ShinyLauren
03-09-2013, 05:17 PM
At the risk of spamming the Show and Tell section and being all "ooh, look what I made", I thought I'd share another recent project.
Some friends wanted wedding rings made in silver, complimentary, but not matching, with a hammered texture. So far, so easy right? However, the bride's engagement ring is a large emerald cut stone (she has two, couldn't decide what stone she liked so left me with her spare to design around luckily!) and she wanted it to fit around the stone. Having googled shaped wedding rings for emerald cut engagement rings, I hit a total blank. Most wedding rings seemed to be a standard flat band that fits under the stone, rather than shaped.
So I tried two different ways. First, I carved out of wax, as I'm trying to practice my wax carving skills but am still a bit clueless, so wanted a back up option in case the casting came back not quite right, as bride's ring size is a J and the wax ring tube I have is also a J. Am still a bit baffled by shrinkage.
Whilst it was being cast, I tried version two. Measure engagement ring accurately. Cut from 1.65mm sheet silver in shape of ring, but leave opening for stone smaller to allow for being hammered like buggery around triblet. Hammer like buggery around triblet to two sizes smaller than ring size, the cut through and solder joint at back. File out nice neat hole, angling it so setting fits in perfectly. File to thin out back of band and sides, sand and bit of a polish. Gentle hammering with ball side of my lovely Fretz repousse hammer to add the hammered texture and bring it up to a size J.
Tada!
5064 5065 5066
Groom's ring - much easier.
Ring tube two sizes smaller, cut to required width, finish edges, sand, polish, hammer texture with gently rounded side of repousse hammer.
Done.
5067
And they loved them, hurrah!
Some friends wanted wedding rings made in silver, complimentary, but not matching, with a hammered texture. So far, so easy right? However, the bride's engagement ring is a large emerald cut stone (she has two, couldn't decide what stone she liked so left me with her spare to design around luckily!) and she wanted it to fit around the stone. Having googled shaped wedding rings for emerald cut engagement rings, I hit a total blank. Most wedding rings seemed to be a standard flat band that fits under the stone, rather than shaped.
So I tried two different ways. First, I carved out of wax, as I'm trying to practice my wax carving skills but am still a bit clueless, so wanted a back up option in case the casting came back not quite right, as bride's ring size is a J and the wax ring tube I have is also a J. Am still a bit baffled by shrinkage.
Whilst it was being cast, I tried version two. Measure engagement ring accurately. Cut from 1.65mm sheet silver in shape of ring, but leave opening for stone smaller to allow for being hammered like buggery around triblet. Hammer like buggery around triblet to two sizes smaller than ring size, the cut through and solder joint at back. File out nice neat hole, angling it so setting fits in perfectly. File to thin out back of band and sides, sand and bit of a polish. Gentle hammering with ball side of my lovely Fretz repousse hammer to add the hammered texture and bring it up to a size J.
Tada!
5064 5065 5066
Groom's ring - much easier.
Ring tube two sizes smaller, cut to required width, finish edges, sand, polish, hammer texture with gently rounded side of repousse hammer.
Done.
5067
And they loved them, hurrah!