Theme Competition April 2016 - Spring

[Unhindered]

My entry is a 9ct Yellow Gold 'Spring' ring with 2 stunning tube set Emeralds! I made this design initially while at uni 8 years ago so it was nice to dust it off when I got this customer order recently! I also think the colour of the emeralds remind me of Spring and all the lovely greenery


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ajda]

Very springy, in both senses - lovely ring!
Alan

[Lynn.D]

I love that style and the emeralds look so vibrant!

[Unhindered]

Thank you both I love the emeralds I picked them myself from wards!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jengreenwood]

Hi all,

Just a gentle reminder that you only have until midnight on this Saturday, 30th April to submit your entries to our Spring themed competition.

Best of luck to all!

Jen

[theresa]

Stretching Spring theme slightly, but I have just made this wedding ring which I engraved with the Uffington White Horse. We had a long walk over White Horse Hill last Tuesday when the weather was incredibly warm and springlike and it inspired me.

The customer originally wanted one of the others but chose the horse instead.

[Dennis]

You're a good engraver and no mistake. This has encouraged me to try again. Dennis.

[ajda]

Me too. I was going to engrave a white horse on a pendant a while ago, but gave up before I started... the Uffington one is a lovely image and great for a ring - nice work. My springs are coming up next...
Alan

[ajda]

Apologies for yet another motorcycle theme, but after all this is the time of year for fair weather bikers to dust off their leathers... I've always liked the look of rear shock absorbers, especially on many older bikes, so thinking of various interpretations of "spring", decided have a go at making a silver pair in miniature. Each one is made from 10 different pieces of tube and wire (plus 1 little disc capping off the wider piece of tube, so 13 parts in all if you include jump ring and ear wire) - I've tried to show some of the process in the pics. I drew down various diameters of tubing and wire to make a piston-like arrangement that moves, so they can be squished up and down against the spring. There's still work to be done - I threaded the top of the piston arm and the fitting at the top (10BA thread) so that I can dismantle them - but eventually I think I'll fuse that joint or at least use some sort of thread lock so they don't fall apart in the future. The main thing I'm unhappy with is the spring - even fully hardened, the silver isn't really strong enough to hold its springiness. I'm thinking about using 18ct red gold, both for strength and for a nice contrast in colour, but I need to tweek it all a bit before I'm happy adding in the extra cost. I might oxidise the little tube rivets at either end, so they look more like the black rubber/neoprene bushes common on these. Finally, it'll need a little more finishing and polishing. Whether they are actually wearable is another matter - any biker chicks out there?



Alan

[theresa]

Aw, thanks Dennis. It was the first time I had engraved anything. I used a teeny tiny ball burr and hardly breathed all the time I was carving it out. There are faults and frankly I was surprised she chose it. The next one will be better.