Silver Beard Necklace

I was recently asked to make a beard necklace from sterling silver.  It's definitely one of the more unusual custom requests I've had, but I really loved the idea.

The customer emailed me a picture of what the beard should look like:

I carved it out of wax:

 Then cast into silver, after which the sideburns and joining rings were carved, as the wax was too fragile to carve any further before casting.

Chain soldered on, hallmarked, polished and ready to go!

Custom Skate Necklace

I am getting better at taking pictures of custom work before I send it off, even if they're not my best photography work!

This is another custom roller derby skate necklace I did recently with semi-precious gemstones for the skater's team colours.

Custom Jammer Helmet with Skate Numbers

More little skate numbers!

This jammer helmet necklace was customised with the skater's colours and skate number, 03.  Threes are one of my favourites to cut out.  Not sure why really, there's just something pleasing about the shape of them...

Also, I have been promising some new roller derby jewellery for a really long time now.  I keep getting distracted by all the other new ideas floating around my little head, but it's really, really, nearly finished now!  I'm just finishing off my prototypes ready to be moulded and cast.   Watch this space, roller derby fans!

Custom Wedding Rings for Emerald Cut Stone

I was recently asked to make a pair of complimentary wedding rings from silver, with a hammered texture.

So far, so right up my street - I love hitting stuff with hammers.  The slightly tricky part was that the bride's ring had to fit around her engagement ring, which had a large, emerald cut stone.  Having done some googling on shaped wedding rings for emerald cut stones, I drew a bit of a blank, as most wedding rings for this rectangular shape of stone are flat bands that fit under the stone, rather than going around it.

Carving the band so the setting fitted perfectly into it was definitely a challenge, but it turned out really well I think.

The rectangular shape and squared off style looks quite art deco, and would look great with a matching shaped diamond eternity ring on the top.

The groom's ring was much easier!

Look at the New Tools!

I discovered the marvelousness that is the GRS Benchmate system on my diamond setting course and have been coveting one ever since.  Unfortunately they are very much on the expensive side, so didn’t think it was something I’d be able to have any time soon.

But look!

Thanks to the amazing generosity of a jeweller that I’ve never even met in real life, I now have my beautiful Benchmate. Sometimes people really are just brilliant!

I’ve ordered a bench peg and a couple of extra bits to go with it, then it can be mounted on to my bench ready for me to do all the stone setting I’ve been saving up.

Exciting!

Silver Khanda Charm

I was asked to make a small silver Khanda pendant recently, and here it is.

It was hand cut and carved from sheet silver, before being sanded, finished and polished.

Other than that, I've been mainly making skate necklaces and faffing about with ideas for tiny silver biscuits.  All will be revealed...

Silver Angel Fish Charm

I went home last weekend to see my family, do some skating with the newly formed Jersey Royal Rollers roller derby league and go to my godmother's birthday party.

I've been promising her a little fish charm for her sea-themed charm bracelet for so long now, so finally sat down and got the design finished.

Tada!

The charm was cut from solid sterling silver sheet, then filed, polished and lines engraved with one of my exciting new GRS gravers.  I then soldered tubing through for the eyes (there's one on each side) and set two tiny 1.5mm sapphires.  This reminded me I really need to by a magnifying visor!

I was really happy with the little angel fish - sadly I didn't have tine to make a mould of it though, but I might make another when I have some spare time.