My lovely mum came to visit me last year, and as we were looking through all the gemstones I have. I asked her to choose one she liked, and this was it!
I made it into a ring for her, and took it down when I went for a visit.
I love my mum!
Tag Archives: sterling silver
Malachite Earrings
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!
Dendritic Opal and Sterling Silver Ring
Charmaine, a gorgeous friend of mine, commissioned me to create this piece of dendritic opal from my gemstone collection into a fabulous new statement ring for her.
A person can never have too many Silver Forge rings!
It’s always a pleasure to make something special for someone nice. I feel very lucky to do what I do!
Charoite Earrings
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.
Garnet, Jade and Onyx Sterling Silver Stacking Rings
These stacking rings were a custom build for a client who has three children named after gemstones. She chose the correct coloured stone for each child from my gemstone collection.
These remind me of the lovely old style acrostic jewellery. What a gorgeous way to honour your loved ones!
If you’d like a set (or just one!) of your own, let me know – I’d love to make you some.
Malachite Ring and Azurite Earrings
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!
smithing – creation of a pair of gemstone and sterling silver earrings
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!
Sterling Silver Rune Ring
I created this ring for a lovely client to give to her mum, who had a similar and much loved ring many years ago.
I love the rune design, so ethereal and still so strong!
Carnelian and Sterling Silver Ring
My lovely client and friend Charmaine, chose this piece of carnelian from my gemstone collection for me to make her a new ring.
She has a fabulous collection Silver Forge rings, and this is a great addition!
Thanks, lovely Charmaine – it’s always a pleasure to create for someone with such great taste! 🙂
Sterling Silver and Carnelian Locket Box
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!