engagement

A close friend of mine recently asked me to make his engagement rings and wedding bands. It is a request that shocked me. To simultaneously find out he wants to get married and be given an opportunity/challenge to create such meaningful jewelry inspired me.

It had a profound effect on me. It's motivating and frightening. I want to succeed, to make something that will last and most if all, make something they will both love. I have never been tasked with such an important project. The pressure is all coming from me, and my expectations of myself, which is exciting. Most of my endeavors in life have been measured by another person or other people. I have been my own largest critic lately, striving for a level of craftsmanship I have never attained. Trying to constantly challenge myself to do better, to make something better.

This level of personal investment in my work has created an atmosphere of ease. I haven't often had that atmosphere when working on jewelry. It has always been difficult. I look forward to putting in the work and labor needed. I know I am going to need to learn a new set of techniques and improve my craft. It's an experience I am lucky to be having.

Here are some photos of the process of taking the diamond out of another ring to put into his.

first Etsy sale

Comment I received:

Handmade Infinity Ring (Size 4-13), listing #123403526

Wearing my ring now! Absolutely gorgeous workmanship and quality. Very satisfied with my purchase and service! Will be back to visit your shop very soon. Glad to be your first Etsy sale :)

Thank you Bud!!! You rock!!!

Etsy Sale

A 50% Discount on Everything in My Shop!

www.etsy.com/shop/simplysilvershop

After my first successful sale on Etsy I can't wait for the next one. To try and hasten the process, I need some luck and as much word of mouth (hopefully positive) as I can get. So I am offering 50% Off Coupons to anyone and everyone who wants a handmade piece of jewelry from me. If you are interested or want to pass the word along to a friend/stranger please do. The code to receive the discount is HALFPRICESALE. After you've added an item to your cart, on the right, click Apply shop coupon code above Item total. Enter the coupon code and click Apply. The coupon discount will adjust your order total. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need help with anything. Thanks for your support! Even if you just read this and immediately forget about it, I appreciate your time :)

"Made by Hand"

hand·i·craft  \ˈhan-di-ˌkraft, -dē-\

manual skill
an occupation requiring skill with the hands
articles fashioned by hand

When I say handmade, I mean it.

All of my work starts with a sheet, bar, or wire of silver. I only use my hands and simple tools to create my final products. I don't use machinery or assemble items. I don't pour liquid silver into a mold or "cast" my jewelry. When you do these things, these shortcuts, it creates a huge distance between the artist and the art. You know your craft more intimately when everything is done by hand.

(Note: I am not referring to applying a finish to pieces. Using a motorized buffing wheel or electric rotary tool to polish jewelry is perfectly acceptable.)

I value craftsmanship. 

I admire the skill and experience required to take basic materials and turn them into one-of-a-kind works of art. The concept of creation by hand is precious to me. I hope all admirers of jewelry recognize the difference. It is frustrating seeing the various perversions of "handmade" and often insulting to people who dedicate the time and effort required to create beautiful work.

This post illustrates my point.

Etsy began as The online market place for all things handmade. In the beginning the majority of items on the site is were genuinely handmade or vintage. Unfortunately, I've seen a gradual change. Now, successful shops mislead customers with terms like unique, handmade, vintage, rare, antique, and even retro. These items tend to be factory made, assembled, and occasionally unaltered "resells".

I'll try and show you the best and worst of "handmade" :

And now the proper method from Stuart Nye who specializes in hand-wrought jewelry:

     

I'll end with a quote I derived from the same website:

The beauty of jewelry does not come from the tools or material used. It comes from a man who takes the time to master the skills required, has pride in his work and reputation, and dedicates himself to a heritage of craftsmanship.

Handmade is just a word until you see it done.

boundaries

“Raise your quality standards as high as you can live with, avoid wasting your time on routine problems, and always try to work as closely as possible at the boundary of your abilities. Do this, because it is the only way of discovering how that boundary should be moved forward.” ― Edsger W. Dijkstra 


The creation of jewelry has several unique aspects that differentiate it from any other art form:

• It has only one function- to be decorative. Decoration is as personal and varied as an individual's imagination can be. 
• Jewelry is an ornament that makes our appearance complete, and fills it with our own character and uniqueness. 
• Jewelry can be as freely experimental as any other art form but, in my opinion more than other art forms, it must have an underlying foundation of craftsmanship to be completely valid. 

This combination of factors creates a need to not only invent and explore images that are appealing to the eye, but also requires a mastery and knowledge of various techniques in order to bring concepts into reality. 

When I started making jewelry full time I became deeply engaged in an attempt to raise my quality standards and have been forced to perform at the boundary of my abilities. The techniques and materials available to me seem to constantly expand which has resulted in a body of information similar to a science. The task of improving my abilities seems to come only through experience, effort and time. I am on a difficult path and loving every minute of it. I will be trying to put into words as clearly as possible the methods I learn and implement. Try and bear with me as I attempt to describe the actions of hand and mind used in the design and creation of the jewelry I make. 

Second attempt at an Infinity Ring. 50% complete.

I urge you to comment, inquire, challenge, disagree or compliment anything you read or see on this site. Conversations about my experiences help me immensely and I'd appreciate any feedback you might have. I will try my best to post content that is interesting, informative and unique. Thanks for reading and I hope you check back soon!

-Bud 

(If you made it this far feel free to check out my Etsy shop: SimplySilver and look around)

 “Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.” ―Joss Whedon

inspired

\in-ˈspī(-ə)r\    in·spire     [ɪnˈspaɪə]

verb

1. to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon (a person); 

  animate or invigorate

2. to arouse (with a particular emotion or to a particular action); stir

3. to prompt or instigate; give rise to <her beauty inspired his love>

Jewelry draws attention to desired parts of your body, makes you visually stand out from others, enhances your confidence and gives you a sense of security. Some use it to express inner thoughts, ideas, and style. Others see it as a status symbol, setting them apart from outsiders. It has been a part of our nature for over 75,000 years; We began adorning ourselves when fulfilling basic survival needs stopped demanding all of our time. Every culture since has had some form of jewelry, or the idea of artificially decorating the body. 

Jewelry can take an infinite number of forms and carry infinite meanings, but at its core: 

 jewelry inspires us 

Below are some cool photos I managed to get after finishing a quick INSPIRE stamp. I used 3/32" Steel stamps, ~24 gauge scrap silver sheet I had left over from a piece, I roughed up the surface using a dremel bit that produced an unexpected and amazingly complex oxidation. There were shades of purple, green, yellow, and blue after I hit it with a torch. 

After I finished the piece I decided to soak it in lighter fluid and light it. I wasn't expecting the pictures to show anything but I think they turned out quite nice. 

Hope you enjoy the concept and photos!