In the Studio: Soldering Handmade Rings

Here's a short video of me soldering handmade bezels onto handmade rings. It's pretty typical of what I might do in my studio on a given day. Alas, no makeup, safety glasses on, and a hooded sweatshirt gave me second thoughts about putting this up. But, let's all love ourselves just the way we are. :)

Eventually, the rings you see me making in this video will become these rings (the finished product).

14K white gold, white moonstone stacking ring. Ring & Photo by Emily Wiser.

Thank You To My Clients!

Peridot & Sterling Silver Stacking Ring Set. Rings & Photo by Emily Wiser

I just wanted to thank all of my wonderful clients. Without them, EmilyWiserJewelry would not exist.

Here are some highlights from my shop's feedback that make me so happy:

snapshotsunmade says:
delicate and pretty. I like that they are unique. thanks so much.

noanoa2 says:
Beautiful, simple and delicate! They will be an everyday favorite. I definitely recommend these!

terami says:
Thank you! These are perfect. x

claireroyer says:
Beautiful! Emily guided me on which stones to choose. Went with moonstone and mother of pearl. So pleased with the result. This is for a good friend's birthday. She is going to love it. Thanks again Emily!

sylviatbrink says:
I'm super happy with them! And thanks so much for the little present :-)

URNemesis108 says:
I love these rings! They are so dainty, And the joining and soldering are as good as invisible. I can tell that the artist really loves what she does, IT shows! Thank you for such wonderful work!

annieharry says:
got my rings today, they are gorgeous! can't wait to wear them, but i have to wait for christmas.

bonsaiguy75 says:
Beautiful crafstmanship, incredibly responsive to questions, and sent the products before the estimated timeframe. Definitely will recommend Emily to others!!

chicahot says:
Just perfect.

claireroyer says:
Love it!!! Stone is colorless and setting is simple yet elegant. Perfect for everday or dressing up. Emily's work is superb and customer service is top notch. Repeated happy customer who will definitely be back. Thank you!

hannahtodd says:
Amazing workmanship! Love the way this ring fits and looks. Very fast shipping

shillson says:
These topaz briolettes are absolutely stunning!

wanitten says:
Very delicate, sit comfortably - I hardly know I'm wearing them (some stacking rings don't sit as nicely). Great everyday look to honor my two boys.

checky1 says:
These are such beautiful rings! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I really love them, and they fit perfectly:) Your work is extraordinary!

ghanagyrl says:
Absolutely gorgeous rings! They arrived in a beautiful package, and once I tried them on...I never wanted to take them off. I am saving up my money to buy the same style in rose gold. I love them!

terami says:
I love my ring! It arrived quickly and is exactly what I hoped it would be. Emily is a great seller and I would definitely buy from her again.

denasiegert says:
Beautiful workmanship and great contact.

My Studio During Christmas Rush

I thought I might entertain you with a photo of my studio during Christmas rush season. Everyone is ordering and much jewelry to make! Yay! In the photo above, you see an engraving ball, which holds pieces while you engrave them. The orange ear muffs are hearing protection. You can get constant ringing in your ears and deafness from the high-pitched ping of the silversmith's hammer. The red handle above it is a jeweler's saw. This saw is primo! I love it. The round steel objects are mandrels.

The Life Of A Studio Cat

Cat in my sweeps drawer. Photo by Emily Wiser.

Here's a photo of my cat sitting my sweeps drawer. The sweeps drawer holds all your gold and silver dust from your sawing, filing, and sanding. When it's full, you send your dust to a refiner who pays you for it. No waste, no want! And it helps the environment! You work on the bench pin (the wood block), and the dust falls from your workspace into the drawer. My little cat walked out with my gold and silver dust on his fur. I was seriously thinking about nabbing him and shaving off his fur to get my gold and silver dust back!

What is White Palladium Gold?

14K rose gold and palladium double-band stacking ring. Ring & photo by Emily Wiser.

Traditionally, gold has been "whitened" by alloying gold with nickel. Because many people are allergic to nickel, it's good to find a white gold alloy that's nickel-free. White palladium gold uses palladium (instead of nickel) to mask gold's yellow color. Palladium is a member of the platinum family--a precious metal in its own right.

In the Studio: Stacking Rings

Emily Wiser's Jeweler's Bench. Photo by Emily Wiser.

I'm in the middle of making a 14K white gold tube-set stacking ring with faceted gemstone and a sterling silver stacking ring with black onyx. Here's a picture of the rings in progress. You can see 2 3M radial bristle discs on mandrels. They're used for polishing. You also see large and small jeweler's files, a round-nose pliers, some scrap silver, and a 12mm black onyx cabochon.

Here's what the 2 rings will look like when they're finished.

Above: Sterling silver and black onyx stacking ring. Ring & photo by Emily Wiser.

Above: 14K white palladium gold stacking ring with sapphire. Ring & photo by Emily Wiser.

How Much Gold Is In 14K Gold?

14K Solid Rose Gold Stacking Ring. Photo & Ring by Emily Wiser.

Were you aware that the gold in jewelry is not pure gold? Pure gold is called 24 Karat (24K) gold. 24K gold is much too soft to make any durable jewelry! So, pure gold is alloyed (mixed) with other, stronger metals. So, if 24K gold is 100% gold, 14K is 50% gold, and 18K is 75% gold.

Gold is alloyed with copper and silver for strength. Rose gold is an alloy of gold and copper. White gold is an alloy of gold, silver, and palladium, nickel, zinc or other white metal. Green gold is an alloy of gold and silver.

Below: 14K solid gold bead ring. Ring & photo by Emily Wiser.

Organic Pickle Recipe

I've researched ways to find an environmentally safe alternative to traditional sulphuric acid pickle. I've found that 30 ounces of white vinegar combined with 3.5 ounces of sea salt does a terrific job of cleaning sterling silver, white gold, yellow gold, and rose gold. You put the white vinegar and salt in a crockpot and set the crockpot on high. It should be really hot. It smells terrible, but it's better for your health and the environment.