Just a very quick little message to all my readers.
My apologies for my lack of blogging these last couple of weeks. As you would be aware from my last post, I am away travelling at the moment. I had intended on posting on my usual schedule of every third day but have just been too busy exploring the world!
I will be back next week though, with tales aplenty.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Friday 23 March 2012
Monday 12 March 2012
The Jeweller in Arabia
Yep, this jeweller is currently exploring Arabia!! I write to you today from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
I was a little tentative upon departure from Australia last Thursday, as this is a place that I previously knew very little about. I am visiting an old friend who is living in Dubai, and knew I’d be very well looked after during my visit, but honestly I did not expect what I have found here. What a surprise this place is! Talk about multicultural! People from every part of the globe are making their lives in Dubai and when you walk down the street you see every type of dress imaginable from Brits and Aussies getting around in singlets, shorts and thongs, to traditional Arab garments and saris. This is the most relaxed, peaceful, and accepting place I have ever witnessed. If you are respectful of the local people and their customs and beliefs, they are equally respectful of yours. Now, I am not saying the entire continent is like this, but Dubai is certainly an amazingly relaxed place. Honestly, my cheeks are getting sore from grinning!!
So, on to the jewellery. A few days ago my friend Mike took me down to Dubai’s Gold Souk. WOW! Streets lined with shops selling masses of 22k yellow gold. Rows of bangles, earrings, necklaces, rings, bullion and coins. This jeweller had never seen such a volume of precious metal in her life!
I was a little tentative upon departure from Australia last Thursday, as this is a place that I previously knew very little about. I am visiting an old friend who is living in Dubai, and knew I’d be very well looked after during my visit, but honestly I did not expect what I have found here. What a surprise this place is! Talk about multicultural! People from every part of the globe are making their lives in Dubai and when you walk down the street you see every type of dress imaginable from Brits and Aussies getting around in singlets, shorts and thongs, to traditional Arab garments and saris. This is the most relaxed, peaceful, and accepting place I have ever witnessed. If you are respectful of the local people and their customs and beliefs, they are equally respectful of yours. Now, I am not saying the entire continent is like this, but Dubai is certainly an amazingly relaxed place. Honestly, my cheeks are getting sore from grinning!!
So, on to the jewellery. A few days ago my friend Mike took me down to Dubai’s Gold Souk. WOW! Streets lined with shops selling masses of 22k yellow gold. Rows of bangles, earrings, necklaces, rings, bullion and coins. This jeweller had never seen such a volume of precious metal in her life!
Amongst all that bling lies the largest gold ring in the world. This thing is so big that I think I could stand inside of it, pull it up around my waist and still have room to spare. Residing at Kanz Jewels, the ring is MASSIVE! Sitting proudly in the window next to this magnificent object is a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records.
This ridiculous golden ring is crafted in solid 21k gold and is named the Namjat (Star of) Taiba. The outer diameter of the ring measures 700mm and the piece weighs in at a whopping 63.87kgs. It houses an impressive 5.1kgs of crystal stones and reputably took 55 workers 45 days to complete.
More from Arabia soon.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Friday 9 March 2012
The Second Ring for Katrina
Katrina was so pleased with "The Ring With a Hinge" that she soon had me making her a second hinged ring. This time she brought me an old ring with a gorgeous white topaz to re-model. The stone is beautiful, big, deep and clear.
For this style of hinge to operate well, there needs to be a lot of tension within the ring. This requires a thicker than normal band (shank) and very solid stone settings. Therefore I began the construction with a simple and strong, square conic bezel setting within a parallel band. I then carved little triangle shapes into the corners of the setting as well as cutting a triangular window into the front and back sides. These time consuming little alterations to an otherwise plain design made all the difference, creating a gorgeous sculptural seat for the stone.
For this style of hinge to operate well, there needs to be a lot of tension within the ring. This requires a thicker than normal band (shank) and very solid stone settings. Therefore I began the construction with a simple and strong, square conic bezel setting within a parallel band. I then carved little triangle shapes into the corners of the setting as well as cutting a triangular window into the front and back sides. These time consuming little alterations to an otherwise plain design made all the difference, creating a gorgeous sculptural seat for the stone.
Katrina's reaction to this second ring was almost as good as the first. She was thrilled to bits. That woman makes my heart sing!
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Tuesday 6 March 2012
The Ring With a Hinge
During my first six months out of university I was working as the manufacturer in a jewellery shop in central Wagga Wagga. It was during this time that I met my mentor Michael. With many years experience in the industry and the patience of a saint, he is always happy to teach me new skills. It was Michael who showed me how to construct a special hinge that he adds to rings for clients who are affected by arthritis.
Early on in my market days, Katrina and her husband Ken came by my market stall. Katrina admired some of the rings that I had on display and mentioned how terribly disappointing it was that she could no longer get any of her rings over the arthritis-riddled joints of her fingers. Remembering Michael's novel design, I offered to try remodelling Katrina's old rings into a hinged ring. Katrina and Ken were much more confident in my abilities than I was at that point. With a 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' attitude, they handed over Katrina's original engagement, wedding and eternity rings to see what I could come up with.
After a practise go in silver, I melted down Katrina's old rings and created a new hinged ring shank with a simple, but strong bezel setting for her engagement ring diamond. Add a couple of side stones from the original eternity ring and Katrina's new ring was complete.
After many years of being unable to wear her precious wedding ring, it was with tears of joy that Katrina clipped her new hinged ring onto her hand. To date, this was my proudest moment as a jeweller, one that I doubt will ever be eclipsed.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Early on in my market days, Katrina and her husband Ken came by my market stall. Katrina admired some of the rings that I had on display and mentioned how terribly disappointing it was that she could no longer get any of her rings over the arthritis-riddled joints of her fingers. Remembering Michael's novel design, I offered to try remodelling Katrina's old rings into a hinged ring. Katrina and Ken were much more confident in my abilities than I was at that point. With a 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' attitude, they handed over Katrina's original engagement, wedding and eternity rings to see what I could come up with.
After a practise go in silver, I melted down Katrina's old rings and created a new hinged ring shank with a simple, but strong bezel setting for her engagement ring diamond. Add a couple of side stones from the original eternity ring and Katrina's new ring was complete.
After many years of being unable to wear her precious wedding ring, it was with tears of joy that Katrina clipped her new hinged ring onto her hand. To date, this was my proudest moment as a jeweller, one that I doubt will ever be eclipsed.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
Saturday 3 March 2012
The Eternity Ring for Chris and Lupe
In June 2010 I met Guadalupe (aka Lupe) at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra. This bubbly little lady from Mexico, with her bright eyes and infectious smile, had spied my rose gold Spring Blossom Ring sets. She explained to me that she had been looking everywhere for an engagement ring but was not keen on the rings she had been trying on in main-stream jewellery stores. Having fallen in love with the blossom rings on the spot, Lupe set up an appointment with me for the following week to show Aussie fiancé Chris the rings.
When I got together with the pair the next week, I learned that they had met online in early 2008. After a couple of years of back-and-forth international visits for both of them, Lupe followed her heart all the way across the globe from Mexico to Australia. That leap of faith paid off and the wedding date was set for February 2011. Chris agreed that the blossom rings were the perfect choice for Lupe and they put in an order for three rings; the engagement ring now, and a wedding ring each for February of the following year. As the gorgeous couple were wanting to start a family, we also discussed possibilities for an eternity ring to complete the set after the birth of their first child.
You can imagine my excitement last month when I received an e-mail from Chris. The e-mail read "It's time for part three of Lupe's ring please! Our daughter was born on December 8th." The names chosen are Estela Alma Aurelia- Estela after Lupe's aunt, Alma after Chris' mum and Aurelia "because it's a pretty name". Chris decided on a white gold band set with sapphires to go in between Lupe's two diamond set blossom rings.
When he snuck down to pick up Lupe's surprise eternity ring a couple of weeks ago (just in time for their first wedding anniversary), I was delighted that he brought with him the cute little Estela to meet me. Below is a picture of Chris with his little princess and Lupe's new ring.
Chris took Lupe out for an anniversary dinner last weekend and hid the ring under the dessert menu. The feedback I got from Chris is that Lupe is "absolutely stoked" with her rings. Congratulations Chris and Lupe. Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of these special moments in your lives. I look forward to hearing about your future adventures together.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
When I got together with the pair the next week, I learned that they had met online in early 2008. After a couple of years of back-and-forth international visits for both of them, Lupe followed her heart all the way across the globe from Mexico to Australia. That leap of faith paid off and the wedding date was set for February 2011. Chris agreed that the blossom rings were the perfect choice for Lupe and they put in an order for three rings; the engagement ring now, and a wedding ring each for February of the following year. As the gorgeous couple were wanting to start a family, we also discussed possibilities for an eternity ring to complete the set after the birth of their first child.
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| Sweethearts Chris and Lupe on their wedding day, 26th February 2011 |
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| Lupe's eternity ring in white gold with Ceylon sapphires, and wedding ring in rose gold with diamond. |
Chris took Lupe out for an anniversary dinner last weekend and hid the ring under the dessert menu. The feedback I got from Chris is that Lupe is "absolutely stoked" with her rings. Congratulations Chris and Lupe. Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of these special moments in your lives. I look forward to hearing about your future adventures together.
Love from The Jeweller. xx
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