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Thread: Help requested for 18ct gold / diamond solitaire + earrings

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Rural Somerset, between Yeovil and Shepton Mallet
    Posts
    201

    Default Help requested for 18ct gold / diamond solitaire + earrings

    Hi All, My brother is soon to get enganged and has asked me to make (or at least source) a solitaire 18ct diamond ring and earrings to match. I have done quite a lot of work in silver but very little in gold and none in 18 ct. As this is likely to be a one off only job, I do not want to spend a lot of money on new tools / equipment. My thoughts were to buy a cast blank (NOT from a mould supplied by me but from a "standard" range) and the diamond separately from a dealer. Same process with earrings. I would then do the clean up, setting and polishing, then get them assayed with my own hallmark. Budget is very generous and I am sure will cover this project with a little left.
    Do you know any reputable casting companies in the UK who do this kind of work or supply pre-cast blanks? (or anyone on here who would like to quote for the work) - also a good suppler of diamonds.

    I am very nervous of taking on such a project using my limited skills - I have made several solitaire CZ rings in sterling silver and was pleased with the result. But 18ct gold is a different issue if I make a cock up and have to start over.

    Thanks in advance for any advice or offers to supply some or all of the set.

    BarryM
    Barry the Flying Silversmith👍

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
    Posts
    5,253

    Default

    I'd probably go for Eurofindings, personally. Separate shank & mount on the ring, solder (or farm it out to someone who'll deal with it if you're not happy to). I do this kind of work for people, but there's bound to be others here too.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Braunton, North Devon
    Posts
    59

    Default

    I work in the retail jewellery trade.
    I also make jewellery. I consider myself to be pretty skilled in silver.
    I will be honest and say that I would never attempt to make an engagement ring. Working in gold is not like working in silver. Please refer your brother to people who do it for a living.
    A lot can go wrong, not so much with the initial putting the ring together, but with the aftercare. In general, women are not particularly careful with engagement rings and wedding rings. Most wear them all the time, in bed, whilst bathing, whilst cleaning and even decorating or gardening. By being the maker of the item, unfortunately anything that goes wrong afterwards will come back and bite you on the behind I've heard customers come into the shop I work in with the attitude "but it's not supposed to fall apart", whilst all the time they have been abusing "the precious....".
    Please don't take this the wrong way, but if I was buying an engagement ring (with a generous budget) I wouldn't want a stone setting novice making it up for me. Sometimes relatives see that you make jewellery and think that your skills are endless......

    If you can get an account with Domino, they will do the whole thing from start to finish for you.

    Sarah
    Last edited by orestruck; 17-08-2015 at 11:43 AM. Reason: Additional info

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Rural Somerset, between Yeovil and Shepton Mallet
    Posts
    201

    Default

    Thanks all for advice and views, i think I will follow Sarah's advice and leave such an important ring to the professionals.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Barry the Flying Silversmith👍

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