Another creation (a real one this time)!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Greetings TRF,

Today was the last day of my jewelry class before my exam. After working on rings and chains made out of both silver and gold and coming in a lot of different sizes (believe me, some of those very small chains weren't easy to work on at all...) I got some experience with soldering precious metals and working on them with several tools.

Now since this was the end of the class I got to work on something quite special, the teacher handed me a few small silver pieces and two small stones. With the help of my torch and a lot of tools, I managed (after burning and breaking a few of the said pieces...thank goodness she had spare parts...) to make those!







You will notice that they are far from being perfect. I actually had to put the bezels and the pins together with my torch before making the claws (they were just small sticks on the bezel, I had to cut a part of them before bending them on the stone and make the edges more round), buffing, polishing and cleaning them. Unfortunately, while using my torch, I heated the pins a tad too much and it made some small dots and holes on them, you may also notice that the pins may not be fully straight because of that and all the work I did on the earrings.

Still, I am personally quite proud of the job I did. They are very small so it was quite hard to avoid mistakes and I think it's not that bad for somebody who never worked on anything related to jewels before...







I was quite surprised and happy when the teacher told me we were keeping those earrings. Despite all the imperfections they have they are still handmade by myself and they will remain a good souvenir of my first days as a jewelry/horology student. Who knows, perhaps I will take more jewelry classes after my watchmaking formation so I can be better...or at least try (although I am far from being the best I really enjoyed those classes, I had a lot of fun and found it very interesting)!

And now, for those of you who would like to know, those are going to be a little just because gift to my better half! She doesn't know I made earrings and I hope she will enjoy them (whether she wears them or not, as long as she knows I made them).

Thank you for watching, feel free to comment!

[GradyPhilpott]

Imperfection is the hallmark of things made by human hands.

One might better refer to these as uniquely exquisite.

Good work!

[threemonkeys]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Imperfection is the hallmark of things made by human hands.

One might better refer to these as uniquely exquisite.

Good work!

Wonderful comment, Grady. And it is so very, very true. Well done, Carl. And you know your girlfriend will love this gift from you. Just imagine her wearing them 50 years from now...

[The Joker]

WOW those really are beautiful. Seriously impressed Carl. How about an ear-shot?

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Imperfection is the hallmark of things made by human hands.

One might better refer to these as uniquely exquisite.

Good work!

Thank you very much Grady! I must admit I like the fact that there are some "battle scars" on them because it means that I did work a lot on them, it gives them a little something and makes them more valuable to me.

...Now I also made a silver ring out of a small silver bar and did much more work on it (I made it from the bar, made it smaller and then worked on making it bigger again)...I'm going to post pictures when my teacher gives it back to me but be prepared, it is in a much worse shape than those!

Originally Posted by The Joker

WOW those really are beautiful. Seriously impressed Carl. How about an ear-shot?

Thank you Wes, that's much appreciated!

Now my teacher did offer us to have our ears pierced...I'll have to think about it!

EDIT: Not you as well Adam!? I thought you were on my side!

[drockadam]

Ear shot!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Joker]

You know Dino is gonna be after you making him an earring now, apart from he'll want the Star of Africa Diamond set in it

[Andad]

Good work Carl.

I doubt if I could see those small parts far less work on them.

[Brunotheboxer]

I like them and my wife would wear them all day.

[brkanand]

Good to see you learning and working so hard. Keep it up.

[Lisa]

Those are really, really nice, Carl. I want to travel to your jewelry shop someday. "Carl's Exquisite Designs and Horology Centre."

You could design your own watch... actually, will you be learning how to do that?

[Grissom]

Congratulations, Carl......well done! Having grown up in the jewelry business, I know how difficult making a piece of jewelry can be. Looking forward to seeing more!

[Monte Cristo]

Well done Carl, they look good Wouldn't have been easy at all to make.

No battle scars this time?

[Bangel]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

They are very small so it was quite hard to avoid mistakes and I think it's not that bad for somebody who never worked on anything related to jewels before...

Not that bad?! I say priceless!

Great work Carl. Good luck with your upcoming exam.

[bayerische]

Wow Carl, you are getting good!

[MoBe]

Looks good to me!

[HL65]

Well done Carl!! Cheers,

[Kingair]

Nice job Carl !

I have to admit . . .

HAGOne

[Darlinboy]

Very well done Carl! Really takes a steady hand to work at such a small scale.

[Glenn422]

Good job! Bending those little arms holding the gem looks hard!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Thank you very much guys! I really appreciate the comments and the thoughts!

It was quite hard indeed to work on those, the parts are very small and you must work while looking through glasses with lenses that are also loupes (as always, safety rules are the first things we must respect). Funny thing is that the teacher kept telling us "remember when I first showed you small gold chains and these earrings? A lot of you never thought you would be able to work on them and now look at you guys, you can"!

Now to answer some questions/comments...

Originally Posted by directioneng

Good work Carl.

I doubt if I could see those small parts far less work on them.

It was hard for me indeed Eddie, I found it quite funny actually because I kept thinking about my father (who wears glasses and has a hard time looking at small things like that) trying to work on such jewels...I think I'll ask him to give it a try someday!

Thank you for your comment!

Originally Posted by Lisa

Those are really, really nice, Carl. I want to travel to your jewelry shop someday. "Carl's Exquisite Designs and Horology Centre."

You could design your own watch... actually, will you be learning how to do that?

I'm afraid we won't Lisa, the classes are more about servicing and repairing than creating watches but who knows...

Still, you are welcome to come and visit me at my shop (if I ever have one...) anytime!

Originally Posted by threemonkeys

Wonderful comment, Grady. And it is so very, very true. Well done, Carl. And you know your girlfriend will love this gift from you. Just imagine her wearing them 50 years from now...

Thank you Craig! I guess we'll see if she doesn't lose them in the meantime but at least I'll be able to tell you about her reaction when I'll give them to her!

Originally Posted by Monte Cristo

Well done Carl, they look good Wouldn't have been easy at all to make.

No battle scars this time?

Thank you Alex! I was quite lucky this time, the only battle scars I had were on the earrings!

Originally Posted by Glenn422

Good job! Bending those little arms holding the gem looks hard!

The stone was in angle several times, I had to work a lot on trying to bend them while making sure they were still straight...

Thank you for your comment!

[cedargrove]

Good job Carl. Love seeing your progression reports.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by cedargrove

Good job Carl. Love seeing your progression reports.

Thank you Rich!

[masterserg]

Good job Carl!

[Kinnakeet]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Those are really, really nice, Carl. I want to travel to your jewelry shop someday. "Carl's Exquisite Designs and Horology Centre."

Count me in too Lisa; Maybe we can take Carl out for lunch

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Still, you are welcome to come and visit me at my shop (if I ever have one...) anytime!
:

You will Carl...its written in the stars...
The earrings are beautiful! Stone setting requires so much patience and a really steady hand; I hope you do pursue more jewellery classes sometime! You've got an aptitude for it!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by masterserg

Good job Carl!

Thank you Serg!

Originally Posted by Kinnakeet

Count me in too Lisa; Maybe we can take Carl out for lunch

You will Carl...its written in the stars...
The earrings are beautiful! Stone setting requires so much patience and a really steady hand; I hope you do pursue more jewellery classes sometime! You've got an aptitude for it!

Thank you very much Michelle! I am really thinking about those classes but I prefer to concentrate on horology for now...although...who knows?

[Manofsteelpt]

GREAT work Carl!!!

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

(whether she wears them or not, as long as she knows I made them).

such a softie, carl. well done.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by Manofsteelpt

GREAT work Carl!!!

Thank you Mike!

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

such a softie, carl. well done.

What can I say Cru, I'm such a romantic man...

Thank you my friend!

[dddrees]

Fantastic looking earings Carl.


Very hard to tell the little imperfections if not pointed out and the big pictures you provided.

I'm certain your better half will be happy to recieve them.