Posted March 11, 2015
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In the last few weeks I have been working on some special wax carving projects. I usually fabricate most of my jewelry from sheet, wire and various metal stock but sometimes a project calls for unusual curves or shapes so I carve a wax model to be cast in silver or gold.
I just carved a setting for the pear shaped citrine pictured above. This stone is a large gem and I wanted to have some interesting cut-away areas to allow for light to pass through the setting and brighten the stone. Faceted stones need a “seat” to sit on inside of a setting, you can see that I carved out a step down for the stone to be able to sit evenly all around. I will be adding a bail to the top of the drop so that this can be worn as a pendant.
Another project I am working on is developing a fun line of stacking rings in various textures. I’m enjoying working with geometric and repeating patterns. I will be offering these in both silver and gold in a range of sizes.
And pictured above is a one-of-a-kind wax carving for a large flat stone. My customer desires a signet style ring and I will be adding Masonic symbols that he has chosen as well as carving words on the inside of the band.
Carving waxes taps into a free-form sculptural style. Fabrication with metal is also sculptural but more architectural in its approach, building blocks put together with connecting angles.
This ring is in 14K White Gold and I set the customer’s diamond that she had me take out of an older ring.
A 14K Rose Gold 3mm hammered ring with a 6mm yellow citrine, this ring was made for a customer that already had a matching rose gold wedding band.
Here is a 6mm ‘satin finish’ Tiger Stripe hammered ring in sterling silver, the customer requested a cushion cut white topaz be set in a thicker bezel.
London Blue Topaz set in a tapered Regular Hammer ring. My customer had bought this stone many years ago and it had been sitting in her jewelry box so she was happy to finally use it.
A 3mm sterling silver with garnet Tiger Stripe hammered ring. I have used so many different gemstones over the years!
And a smokey quartz cushion cut gem set inline with the hammered band.