This commissioned ring is handcrafted from fine silver and highlights a stunning moonstone and two opals.
We had a bit of a challenge finding the right stones. Quality moonstones can be difficult to find; many are cloudy and not well cut. I was able to source a beautiful rainbow moonstone cut and faceted by a lapidarist (in my own state, in fact-- hooray for local businesses!).
A photo posted by Shaylynn Ann (@shealynnsfaerie) on
The Australian opals are tiny-- just look at the size compared to my tweezers! I've never worked with something so delicate before, and I have to admit that I dropped one and spent a solid fifteen minutes looking all over the floor for it.
The band is made from extremely thin strands of fine silver which were braided, reinforced with a strand of half-round silver, and soldered to size. This actually took two tries; ring sizing is no easy task!
The bezel setting for the moonstone has a cutout in the back, which allows it to catch the light.
When worn, the ring turns a little pink as the light reflects off the skin. When held up to the light, it flashes with some brilliant hints of blues, purples, and whites. The opals, of course, sparkle with a full rainbow of colors.
The metalwork is purposefully rustic and finished with some sanded patina to add depth of color. Here you can see the ring on my pinky; it's tiny!
This engagement ring was probably the most challenging piece I've worked on, and I'm excited to experiment with these techniques more!
