Custom Three Stone Engagement Ring and Band Set
One of the most interesting and sometimes complicated aspects of custom design in jewelry is finding a way to aesthetically incorporate old stones or metal into new pieces. Jewelry can hold a sentimental or nostalgic value to a person or family, and while a customer may find an inherited piece of jewelry tired or outdated, they don't necessarily want to trade in the piece for a brand new one. There are not many industries where this type of "recycling" (for lack of a better word) is possible. It is rather gratifying to be able to redesign pieces that the customer enjoys wearing and that still maintain the sentimentality.
We were recently commissioned to redesign an engagement ring for a couple that has been married for some time. They wanted to incorporate the diamond from the previous ring as well as one recently inherited. They wanted a three stone ring, so we had to locate a third stone that would match in cut, carat, color, and clarity. Matching stones can be challenging, but fortunately we successfully accomplished the task! The customers also requested a more vintage-looking piece with the diamonds set as low as possible to the finger. This is the wax of the ring with the stones set in it:
We decided to go with a bezel setting, which is the whole diamond surrounded by metal. While this is one of the safest settings for a gemstone, a drawback is that it can reduce the light coming in, which inhibits the shine of the stone. Therefore, we put tiny cut outs in the sides of the bezel to bring in more light. Since this ring is set in platinum, it is more dense and can better support the diamond with the cut outs, which made us feel more comfortable in doing it. Another way that we were able to integrate the old engagement ring was to remove the part holding the diamond, the head, to make a plain white gold band that would fit nicely next to the new ring. Here are the finished rings:
Custom Engagement Ring for Justin and Sarah
Justin came to Austin with several pictures of engagement rings for his girlfriend, Sarah. He wanted his own ring to be unique, so he decided to have a custom ring made. He had his own middle stone already and wanted side stones to match. He requested sketches before a wax was made. Three different designs were created:
Justin liked different elements of each design, so a wax was created that incorporated a combination:
Since Justin and Sarah live in Charlotte, photos of the wax were stealthily sent to Justin for final approval. We slightly adjusted the size of the band, and because this ring is set in White Gold, it was sent out for casting:
The stones were set, the ring was polished, Justin proposed in the Outer Banks, and Sarah said YES! Congratulations to our best friends!
Making the Steger Award, A Poetry Prize for Virginia Tech Students
For the past 10 years, we have been commissioned by our longtime customer and friend, Nikki Giovanni, to make an award that is presented to the winner of the Steger Poetry Prize. We hammer and forge sterling silver to create a magnifier statue meant for a desk. The design changes slightly each year. Setting the magnifying glass in a bezel is always a challenge - it is equivalent to setting a giant gemstone. A big congratulations to this year's winner!
Read more about the award below:
http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2015/04/042915-clahs-stegerpoetry.html
Custom Antique Flatware Bracelets
We often have customers coming in and asking us what they can do with antique silverware that they have inherited. Since flatware comes as a set, it is unlikely that you would want to split it up among family members. We recently had a customer who had a set of flatware and pictures she found on the Internet of similar designs. They were her grandmother's, and she wanted a bracelet made for her and her sister. The fork tines were melted and manipulated into heart shapes. While the engraving was already etched on the fork, it can always be added afterwards for a personal touch. Rings can be made out of smaller forks or spoons as well. This is a great way to maintain the sentimentality of a common family heirloom. It's personal yet stylish at the same time!
Custom Design Yellow and Green Emerald Necklace and Earrings
A customer recently came in with an idea for a custom Yellow and Green Emerald necklace for their 55th(!) wedding anniversary, fittingly also known as the Emerald Anniversary. They brought in their own emeralds and their own sketch of the layout they had in mind, which Faith adapted into her own sketch (below). The necklace was to have a minimal amount of yellow gold showing, which is why prongs were used. Additionally, they wanted it to be worn at different lengths, so it was designed so that they could adjust the length to be 16, 18, or 20 inches. A pair of matching earrings were also made. Both the necklace and earrings turned out absolutely stunning!
Faith's sketch
The necklace
The earrings