Week 5 - Cold connections

This week I am turning my attention to cold connections. I've had a piece sort of playing in the back of my mind and then a recent conversation stemmed from the Jewelry Artists Network Forum finally pushed me into trying to translate the thoughts into actual metal.



This ring is done in very lightweight metal as its really an exercise in determining measurements and getting the kinks worked out. Unfortunately, the lighter metal made it a bit harder to work with.

The ring is all sterling with an unknown oval faceted stone, something synthetic, could be glass.....the shank is chased for some extra glitter/flash, but the ring isn't polished yet so it doesn't show at all. I've done only the most minimal of sanding or filing on this, its really just a rough cut and then pop the stone in and wear it a bit to see what it feels like.



So what does it feel like? Too loose by far.....needs a heavier weight metal for the cradle of the stone and maybe smaller/thinner 'prongs' or tabs. I think its worth looking into the design more so that is what I will probably be playing with later this week.

Comments are welcome!
~Janice
Doxallo Designs
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Week 4 - Garnet Ring

I made this tonight....it needs lots of clean up and its a bit too large for me, which means its going to be way to large for most of the population, but I was busy working along and didn't take time to resize it.

Its all sterling silver, the stone is a 7mm garnet set up off the shank....with a raised inverted disk and then in a flared setting. The stone is slightly offset and the shank is wider at the base of the stone and then slopes off. All hand fabricated. I would resize it but don't want to remove the stone right yet so I'm wearing it on the index finger of my right hand....and I may remove the stone later and resize the shank.



Comments welcome!

Janice
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Week 3, Sterling Ring

OK, here we are at week 3 and I'm on time again! YAY! I have been playing a lot with granules, so this weeks submission is a ring with what else but TINY balls!!

Mike C at the forum really inspired me to go small....and the difference is truly remarkable. I thought my granules were sometimes small before, well they were golfballs compared to these!


Here are some of the granules on a dime for size reference. The ring is all sterling, all hand fabricated. Because these are sterling, I used a small amount of paste solder to attach them to the dome/cup.

Here is the ring on my finger - I love it! Its a really simple design, nothing fancy, but it really appeals to me for some reason. :)


Your feedback is welcome! To learn more about granulation come by the forum!
~Janice

Week 2 - Mixed Metals

I am looking for new ways (new to me) of combining metals. This is a test of bezel setting a piece of metal and using mixed metals as granules. There is no real rhyme or reason to the layout of this piece, its meant to be technique oriented, not design oriented.

Sterling silver, brass. Hand forged bezel with chasing to add some sparkle - there is a lot of great light reflection! Hand chased motif, handmade granules of brass - with sterling overlay ;-)

A new challenge - a 'quarter' of jewelry

Moving along into another season, or quarter - whatever we call it, its a NEW YEAR! So a new start - another challenge...a piece a week for a quarter. So here is my first piece of the first quarter of 2007.

Rhodonite, black onyx, swarovski, blackstone....handset in a hand fabricated sterling silver setting.

~Janice
Visit me @ the Jewelry Artists Network forum!