Passion For Metal: Exploring Silver Ring Making And Wax Casting

Recently, I have been practicing metalworking. I am practicing two methods: molding a material similar to candle wax and casting it, and making rings and other items from silver wire. I purchase silver wire and cut it to fit the ring size. I use soldering to create a loop with the wire. I heat it using a gas torch and melt the solder to bond it together. Then, I diligently hammer and file to create the ring.

Shaping the silver wire into a ring was relatively easy. However, melting the silver solder using the torch proved to be a bit challenging. Getting the right distance and intensity of the flame was tricky, as the silver solder didn’t melt easily. In my recent attempt, I made three silver rings, but none of them have pearls yet.

To attach pearls, I need to create a setting or prongs on the ring. I spent about two hours struggling to make the prongs to hold the pearls in place. Unfortunately, I ended up failing in my attempts. It was a difficult task for an amateur like me to create four evenly sized prongs measuring about 0.5 millimeters each.

Without any prior planning, I attempted to create four prongs on the ring as shown in the photo above. I soldered a rectangular piece of silver, measuring about 3 millimeters, onto the ring, intending to carve out the four prongs from that rectangular base. In the end, all four prongs were inadvertently filed away, leaving no trace as if nothing had happened.

In any case, ring-making is incredibly enjoyable. I plan to continue practicing and aim to create beautiful pearl rings. I dream of becoming a skilled ring artisan in the next 10 years.