Palladium Diamond Sapphire Suite

This pure Palladium, Sapphire and Diamond Engagement-Wedding Band Suite was inspired by the crystal blue sky and ocean of New Zealand, and the purity and diversity of it’s Fern population, specifically the Silver Fern, featured prominently on this island nations flag. This couple fell in love there, and wanted to remember and celebrate their families island home, and their passion for life there. This labor of love is titled “Love Springs Eternal”. Like a fresh mountain spring, Sapphires cascade from a crack (saw kerf) on the inside of the band, flowing into the hand pierced, sculpted stone set gallery of the feature diamond, a 1.76 Ct. antique cushion cut diamond belonging to their family. Small fern fiddles set with Sapphire and Diamond Melee unferle in small clusters of six, as diamonds flow from the top of the band at it’s splitting point on either side, to fall off to the sides of the shank, gently disappearing into the main settings fern motif. The Silver Ferns engraved on the outside of the bands grow in a gentle curve from the split in the shank, in mirrored opposition to each other, continuing the gentle movement of the upper band’s bead set arms. Thirteen stones occupy each “arm” of the shank, sharing 7 openings on the inside of the ring. Drawing on oriental influence, small circular swirling clouds separate the fern motif, as small diamonds twinkle between them, like the stars so brilliant in the crisp New Zealand sky. This ring set was fabricated from 1 piece of 2.5 x 5.00mm flat wire 5 inches long. It holds a total of .68 ct. top grade Ceylon Sapphire, and .45 ct. VS -SI dia. melee on the arms. Surrounding the feature stone are Russian make melee ,VS-SI from Joseph A. Dia., their make playing beautifully off the antique cut of the main stone, a treat to work with, very lively, totaling. .62 ct. Forged, fabricated, hand engraved.

Kelly Coat of Arms

Original Ring and New Parts

Shown disassembled are the badly worn, solder laden pieces of the original hand made basket setting, gem set table, and worn out shank for this Old mine Diamond and Saphire Art Deco Revival ring. Likely originally constructed prior to the turn of last century, the client requires a hinged shank to fit past her knuckle. To supply the structural integrity required for the band to work properly, the new like dimensioned, hand fabricated setting will display a motif derived from the original scroll work in the open pierced gallery. All the design details will be laid out on the new framework in white water color and pencil prior to being fully engraved, chased and stippled in high relief.

Art Deco Ring Being Hand Engraved

The hand fabricated setting has been completed. The Pineapple and Fan design running down the sides of the shank are here being cut into the top portion on each side. An emerging leaf at the border will complete the background and create a sense of transition to the surface. The designs chosen for this ring have classical roots, creating a sense of time and technique in design reminiscent of past centuries, when a Jeweler was expected to indeed, be a Renaissance man.

Art Deco Ring Restoration

This is the fully restored ring in it’s amazing detail. ]]> http://www.bentleyhandengraver.com/art-deco-ring-restoration/feed/ 0 http://www.bentleyhandengraver.com/kirk-sterling-flatware-monogram/ http://www.bentleyhandengraver.com/kirk-sterling-flatware-monogram/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:21:47 +0000 Jake http://www.charlottesvillehandengraver.com/?p=362

Sterling Flatware Being Engraved

The Engraving of a Silver Flatware Service starts with the Master Design being drawn onto the sample piece of silver. From there the engraver determines the tool cut and texture desired for the finished design. The client may choose to have a bright mirror like finish, in which case the graver is sharpened to a high polished cutting edge. A fine diamond wheel of 600 grit would produce a satin like cut, a 1200 grit wheel a much finer silky satin finish, etc. After client approval, this piece will transfer identical designs scaled to each piece in the service, completing the work.

Finished Kirk Sterling Flatware

This is the finished Master Monogram, # 83 from the Engraving Charts. This is refered to as an “Interlocking Script Cypher”, last initial larger and in the middle. In this instance a small scroll element travels downward from the center character, to start the eye moving down the service piece, as requested by the client. When cutting a “threaded” monogram, it is imperative that the threads diverge and converge in a even and gracefull manner, consistent in depth and width, fluid in line and composistion. Having the graver emphasize the passing of stem elements in front of and behind each other further reinforces the illusion of three dimensionality, a most convincing “icing on the cake”.

Cuba Arms Tie Tack Pin

Armorial Jewelry. Sterling Silver tie tack-lapel pin, 7/8″x 18ga.

This Sterling Silver tie tack-lapel pin was made by the request of a son for his father, to celebrate their pride of Cuban heritage, and to honor their beautiful island Homeland. Hand Engraved in bas relief, sculpted, chased, incised, with a millgrain border.

This is a self tensioning bar clamp style buckle, the keeper an integral part of the buckle’s hollow gallery, where the leather sits tight against the wearer. This type of buckle does not require holes in the leather, it prevents unsightly stretched or torn holes from detracting from the overall presentation. It is perfect for the more exotic and fragile types of leathers. This crest, carved in three dimensions is an interpretation of the clients design. I tried to render the “S” as floating in the foreground space, with cadeuseus-wound snakes supporting the scales in equilibrium (notice the screw heads at the connection points of the chain to the fulcrum bar) These, like the diamond set snakes eyes are 7/10ths of a millimeter in diameter. As the sun sets over a shimmering golden sea, the reflections of it’s ray’s play with the diminishing light of day.

The second photo shows the “Evening shadow’s cool embrace.” I tried to anticipate the play of light and form that might allow for the one engraving to capture both times of day.

Sun Rising Crest Engraving

Darkness Falls As Buckle Tilts

Tiffany Flatware, Moss Ring

Custom made 14ky gold mans signet ring. This massive, classic oval tabled ring measures 20x25mm: on it’s engraved surface, the table thickness is 3/16″ at it’s thinest point, and the total weight is 40.1 grams, or 1.29oz.. Constructed with a squared shoulder shank to help prevent rollover while being worn, it has been engraved with a modified Pearl Roman monogram. This style of engraving is rather deep, 2 full width passes of a square graver carve a sculptured stem and serif design reminicent of the Roman stone lettering of antiquity. It is seen here “shaded” with the addition of some scrolled border elements to help compose the monogram and frame it within the surface of the ring. This form of cut lends itself nicely to creating a wax seal as well, and retains it’s sharp edges and distinct character for many generations, a personal favorite.