Silversmyth: The Blog

Jeanette Joy interviews Julie Hiltbrunner, Owner and Jewelry Designer for Silversmyth

Julie Hiltbrunner — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:11:04 +0000

Sterling Silver Guitar Pick Necklace

Julie Hiltbrunner — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:01:28 +0000

Sterling Silver Guitar Pick on Leather Cord with Sterling Silver Findings

Got the opportunity to show this piece off yesterday to some friends that were visiting. They both thought of men for whom this would be a perfect gift. This item is one of a kind… but I am always happy to make custom pieces.

Sterling Silver Rain Drops Necklace with Gemstone Cabachons

Julie Hiltbrunner — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:20:02 +0000

This necklace wears beautifully on a 16″ sterling silver chain so it lays right below the divot in the collarbone.

: Rain Drops Pendant available at Silversmyth.com

Woke up with the brilliant idea in my mind for the above necklace. When great ideas come, I run to get my sketchbook. It’s usually those mornings when waking up slowly is possible. The alarm clock is no friend to my creativity. I open my eyes to sunlight and while still half asleep I start to imagine designs. It’s not a *try* kind of effort. It’s effortless. Thoughts just pass through and when that one brilliant moment happens I’m ready. Then I do my mad dash. Have to get my design on paper before it is forgotten.

I’d been thinking of ways to interestingly set cabachon gemstones. I just love lots of bright colors set in bright shiny sterling silver! I’m already thinking about my next multi-gemstone piece. Ideas are popping into my head constantly.

A good view of the bezel set cabachon gemstones

Wish there were two of me so one could be drawing up the ideas and the other could be working away at the workbench. Heck, I could probably keep a team of people busy with all the ideas floating around above my bed. Here’s just a couple of design sketches to tease you with…

Sterling Silver Multi-Gemstone Necklace and Earring Design Sketches

Captured Pearl

Julie Hiltbrunner — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:48:19 +0000

So I took a business trip to Los Angeles, California a few weeks ago and got the chance to see my two brothers whom I had not seen in two years. During that trip, my brother James or his lovely wife, Alma handed me a box containing a large valuable undrilled cultured pearl that a friend in Japan had given James when he was single, many years ago. He explained to me that gift giving is very important to the Japanese culture and that the Japanese enjoy giving significant and valuable gifts.

Large Undrilled Pearl in Sterling Silver Setting

James’ friend told him that the pearl was for his future wife. James held onto it for many years and when he married he did as he was asked and gave it to his beautiful wife. James stressed to me how sentimentally important this pearl was and how I was to take the utmost care with it, twice or three times. Typically, as I said before, I lack the courage to work with people’s sentimental objects.

Why would he entrust something of such great importance to me? Alma wanted to be able to wear it. She wanted a setting to hold itthe pearl where it would be secure but still be loose inside and look artisan made. I like to think is my specialty, so my ego kicked in. I drew a few sketches while Alma looked on and she decided on a design she liked.

I was faced with setting a large undrilled pearl of unknown value and a prized possession belonging to two people I love.

The challenge with this setting was creating a way to secure the pearl while allowing it to move. A pearl can not be heated or touched by any tools or it will leave a mark. Pearls are very delicate and should not even come in contact with silver cleaner or body perfumes.

The setting had to be created of heavy enough gauge silver to not bend once the pearl was inside and all the heating and forming had to be done before the pearl was put to place.

To create this setting, I soldered three sterling silver wires together in a sort of asterisk shape. I used a ball end dap tool and a hammer to shape the the wires into a round interior where the pearl would sit. One wire was extended into the loop or bail that the chain would run through. Then the wires were soldered together at the top. I did another decorative wire wrap at the top and fused by torch soldering.

Setting the pearl was the most challenging part. The bars had to be moved to each side to allow the pearl in and once in, very carefully had to be bend back into place without putting any force on the pearl. The heavy gauge of this wire required me to work in stages moving the wires just a bit at a time.

The result is as you can see above, quite beautiful.

Custom Amethyst Ring in Basket Setting

Julie Hiltbrunner — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:51:58 +0000

The customer specified that she wanted a ring with maximum light play through this gorgeous deep girdled grade AAA amethyst that a friend had given to her. She told me it wasn’t a stone to which she was extremely attached to wave away any fear of breakage. She put a lot of trust in my novice skills. I’m grateful for this opportunity as it should give me confidence in stone setting going forward.

Huge Rectangular Amethyst in a Simple Classic Ring Setting

A few days after taking the stone back to my studio I was still scratching my head about what kind of design I wanted for this ring. I tend to like simple and classic design leaning toward the modern and unusual, if that makes sense. I drew the design and got it approved. (See sketch below.)

I created the shank (the part that goes around the finger from recycled sterling that I had poured and rolled out into half round wire. I cut the wire to size and filed diagnal ends where I torch soldered the shank to the mount (or the prong setting.) After the ring setting was built I stamped it 925 and hand engraved a word into the interior. I fully polished the ring and prepared a seat for the stone.

Setting a stone of this size presented me with a new challenge I had not faced before. The stone was nearly too large for my “parrot beak” pliers. (I don’t know the actual name for them.) My hands trembled in fear the entire time I was setting it and for about an hour after.

It came out beautifully, if I do say so myself. (See side view, two posts prior.)

The conclusion: Courage is setting a stone you can’t afford to replace.

Sketch for the Amethyst Ring

Julie Hiltbrunner — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:24:10 +0000

This quick sketch is of the amethyst ring design I had in mind. Typically I will not set loose gemstones given to me a customer for fear of breakage or damaging a sentimental object. I stepped out of my comfort zone and set a stone larger and more valuable than I was accustomed. In stone setting class, the instructor said that a jeweler isn’t really experienced in stone setting until he or she has 500 settings under his her belt. I don’t think I’ve approached 500 stones yet though I’m probably in the hundreds if you include other types of settings such as bezel , tube and flush settings. The sketch was small and pretty rough but it gavve the customer an accurate idea of what to expect.

: Sketch of a Rectagular (Octagonal) Amethyst Gemstone in a Classic Setting

The design was approved and the next post will show the final ring.

Side View of Amethyst Octagon in Basket Setting

Julie Hiltbrunner — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:05:53 +0000

Side View Amethyst Gemstone Ring in Sterling Silver Basket Setting

Sterling Silver Multicolored Gem Stone Studded Cuff Bracelet

Julie Hiltbrunner — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:10:56 +0000

I just love how this bracelet came out. I feel like royalty when I’m wearing it. Here’s how it was made… the Reader’s Digest version…

This bracelet was made from scrap sterling left over from several months of jewelry making. The scraps where melted and poured into an ingot mold.

Silver Multicolored Gem Stone Cuff Bracelet

The ingot was then rolled into a sheet using a rolling mill. The sheet of silver was textured with a ball peen hammer. The bracelet was again hammered into a cuff shape using a bracelet mandrel. Bezel settings were soldered to the face of the bracelet and then garnet, amethyst, citrine, ruby, blue topaz, and peridot stones were set. Bezel settings work by compressing the silver around the stone. There is no heat or glue used to hold them in.

Once completed, I didn’t want to part with it… so I kept it for myself. But, I’d be willing to make another if anyone cares to commission one. Due to that hand made nature of this piece, no two will ever be exactly the same. That’s the real beauty in it. And of course the stone colors of your choice could be used. Questions? email: info@silversmyth.com

http://silversmyth.bigcartel.com/product/gemstone-studded-cuff-bracelet

Click above for a link to the shopping cart you can find it in… and to see my other creations.

Thanks for checking it out!

~Julie

Bio Writing Contest to Win Sterling Silver Hollow-formed Pendant

Julie Hiltbrunner — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:22:42 +0000

The Prize

CONTEST: I have devised a cunning contest in order to give away this sterling silver one-of-a-kind keepsake. Here it is! Re-write my Twitter bio and this hollow formed pendant could be yours. I will select my favorite bio Sunday at 7pm. And post it to my profile. I will contact the entrant via email/tweet to notify that he/she has won and to get a UNITED STATES shipping address. You need not be in USA to win but the item will only be shipped to a US address. Submission Deadline: Sunday, May 17th at 7pm, Central time. If I don’t decide to use any of the bios I will still give away the prize to my favorite attempt and reserve the to edit or adjust and use any entry for my sole purposes.

TO ENTER: Tweet @Silversmyth the bio. Must use hashtag #biocontest. Or click on the heading of this post to enter comments at the bottom.

HELPFUL HINTS: I’m on Twitter to make friends and promote Silversmyth jewelry. Silversmyth designs and manufactures jewelry for businesses, boutiques and charities to resell, for the Silversmyth collection that is shown at art shows and individual custom jobs by request. Humor is always a bonus. It has to fit in the Twitter bio character limits and must be family friendly. My favorite designs are Minimalist and sterling silver is my metal or choice.

PRIZE: This is a hollowformed 1 & 1/8″ tall box pendant to be worn on a necklace. It’s made of Sterling Silver and was one of the first hollow formed pieces that I designed. The rear is hand stamped SILVER SMYTH. It would look very cool on a leather cord or a chain. I’ll supply a leather cord at the length of your choosing 15″-22″.

Good luck and may the best bio win!

Leaf Ring

Julie Hiltbrunner — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:17:51 +0000

Much like Nambe’s award winning designs that are found in museum collections, my Sensual Minimalist designs are stripped down to the essential elements. I’m attracted to slow organic curves and lustrous shine. The silver of this ring looks almost molten.

Leaf Ring, originally uploaded by Silversmyth.

Sensual Minimalistic designs are described as abstract forms that are an experience, not just an object. This ring is not just a thing of beauty but a sensual form, exquisite and when worn is warm to the touch.

The smooth and solid feel of 11 grams of precious sterling silver add to the value of this beautifully carved ring. The interior of the leaf is only partially hollowed out and the widest portion of the ring shank is at the bottom for balance.

Did you ever wonder why jewelers hollow out the backside of rings? For one thing it makes them lighter weight and therefore far less expensive to produce. I love the feel of a solid ring and to run my fingers over it and trace the smooth curves.

This is ring is an Art form to behold and to be worn.

$98.

Cast and Hand Finished Sterling Silver.
Grams vary by ring size.
Size 7 weighs approx. 11 grams. allow two weeks for delivery as each ring is lovingly made to order. Whole, half and quarter sizes.