Yeah, done to death right?
If you want to improve your skills the 3stone ring is a good way to
do it. I don’t mean assembling findings although doing so in the
beginning will illustrate some of the proceedures and complexities
involved.
Geometry…you have 3 planes that should be in proper relation to
each other. A degree or two out of angular position and it shows.
Half a millimeter too high on one of the sides and it shows. Scrunch
a prong a tad too much and it shows. Build it too high and it’s
gawky. Make it too low and it’s squat and ungraceful. Transition from
setting to shank needs to be perfectly centered and in line with
centerlines of all three stones. Wire for prongs and galleries often
like to be a slightly different diameter, sometimes tapered,
sometimes curved. Look from the underside…does the shank seem to
flow perfectly thru the cluster or do you see the cluster at an angle
to the shank?
Innovation… it’s such a confined setup that while it IS a
challenge to be original, when you succeed it’s rewarding. Even if
you make a standard ring, excellent uniformity and balance make it
beautiful.
Monetary considerations…be able to make a great 3stoner and you
have the oppertunity to sell meaningful stones along with the
mounting. Why not just order from a book? Because often you are
dealing with uncalibrated sizes or odd size or shape combinations,
particularly in the case of remounts. Both retailers and the public
are willing to pay handsomely to have a mounting that comes up to the
level of important stones.
I didn’t go to art school but it’s my understanding sometimes
students are asked to meticulously copy a classic work. I assume the
point of this is to develop skill with detail and accuracy. Develop
your proficiency with the 3stone and its impact will be noticeable in
everything else you do. Precision itself is beauty.
It can be a long haul though with the possibilty of frustration and
failure. Yet, pull it off and its magic.
http://www.oscarheyman.com inspiring. to me anyways.