The basis for any jewellery project is the metal to be used. Whether you need wire or metal sheet, you must start out by mixing the correct amount of different metals in the required alloy and then melt it to make an ingot. The most common silver alloy is sterling silver, which is 925 parts […]
Crafts
How to make a simple gold wedding band
The simple wedding band is the most basic ring construction that you can make, but even this basic ring band can have many different looks. It can be made from round, square, rectangular or twisted wire. It can be wide or narrow, thick or thin. It can be straight on the inside and curved on […]
Differences between sterling silver, fine silver, silver plated and silver filled
A lot of people when they start making jewellery, struggle with the issue of what wire to use. I started with copper, then moved onto coloured craft wire until I decided I liked the colour of silver best of all. Since then I’ve made pieces in both sterling silver wire – round and square – […]
Hybrid Jewellery – joining soldering and wire wrapping techniques
Before I studied as a jeweller I started out by making wire wrapped jewellery. I was fascinated by the design possibilities that could be achieved with the simple use of some wires a coupe of pliers. I was also aware of it’s limitations, which is why I decided to take my studies further. I was […]
Rough topaz hollow “diaper” ring – fabrication process
I finished this ring some time ago but only now did I have the opportunity to describe the fabrication process. It is basically a hollow ring, with an internal and an external section. This ring construction is often seen in class rings, for example, but can be adapted to a multitude of designs. The outer […]
How to form cuffs from sheet metal
Some time ago, I decided to make textured brass cuffs. This post explains the process. I began with a rather thick brass sheet. This one was 2 mm thick and the final thickness I wanted was 0,7 mm. As brass is quite a hard alloy, the sheet can be fairly thin without fear of deforming […]
Beginner tutorial: sunflower earrings
I’m attempting to make more jewellery tutorial videos. I started with some very basic earrings, mostly to test my setup and see if everything is working properly. You can watch he video for these simple sunflower earrings here: And if you want to try making them, the components may be acquired here: Kit para fazer […]
Nicole Hanna’s 2017 “Finish it!” design contest
This year’s Finish it contest has just ended. The contest is hosted by Nicole Hanna, one of my favorite wire wrapping artists and is always great fun. Nicole supplies the contenders with a list of materials and tools, as well as the first few steps to get you started on your piece. From then on […]
Breast milk jewellery
Some time ago I began making breast milk jewellery. There has been a great deal of interest for this kind of jewellery item and it allowed me to use my metalsmith knowledge to make something that means a great deal to my clients. Many mothers want to have a keepsake to remind them of that […]
Jewellery exhibit opening
A new jewellery exhibit with pieces made by students of jeweller Paulo Ventura opened on Saturday, May 6th 2017. The theme of this exhibit was “Civilizations and Cultures from around the world” We had a fun afternoon where, aside from admiring the jewels on display, some of which I had only seen halfway through and […]