Something to give back. This medallion is a donation to the Española Valley Humane Society for their upcoming September fundraiser. Oxidized sterling silver overlay (positive for once), with 14K pink gold heart, their logo.
Española Humane
Española Humane
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In a separate topic here on Ganoksin, I showed you my box ring tool, an online application that facilitates creating templates for box rings. Coming up, I’m going to share a couple of rings that I created with this tool.
Witch Ring
This one has…
A Secret Compartment
The template for this was actually very straightforward. I added the compartment door to the template after saving off the original template.
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Big enough to hold a couple of eyes of newt and maybe a toe of frog, but no way a tongue of dog is fitting in there.
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Tuck a little wool of bat in there to keep things from rattling around. ;^)
-Alec
Ah, cufflinks. No well-dressed gentleman should be without them.
I’ve been working on stone setting skills a lot recently, and haven’t been making any “product,” but needed something for an upcoming gift. It helps that the giftee used to work in the fashion industry. So these are my first, but not my last cufflinks:
Spanish Colonial Lion Petroglyph Cufflinks (front)
Spanish Colonial Lion Petroglyph Cufflinks (back)
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There’s a 10th-century Japanese folk tale I truly love, the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, about Taketori no Okina who discovers a tiny girl, a nymph, in a stalk of bamboo. While I won’t relate all of this charming story here, I encourage you to look it up and read it.
As the tale goes, the woodcutter takes the girl home, and he and his wife raise her as their own and call her Kaguya-hime (かぐや姫). She is, of course, a supernatural being with others watching over her. The woodcutter begins finding gold nuggets in the bamboo he cuts, payment for Kaguya-hime’s care. The story continues with Kaguya-hime growing into a beautiful woman, and the events that follow.
I was inspired by this story some time ago to design a piece of jewelry after the gold-in-the-bamboo aspect. Returning from Japan recently, I took to my studio and finally made this piece. And so, this is my first take on Kaguya-hime no Kin, or Princess Kaguya’s Gold, a sterling silver pendant in the shape of bamboo with a gold nugget inside.
Kaguya-hime no Kin (かぐや姫の金)
Kaguya-hime no Kin (かぐや姫の金)
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I love these
I am new to jewelry making can a beginner make these r these dies
these r beautiful
I’m not sure which you’re referring to, but thank you. And if I’m understanding you, no, they’re not dies. Pretty much everything I’ve shown here is individually pierced.
As a beginner you’re only limited by what you choose to try. Eventually, you’ll get better at whatever that is.
It’s been about four months since I’ve posted anything in this thread. I haven’t been idle, however. Through the encouragement and mentorship of a good friend, I’ve taken a big step up in jewelry design. I recently completed my Professional Gemologist course at Ganoksin’s sister site, International Gem Society.
Feeling much more confident and knowledgeable about colored stones, this is my first attempt at something beyond mineral cabochons, a 2.4 carat mint green Afghan tourmaline set in sterling silver:
Mint Green Tourmaline Ring
Mint Green Tourmaline Ring
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Alec
You’ve done so very well. Can’t wait for another 4 months and see what you’ll do next. Don’t forget the most important TWO words…“PRACTICE & PRACTICE”
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Thank you Gerry.
I would check with Sunwest Silver. Lomas and 4th St. in ABQ.
BTW - I’m in S.Fe. Come say hi at Tom Taylor’s Thursday 15th
Thanks. I’ll do that.
Turquoise from the Black Widow Mine near Tonopah, Nevada. I really love this stone; solid, hard, un-stabilized, un-enhanced. It’s polished to a glassy sheen.
This is another tilted face ring I designed with my box ring software. It’s a little different in that the sides of the shank wrap to close in a curve on the “front” of the ring rather than running straight. Size is just a smidge over 6-3/4.
Black Widow Turquoise and Sterling Silver Ring
Black Widow Turquoise and Sterling Silver Ring, Face
Black Widow Turquoise and Sterling Silver Ring, End View
Black Widow Turquoise and Sterling Silver Ring
Black Widow Turquoise Cab and Ring Template
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Beautiful work. My compliments.
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Sometimes a design idea creates the need for a particular stone. Sometimes it’s the stone that tells you what to do. This is one of the latter.
The turquoise is vintage Nevada Blue, cut back in the 1970s. It measures 25 x 27mm. I juxtaposed this large stone on a small ring, size 6-1/2.
This is no demure ring. It calls you from across the room “Hey, look at me!”
Vintage Nevada Blue Turquoise Statement Ring
Vintage Nevada Blue Turquoise Statement Ring
Vintage Nevada Blue Turquoise Statement Ring
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One more Nevada Blue turquoise ring, but a different design. A little lighter color, and more matrix in this cab. It was the matrix that inspired me to add texture to the shank, a first time experiment that required some special final finishing.
Textured Sterling Silver & Turquoise
Textured Nevada Blue Ring
Shank Detail
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My compliments to the chef. Very nice.
Aaron
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There was once a time I thought I would never be making rings. There was also a time when I believed faceted, colored gemstones were something that would remain outside my interest. Those days are long gone.
3-1/4 Carat Golden Beryl Trillion in 18 Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver
This ring is designed to be worn with the table level, and the gemstone offset to one side.
Only a year ago, there was no way I’d have contemplated attempting this piece.
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