GS: Stacking Ring(s)

One of my first ever custom jobs was stacking rings... and I haven't had an order for any since. So, it is only apropos to have one of my last custom jobs be stacking rings.

I started with making a very whimsical band with round and modified diamond shapes. While it the shapes seem that they wouldn't stack/fit together well, sometimes you can force the square peg in the round hole and it just works...




I decided to stop at this stage and make a mold. I really liked the simplicity of the shapes and thought they would make wonderful simple stacking rings. Or possibly cool wedding bands. Or maybe the inclusion of flush set stones in the round sections. And the possibilities are endless!

Then I continued on, and finished the 14K white gold ring (below) by adding a prong head, basic engraving to mimic the look of stones in the band and milgrain. Now, this is the first of 4 or 5 rings. The opal is the birth stone of the client's first child, and the plan is to add more rings for future children along with her and her husband's birthstones.




If you notice, the photo doesn't seem shot in my normal style. That is because I used somebody else's light box. We all have our own style. I shoot my pictures in a fabric light box with natural light on black paper. This was in a light box with about 20 different lighting options, a glass floor and crinkled black tissue paper underneath the glass. While it's not my style... and the crinkled paper feels a little 80's to me... it still works to show you the ring.

GS: Back from the Brink of Death...

I had a client bring me his great grandmother's ring in hopes to use it as an engagement ring. Unfortunately, it was on the brink of death.

A ring normally should be at least 1.5mm thick to be stable. This ring was under .5mm. A platinum ring could possibly survive in the 1mm+/- ballpark, but this ring was a really low carat gold (either 8 or 10K.) To get you to understand how thin this ring is, I actually cut the ring shank off with a normal pair of scissors.



Needles to say, the ring was not wearable. If the client attempted to wear it as is, snagging it and one good tug would destroy the ring. Oh... and there was 4 solder joints in the shank alone. So, my best plan was to use the most important part (the shoulders, head and bezel) and treat it as if I was inlaying it into a whole new ring...




The best way to fabricate the new ring was out of wax. This way I could sink the metal into the wax to start creating the layout...




And then from there, carve the wax ring around the head and shoulders...



Once the wax was complete, I popped the metal out and was left with the ring to be cast in 14K red gold...




The reason I chose 14K red gold was because the color of the head was odd. It wasn't quite yellow and it wasn't quite copper, so the red complimented the old metal without making it look brassy or tarnished. And it looks lovely with the ruby too

The finished product came out really well. It retains the sentimental value by including the most decorative part of the original ring but is now stable and will last one (or more) generations.

GS: A Contemporary Spin on an Antique Style

Sometimes I get to make a surprise engagement ring for a couple that I know personally. And when I get to do this, I can really help bring their personality and style into the design. And this is most definitely one of those rings.

The groom-to-be wanted something slightly classic and antique, but with a hip and contemporary spin. So, my first thought was a rose cut diamond. I ADORE rose cut diamonds! They are an antique cut from the middle ages which has had a resurgence in popularity and are being cut again. Rose cuts have a flat bottom, unlike today's brilliant cut diamonds, and have the total of 48 facets. The flat bottom keeps all the weight on the top of the stone, which makes the stone look larger.

So, this ring has a .60 ct VS/F rose cut diamond in a 14K yellow setting, with a 14K white gold bezel and lining inside the head.






So, there you have it! A bit antique, a bit contemporary, totally fab!