Wedding rings for a very special couple

Good friends Donna and Trefor are getting married in September, and Donna asked me to make their wedding rings. Am honoured and terrified in equal amounts!

Donna wanted something bespoke, original, very textured, possibly an anticlastic spinner ring. Between us we came up with ideas which evolved through the making to the finished rings.

 

I tried various methods to get a deep rough texture, hammering, reticulating, and eventually found this brass texture plate.

 

 

I had to put it through the rolling mill a few times to get a good all over texture.

 

 

Next step was to bend it round with my half round ring bending pliers

 

 

And then file the edges so they meet, with no gaps, then solder the join.

 

 

 

 

Donna loved the idea of using beaded gold wire for the spinning ring. This is hard to source and the first strip I bought from the USA was really flimsy and not up to the job. This one was a better weight. I had to sand minuscule amounts off the inside so it could spin freely.

 

 

I splay the edges with a large ball bearing and a hammer. I know some people do this by hammering the edges with a chasing hammer, but I find this works well. I work round the ball bearing putting even pressure on all sides. I splay one edge, then put the spinner ring on before splaying the other edge.

 

After polishing .....

 

Trefor's ring is made with the same texture sheet, but I used a slightly thicker silver sheet.

 

 

 

Deciding on the finish......

 

 

 

Trefor decided to go for an oxidised satin finish, which really emphasises the texture. It contrasts beautifully with Donna's shiny ring.

 

 

This image is after I oxidised Trefor's ring and before sanding it.

 

 

And the final finished rings.....

 

 

The wedding is Sunday 27th September. Here's wishing them a wonderful day and a wonderful rest of their lives together

 

 

 

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