I enrolled on a weekend jewellery course.... and this is what I made!!

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N

neenabengals

O.G.
Jan 16, 2008
700
3
#1
Hi All
Just wanted to share my excitement in my new ring. :yahoo:

For some time now I have wanted to enroll on a silversmithing or jewellery course but I work full time and was struggling to find a course that I could fit around my work commitments.

So I started looking around on the internet and found a website for a jewellery designer in the UK who provides 1:1 jewellery tuition in her studio.

I opted for the weekend (2 day) course (which includes melting down metals, soldering, using the rolling mill, saw blades, files, polishing etc).

My boyfriend and I enrolled together and we decided to make rings.

I decided that I wanted to make a mixed metal ring as I wanted to melt down an old rose gold ring I have, and solder it to silver and I also wanted to learn how to set gems (so I opted to set a ruby in the ring).

So by the end of day one, my ring looked like this (it's the one on the left)
:yahoo:
 

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#2
So I made a thick band of silver on the left part of the ring and then rose gold band on the right hand side (that forms a triangle meeting just over part of the silver band).

As you can see, I havent yet soldered the ring together at the back : )

I was so tired by the end of the first day - pulling gold and silver through a rolling mill is hard work!!!
 
#3
And then this is my gorgeous ring (if I do say so myself :p) by the end of the 2nd day.

All soldered together, filed down, polished and rouged and set the ruby.

The ring is a mixture of rose gold (polished) and silver (brushed satin finish) with set ruby.

The differences in textures of the polished gold and satin silver really sets the ring off, imho

I have never done anything like this before and was so pleased with how the ring turned out!!!
 

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#5
You're so talented! I've been interested in taking a metal work course for some time --- I'm a wire wrapper so feel limited when I want to do stuff beyond wire. Your gorgeous rings is inspiring me to go out and take a metal class!
 
#6
Thank you so much for your kind comments.

I am so pleased with my ring because I have never done anything like this before.

The 1:1 tuition with the teacher really helped because she was able to spend lots of time showing me all the techniques and was on hand whenever i needed guidance or advice.

Yes, I would definitely consider looking at doing more courses.

I had actually finished the ring by about 3pm on the 2nd day and the teacher spent the rest of the afternoon showing me the types of techniques that I could achieve by buying sheet silver at home and using basic tools like a doming block, files, saw blades, hammers etc. At the weekend, I am going to email her and ask for some more information on a good starter kit for me to buy so that I can continue to practise some of the techniques at home.
 
#9
I am so jealous! Well done! :yahoo:

I have been trying to get in to a course 12 week course where I live for many years. However it is full, term to term, with the same lucky people. (I doubt I would like to give up my spot either!)

I have a bag of broken jewellery that I would love to be able to create something with. I usually take it in to the jeweller and get them to make something with it. I have a little "ideas" book with lots of sketches I have done. Ah to dream. ;)

Congrats on your new hobby!
 
#11
Wow, I am impressed with the ring you made! Is this your first time? I have taken quite a no. of jewellery making classes over the last few years but have not tried one that involves soldering, etc cos I saw the students pieces and none were as good as yours!
 
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