New Sugarloaf Amethyst

[stracci2000]

I was mentioning a while ago that I had seen an amazing Sugarloaf ring.
It was on the hand of a French actress during an interview in 1993.
So began the search for a fabulous Sugarloaf stone.
I found it a few weeks ago, a gorgeous amethyst, at my favorite gem and mineral shop.
Yesterday, I finally finished it, and it turned out better than I had hoped.
I agonized about the setting design, but like all of my pieces, it just evolves as I work on it, and looks nothing like my original sketch.


So here's a few shots in front of my messy bench, just after the final polish.

 

[chatoyancy]

Beautiful!! That is a nice, richly colored amethyst! Where did you buy the stone?

 

[minousbijoux]

And you made it yourself? Impressed.

 

[Bluegemz]

Super luscious! I LOVE the dramatic bullet shape and simplicity.

 

[stracci2000]

And you made it yourself? Impressed.

Thanks! Yes, I made it myself. I learned silversmithing about 14 yeas ago. The entire setting is made with sterling wire. It is not a casting.

 

[stracci2000]

Beautiful!! That is a nice, richly colored amethyst! Where did you buy the stone?

I bought the stone from my local gem and mineral shop,
here in Albuquerque called Southwestern Minerals.

 

[minousbijoux]

So with such a high domed cab like that, what is keeping the stone in? Is it the force of the prongs alone or is there another mechanism as well?

 

[elle_71125]

Wow. What a beautiful ring. Color me impressed that you can bench your own gems. That's really cool.

 

[Karl_K]

wow!

 

[stracci2000]

So with such a high domed cab like that, what is keeping the stone in? Is it the force of the prongs alone or is there another mechanism as well?

So with such a high domed cab like that, what is keeping the stone in? Is it the force of the prongs alone or is there another mechanism as well?

No, just prongs holding the stone.
Here's a photo of a few more that I used the same technique on. Sometimes I

 

[stracci2000]

wow!

Thank you, Karl! Coming from you, that is a high compliment!

 

[Arkteia]

Very cool and what a color!