23.4.11

ARTS AND CRAFTS

I spent a chunk of yesterday working on my boyfriend's brother's wedding band. Since my new studio isn't set up for this type of fine metal work yet I was able to use my friend Jake Albee's amazing space (his jewelry is out of this world, literally: he often uses meteorite in his pieces).

The ring started out as a strip of half-domed 18k gold. Below is the strip after I annealed it to prepare it for being bent into a ring (annealing is the process of heating up metal with a torch which changes its chemistry and makes it more flexible). Annealing also temporarily changes the color of the metal which is why it looks so dark. I created two wooden saddles to help support the strip while i bent it (wood so the outside of the ring wouldn't get scratched/dented.

This is what the ring looked like before i soldered the seam shut.

Post soldering and "roundifying" the ring

I filed off the excess solder and created a "comfort fit" on the inside of the band by filing and sanding the inside so it is slightly curved.

This is the ring as of yesterday . . . I'll be finishing it on Monday. I still need to remove the marks from the ring squeezer, hammer some more for texture, and buff it up!!!

a few photos of Jake's soldering station

Jake's wife Kristen's amazing wedding ring that he made using her grandmother's diamond. Platinum inlay, 24k gold, wowza!

and then i treated myself to a delicious marinated portobello mushroom sandwich.

8 Comments:

Blogger Tonje said...

Omg!! Gorgeous!! So awesome that it's handmade and 1 of a kind! Feel free to stop by sometime missy.
Happy easter!

xx T

April 23, 2011 at 12:57 PM  
Blogger sorelle in style said...

that is INCREDIBLE! how wonderful it must be to have someone close to you make your wedding band? it must be that much more special!

amazing job!

-j
sorelle in style

April 23, 2011 at 1:24 PM  
Blogger TRIGG said...

i cant believe that you can just whip that up, big ups, much talent
xoxo

April 23, 2011 at 9:29 PM  
Blogger jahnnyhatchfielder said...

Wow, look at that sandwich! Did you make that?!?!

April 24, 2011 at 10:59 AM  
Blogger Suzanne said...

Wow!! Amazing, that has got to be the most amazing gift ever, lovely

April 24, 2011 at 11:31 AM  
Blogger Lesley said...

That's so cool!!! I can't believe you know how to do that! So impressed!

Best,
Lesley

April 24, 2011 at 9:22 PM  
Blogger Liz said...

Very cool, good work!

April 25, 2011 at 2:36 PM  
Blogger STOP IT RIGHT NOW said...

Oh hey no biggie, I think I'll just whip up a gold ring real quick. Why is this coming to my attention only just now? You better take orders in the near future!

April 26, 2011 at 6:40 PM  

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