This Weekend! Come see me at Odd Duck!

 
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Anatomy of a Tapered Bezel

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I use mostly bezel settings in my work. I make my rings so that the bezel is flush with the band and does not sit atop of it for a more integrated look. Having the bezel setting taper allows for a bigger stone to be set while still allowing the bands to sit closer together for stacking rings. Being mostly self taught, I looked to the google first to see if I could find a tutorial on how to make these types of bezels. There were none to be found. I did find a rather heavy bezel block that is used to make these tapered bezels and bought it, but alas, it did not come with instructions. After many failed attempts to make a cylinder turn into a cone, I figured I must be doing something horribly wrong. Wouldn't you know it, there was math involved, much to my dismay. I am going to show you the process I have come to for making this little tapered bezel step by step. Except for the math part ( you will need that to make your template), it is simple. I did come across this nifty cone ca...
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The Anatomy of a Wedding Set

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Commissions are fun to do. Stressful, but fun. The sweetest girl named Jill asked me to custom make her & her beloved a wedding set similar to one of the designs in my shop. I was so honored to be chosen to make something so special, I thought I would share the process...... First I had to build the stock for the bands in flat pieces. Getting the pieces of stock to cooperate and lie flat is tricky sometimes but that is where a good rawhide mallet comes into play. This picture shows the two pieces made for the rings. The one on the left is after the silver has been picked & the one on the right is before pickle, just after soldering with all the flux still on the silver. It looks bad at first but as you can see the pickle cleans it up nicely. Then the next step is to cut the new stock to length & shape around the mandrel to make rings. The ends have to be filed & fitted several times to make sure they fit just right so the solder join is strong. A rawhide mallet works be...
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The Laurel Handmade Wedding Band Set

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I've been working on options for new handmade wedding sets. This is the second in the series and a completely new design. These bands are hand built using traditional goldsmithing techniques out of sterling silver. I am really excited about the way they turned out. Something earthy and natural but formal enough for wedding bands. I wanted to make something equally appropriate for men and women and I think that this design would be fabulous for commitment rings for GLBT ceremonies. I am really trying to get make something for those who appreciate handcrafted work and want something unique that sets them apart from the traditional and standard fare. You know from my previous blog musings how much I love making wedding bands. I am really looking forward to exploring this new direction. I am going to start listing the options for the wedding sets in my Etsy shop. www.jorgensenstudio.com but until then if you would like more information on these rings or commissioning a unique custom s...
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