T3 Week 2 - Cast Setting

This week is all about the bling, and I love bling!

This week we were tasked to make a ring and a pendant using cast settings. Cast settings are the little baskets that hold the Cubic zirconias or high end gemstones. This style of jewellery is classed as ‘fine jewellery’ .

melanie chatfield22 December 2022 Comment

T3 WeeK 1 - Chain Making

And we are back into the routine of the diploma. I am going to miss this once I am finished.

I have to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed my day today. Watching the videos, they showed us 3 different projects for chain making.

melanie chatfield28 July 2022silver diploma, silversmithing, silver pendant, collet setting, tapered bezel, stone setting skills, stone setting, bezel punch, dainty pendant, birthstone pendant, cubic zirconia, ringComment

Week 9 - Working with Gold part 2

Absolutley loved this week and I can’t wait to get these rings back from marking so I can wear them.

I did procrastinate most of the day with these as we had only a smalll amount of gold to work with and it is quite easy and quick to mess it up and it turns into a melted gold puddle.

melanie chatfield29 April 2022silver diploma, silversmithing, silver pendant, collet setting, tapered bezel, stone setting skills, stone setting, bezel punch, dainty pendant, birthstone pendant, cubic zirconia, ringComment

Week 7 & 8 - Copper Trinket box

We are skipping a week as week 6 was a business week and not a making week.

Again, I totally under estimated this week and how tricky it was going to be, I am glad we had two weeks to do this project and of course the big beast torch.

melanie chatfield29 April 2022silver diploma, silversmithing, silver pendant, collet setting, tapered bezel, stone setting skills, stone setting, bezel punch, dainty pendant, birthstone pendant, cubic zirconia, ringComment

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Treat your mum to something special this Mothers Day from our hand picked selection.

melanie chatfield11 March 2022

Week 5 - Stone Setting - Collet setting

Again, I totally under estimated this week and how tricky it was going to be.

Having already done different sized bezels, flush setting and tube setting, I thought this was going to be a great week and I was going to really enjoy it. Well that wasn’t the case and in fact as I am writing this, the second collet is only just finished and I am due to start week 9 on monday!!!!

melanie chatfield5 March 2022silver diploma, silversmithing, silver pendant, collet setting, tapered bezel, stone setting skills, stone setting, bezel punch, dainty pendant, birthstone pendant, cubic zirconia, ring Comments

Week 4 - Stone setting in wax

I wasn't overly looking forward to this week because the last time we did wax (in term 1) Covid had hit the household (my husband and daughters) and my focus was severely lacking. As a result my last pieces were very simple and I didn’t push myself so this time I decided to be a bit more experimental on the ring.

melanie chatfield27 February 2022Maisy Eve designs stone setting, wax casting, wax setting, wax ring, learning new skills, silver diploma, education, blog, silversmithingComment

Week 3 - Torque Bangle

This looked like such an easy project. I had seen some of last year's students bangles and have been looking forward to it all year. Well this week did not go according to plan, I just couldn't get enough heat into the wire to successfully solder the smallest of bits of wire to the longer length. So I had to purchase a bigger torch aka ‘the beast’!!!!

melanie chatfield12 February 2022torque bangle, sterling silver, silver diploma, silversmithing, silver bracelet, labrodite, gemstones, gemstone bangle, new skillsComment

Week 2 - Irregular stone setting

Sorry I am a little behind with keeping you updated with regards to the diploma, life and work got in the way. Anyway here is week 2.

melanie chatfield5 February 2022Amethyst, pendant, silver pendant, silver diploma, silversmithing, bezel setting, cabochon, large cabachon, star, textured pendant, hammered texture Comments

Term 2 - Back at the bench

Week 1 - Wedding Bands

And just like that I am back at the bench learning new skills and it came with a struggle.

This weeks project is to make a wedding band from 9ct gold D-shaped wire and a silver wishbone ring from D-shaped silver wire.

melanie chatfield13 January 2022wedding, wedding bands, silversmithing, wishbone ring, sterling silver, 9ct gold band, getting married, engagement ring, marriage, ring setsComment

Silver Diploma Term 1 - Part 2

I feel these weeks are when the diploma got a bit more exciting, especially week 7 and 8.

Week 6 was all about polishing. No making this week just learning how to create a mirror finish, or a satin finish for our existing pieces.

melanie chatfield24 December 2021Comment

Silver Diploma - Term 1 Part 1

Sorry for not being more present here and keeping you updated better with my progress through my first term on the silver diploma, but it has been a bit of a juggle working, family time, social media and learning new skills on the diploma.

melanie chatfield14 December 2021 Comment

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