I got a request for a ring of gold with an amber cabochon stone. It concept was very simple,: she wanted to be able to see a pentacle under the amber. The ring itself was designed for a bezel setting for the stone to set in, allowing for a high dome for the stone, however actually finding the stone was a trick. Size of this kind had to be specially ordered and specially cut.
After a lot of searching, I found a source for amber: rough cut at the right size, however I found no pre-cut stones that would fit it properly. And so with a bit of research from phone calls and reading I began my first attempt to cut amber.
Amber is a soft material: petrified tree sap to be precise, however I was not prepared for how it “changed” my work shop. The smell of amber dust permeated the place providing a sense of calm to my efforts. After cutting and sanding the stone, I used rough and then smooth materials to develop a mirrored surface for the stone: all done by hand. Sad to find I was complete when I tested the stone in the ring’s wax model, (the state the ring is in before casting) the stone felt good to the touch, and actually felt like it was emitting a “tone” that was inaudible, yet still reverberating in my workshop.
When I finished the casting and polish to set the stone, the two seemed to be happy to be put together, yes they were made for each other, they seemed to “want” to go together.
After I was complete, the star I carved in the ring’s bed was only partially reviled at a time: the center of the star was quite visible but the amber acted like a lens: magnifying the star so only a part could be seen at a time. However the star had full contact with the finger when worn.
This was a custom, one of a kind ring made specially for the person who designed it, she sent me sketches of the piece and described the materials involved. The Lady who ordered the ring was pleased and continues to enjoy her ring to this day. More about custom jewelry may be found on my How to order custom page.
Amulets by Merlin's Blog 