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Wowza!
Outstanding! An old Navajo tradition was to add an imperfection (even if it was really small) so as not to be perfect. Perfection at least as far as this old fart remembers, was to bring bad luck. I noticed in the second picture, the leaf that showed reality as it would be a nature. Keep on with more years of awesome work. I also love how helpful and knowledgeable you are. We need more experts with your abilities to inform us the smart way to do things.
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Stunning piece.
I made a point of adding insect damage. Attached see the leaves before mounting them with their berries. It’s easier to see them all laid out. Thee are also a couple of leaf clusters with diamond dew drops.
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Just glorious!
Your tierra is really beautiful the fruits and leaves look very realistic. What are they made of?
Spectacular! And the professional photography really sets them off. Great job.
The leaves are enameled .999 silver. The rest of the metal is Continuum Silver from Stuller.
I used fine silver to make it easier to chase and shape the leaves. I used Continuum for strength. Thus the leaf, berry stems,and the head wire are light but very strong and springy. It is my very favorite metal to work with. No fire scale, Enamels well. When kiln hardened it is the hardest silver alloy that I know of. Casts beautifully. Continuum® : Sterling Silver by Stuller | Stuller And yes it’s expensive. But so worth the cost. I’ve made sterling silver jewelry, but with the gem settings, (especially for rings) I use Continuum.
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Thanks for sharing about the materials. You didn’t mentioned what the berries are made from. They look like glass. I will need to try Continuum sometimes. I took a casting class and we used DeOx. I wasn’t really happy with the color. It’s rather yellow. Is Continuum similar in color to sterling? Also, what time/temp do you heat harden at? I currently heat harden my Argentium ear wires, so curious if it’s different.
The berries were made by the genius glass worker Elizabeth Johnson. I was introduced to her about 10-15 years ago by my brother. They were both computer geeks in Colorado. As soon as I saw her work I was gob smacked. I swore that one day I would make a crown/tiara with them. I reached out to her. You can find her work here…Elizabeth Johnson Art Glass, LLC. and here https://www.instagram.com/glassberriesus/?hl=en The tiara project had to wait until I semi retired. The whole project from start to finish took 31/2 years.
RE: Continuum…It’s VERY white. To heat harden it it needs to be held in a kiln for 30-45 mins and then quenched. It’s expensive. Right now nearly $90 per oz. But that said it makes a great substitute for White gold and platinum. It enamels well, and is not fragile at high heat like argentium. It fuses nicely too. I first started using it to make eyeglasses for fun. And no that’s not me in the photo. Although I sure wish I was that lovely and classy.
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Your eye glasses are quite fun. I was an optician for twelve years, so glasses are something I really notice on people and admire when they are unique. I will have to try working with Continuum at some point. Thanks for all the great info!
Hello Jo,
Thanks for sharing your pretty amazing tiara. Loved the bits of insect damage. Your contributions based on experience are so valuable.
All the best, Judy in Kansas - where summer temps are normally hot, but fall is coming!!
I am amused at how many folks with optical back grounds end up getting involved in making jewelry. The same with Dentists. It’s a very similar skill set. Usually they get involved around retirement age. Mostly because those trades are more lucrative than making jewelry. Making jewelry is more expensive than heroin. It’s not so much the cost of gems and precious metals but it’s the cost of all of the tools and equipment.
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Stunning, truly. Was wondering when you said Continuum Silver, how expensive was it? Sterling silver is now at $3.50 per gram (!!!). Is Continuum more expensive than that?
It’s very expensive. Right now it costs just under $90.00 per oz. The reason it’s that expensive is because it has a palladium alloy in it. Standard sterling is 92.5 fine silver and 7.5 copper. Continuum is 92.5 fine silver, 2.8 copper, .o7 zinc, and 2.8 palladium.
I use it for situations when I need a super hard spring for things that need it. This is why I used it for the very thin wires that hold the leaves and fruit clusters as well as the head band. Regular sterling wouldn’t work. It’s the same with the eye wear. I also use it for earring wires/posts because it doesn’t have a lot of copper in it. Thus reducing allergic reactions and much less oxidation. And finally I use it when making silver crowns and bezels for gem stones on sterling. It wears like iron. Lately with the price of gold so high it’s also a great substitute for white gold which most of us old farts really hate.
This post is very timely for me. I have thought about making glasses in the past and have been thinking about it again. I’m so glad I read your posts on the Continuum before I started.
The coral on the glasses in your picture, is that real coral or something else? Enamel?
Margie
I cast the "coral’ in Continuum and rather than using enamel I hired a local well known automobile painter. I took a small piece of red coral for him to match the color. Because eyeglasses need to flex I was worried that the glass enamel might crack or break. Automotive paint is really tough and can resist flexing and chipping. I also make the screws for the frames with a tap and die kit I got from Otto Frei. I added an extra set of the taps. because they are so small and can be prone to break.
The rest of the frame and temple wires were fabricated.
Thanks.
Margie
Jo your luscious looking tiara is exquisite and perfection in including a tiny imperfection!
Now that it is finally finished can you bare to sell it?
Cheers
Willie