Silver rings

I have always loved rings - they are probably my favourite type of jewellery. That's probably why the first thing I ever made was a ring. I love the possibilities with rings, and how they are perfect for showing off pretty stones.

I made this simple ring to practice stone setting - my first attempt at a bezel setting (I made this before the camera charm). Choosing a square cut amethyst for a first go wasn't the easiest, but it turned out ok. I left the band with a brushed matte finish, but polished the bezel cup and the edges of the ring band to a high shine for contrast.

Once I had the basics sorted, I moved on to something a little more difficult. This ring (which I name the 'pebble ring') is inspired by the pebbley beach near where I grew up. The uneven but smooth rounded pebbles and bits of sea glass which my sister and I used to collect as kids. I made each 'pebble' separately by melting bits of silver and used blue-green chalcedony reminiscent of both the sea and those little bits of sea glass. I collected all the silver pebbles together around a bezel and soldered the whole thing together.

This one is just for me to wear - I love it's irregularity and the colour of the stone. I have a couple of other ring designs in my sketchbook, just waiting to be made - along with a whole little pile of pretty stones that I can't stop myself buying off Etsy. Lots of work ahead!