New Ring Project- Lots of Opals!

This week I made a new ring using some opals. I can't resist the lure of opals- somebody stop me!!

I laid out my stones- I liked the idea of combining a long lean, irregular blue-tinted Australian opals with these orange-hued Ethiopian opals in a row.

This ring, done a few years ago, was similar, but used big granules instead of stones.

First I made the bezel for the large opal, and used commercial bezel cups for the smaller ones- they are time-savers.

I also wanted to encorporate some granulation, because my work has been using that technique lately, and also because there needed some decorative quality!

I fluxed and placed everything, then waited for it to dry, then heated until fused!

Next I cut/trimmed the excess sheet and soldered on a shank from commercial wire I recently got that was nice and thick. Thick shanks are ideal for big or heavy rings- all the surface contact with your skin avoids the rings spinning around on your finger, which heavy rings are often guilty of...

Dunked in an oxidizer to turn it black....

Then the high points polished and stones set. Cool!!

Next week: these for earrings! I may use the same technique of granulation in between stones. Check back...

Here's a listing of the ring in my shop:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/168546374/world-tour-of-opal-granulated-ring?ref=shop_home_active