Sunday 10 February 2013

A Very Special Engagement....

Sorry for the title but I held a very special and wonderful workshop for Jo and Laura for them to take part in making their own engagement rings. Laura has spent time in Madagascar taking part in voluntary work and Jo went out to join her for a holiday, there they purchased some beautiful oval sapphires, they asked me if they could do a workshop to make their own engagement rings! It was a relaxed and fun day long workshop, we agreed they would make their silver bands and I would set the sapphires.


First we measured their fingers to determine their ring sizes, we looked at different silver wire profiles to decide whether they wanted round, square or rectangle sectioned rings, the girls went for a contemporary square wire. We cut the wire and the girls first job was to straighten their wires, this makes them much easier to work with.



Filing the silver wire ends perfectly straight, I think the girls will agree this is one of the hardest things to do - and requires patience! The silver wire must join perfectly with no gaps for a good strong solder join.



The soldered rings, Jo and Laura did this themselves, a new experience! Now it was time for a great long relaxing lunch at Ernests http://www.weareernest.com/



The rings are formed into a perfect round using a ring mandrel, leather mallet and brute strength! Both of their rings were bang on target size wise!





Here the girls are finishing up their part of the ring making process by getting them up to a beautiful polished finish. They really did a wonderful job, were very interesting and a delight to have around!



So now its my turn, to make the bezels and set these beautiful Madagascan sapphires, this one is not getting away.....





The finished rings, Jo and Laura went for a satin finish and love them, a big thanks to them for coming along to make them, wonderful job, I look forward to helping them make their wedding rings!!


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