Commissioned handcrafted sterling silver bezel set amethyst ring

As much as I love commissions, because it is extra business fro Joolzery, I am always a bit nervous when it come to making rings.

There are so many variables that have to be considered, and there is always the slight chance that the ring does not fit, or that the customer does not like the final piece of wearable art.

When the customer ordered their bespoke amethyst ring for his pinky finger, using a facetted amethyst, the main brief and bit of information that I kept in mind was that it should not be to femine or girlie!!!

I have to say that was a bit of a tall order, but I was up to the challenge.

Finger measured, band width agreed, textured discussed and ring shank shape decided, the rest was left to my creative interpretation!!!

The thing I am finding out about fingers is that depending on the time of the day, the finger size can change, and knuckles are the rate limiting factor as to whether th ring will fit or not.

I think with this in mind this is why I tend to make more than one ring when I make commissioned pieces, especially as I tend to do my metalsmithing in batches.

The first thing I had to decide was which of the 12 gorgeously stunning and sparkly amethyst cabochons I would use in the ring:

 

As you can imagine I was spoilt for choice, but decided on these three sparkling beauties in the end, for different reasons, mainly for the different shades of purple, but the problem is how do I create a ring that's not too girlie???

I decided the only way around this conundrum, would be the ring shank, and luckily I had some play with regards to the texture I could apply to the wide band, and played a round with 3 different styles using hammers and stamps.

I made 2 of the rings the requested hexagonal shape, one size bigger than the other to account for the finger increasing in size and the shape of the ring shank, before soldering the sterling silver bezel setting for the amethyst cabochon.

 A pickle bath, polish and tumble later before setting the stones to create these contemporary geometric amethyst rings:
   

 Now to hedge my bets, I decided for the 3rd ring to create an organic texture on the sterling silver ring shank using a hammer to create a brutalist effect, but keep it round to offset the potential femine feel due to the amethyst cabochon:
   

When I present commissioned rings to my customer there is alway that squeaky pants moment when they put on the ring, and you cross your fingers that it fits.

In this case when the customer put it on his finger it was too small, so I went back and checked my notes in my little black book that I carry with me to all markets and fairs, and said that that it the size that he measured his finger.

Then he realised he was trying it on his ring finger rather than hs pinky finger, which was the finger he had measured 2 months before when he ordered it.

I breathed a big sigh of relief when it went on his finger the first was slighly too small so I gave him the bigger size, which fitted like a glove!

Just to mix things up a bit I presented hime with the round ring, and he couldn't decide between the two, and had to ask a good friend which suited him best, before asking his partner.

I seeing the ring he decides to put both rings on his partners' hand to see which he likes.

Long story short he decides to buy both of the hexagonal amethyst rings, one for him and one for his partner, as matching pinky rings!!!

And the icing on the cake is he commissioned 2 further rings, the details of which I will keep uner wraps for now.....

I would really love to hear your thoughts, so post something in the comments below.

Until next time

Joolz xxx

0 Comments

August 04, 2022

Name*

Email*

Message*

NMHMLV

Submit