not to look at other people’s work these days, as I would hate to accidentally plagiarise someone’s original creation! There is nothing new under the sun they say, but I like ideas to grow organically inside my own imagination. And I do have plenty of them!

Forget-me-not Sterling Silver Pendants

Earlier in the year I had a weekend away with some of my closest high school friends ~ some of whom I had not seen for thirty years! We felt just as in tune and had just as much fun as we did way back at school, and I feel totally fortunate to have such beautiful people in my life.

I wanted to create us all a memento of our weekend, and the girls chose forget-me-nots – so apt!

I loved making these – I love all the recipients, too. Happy days!

Twins Sterling Silver Pendant

I have a lovely sister, who has two lovely girls – my twin nieces.

I made this pendant for my sister’s birthday this year.

I saw two little girls with their heads together, reading or doing something crafty – although they could be dancing, or kissing. I love all three of those girls, super-much!

the silver forge

jewellery handcrafted by ruthie gray