Hand forged white and yellow gold diamond solitaire.

Beautiful 0.3ct recycled GIA certified diamond glinting in the autumn sun (when we had some last week!)

This simple solitaire with a lightly hammered finish has been a firm favourite with brides looking for an ethical, eco-conscious engagement ring this year.

A stunning stone, set in a closed, rubover recycled 14ct yellow gold bezel, on a recycled 14ct white gold hand forged shank.

It is available in a range of colour combos, like rose gold, all yellow gold, a mixture of white / yellow / rose and in 9, 14 or 18ct golds - all recycled, or if preferred, FAIRTRADE gold.

The diamond can be replaced with a coloured ethically sourced gemstone - details of the different gems I can source are on my website.

For details of my engagement ring range or how to commission a bespoke ring visit www.glasswingjewellery.com

Eco friendly handmade wedding set - 2 stackers and a chunky D-shaped band

Big congratulations to John and Danielle, on their upcoming wedding day this July.  They commissioned this series of satin finished personalised rings.  I rarely get asked to make the stamped stacker ring (the thinner ones) in satin, so I thought I'd take a photo or two - I think they look lovely.

 

 

 Glasswing stacker rings are also available in a high polish finish, as are all Glasswing rings.

www.glasswingjewellery.com

The 6mm D-shaped chunky band here also looks lovely in the satin finish, and has personal messages stamped inside.  It is available in recycled silver, recycled white gold and yellow gold too.  

18ct white gold eco wedding rings for Valentines weekend

This set of personalised 6mm and 7mm 18ct recycled white gold wedding rings were commissioned at the very last minute by a lovely couple tying the knot in Cornwall just after this Valentines weekend. 

 I hand forged them from 100% white gold bullion refined and milled here in the UK.

stamping the gold

forming the rings using a hide hammer (veggie
options are available,but I'm afraid I just don't
 find they come up to scratch)

after soldering, forming the edges for a low
dome half round profile

 The finished rings.


 Despite the storms, the flood, 48 hour power cuts, and the Post Office's best efforts to stop them, these beauties arrived at their destination, with three hours to go before the wedding ceremony.  One relieved jeweller!  The happy couple were delighted, and I was absolutely thrilled to make these rings for them.

Recycled silver personalised ring set

I made these beauties for some lovely customers who are tying the knot next month. They specifically wanted ethical, eco-conscious wedding rings, and to have them personalised, unique and totally special to them. I hand stamped each ring prior to soldereding them - I love the clean, sharp look of the letters. I have simply given them a light polish by hand, keeping a warm soft shine to the silver. They are hand profiled - the larger one is 7mm thick, I have formed the D-shape myself, for a lovely organic feel. The narrower one is 5mm, and again, I formed the D-profile by hand.

I am still enjoying using the lovely "Harmony Metals" 100% recycled silver stock from Hoover and Strong - their customer service is amazing, and their delivery time is good. It's lovely silver to work, and is available in so many different shapes, everything I could wish for. The only problem remaining, is to find chains for my pendants in recycled silver, other than that Glasswing is well on the way to turning over completely to recyled silver in the near future.

Cornish spring blooms and other jewels

Over the past few weeks, I have been checking in, reading and admiring the fabulous blogs by fellow jewellery makers, beaders, and artists Etsy crafters all over the world.

I just had to start blogging! So finally, after my usual period of skillful procrastination, here is my first posting!

I've seen some wonderful pictures of spring flowers on other blogs, and bloggers' local landscapes waking up and beginning to blossom after the prolonged gloom of winter. For me, there's nothing quite like the natural world to inspire creativity. So I am launching my shiny new Glasswing Jewellery blog with some pictures of spring flowers from this tiny Cornish Peninsula, our home down at the foot of the UK.

The mild climate here in West Penwith is unique in the British Isles, and allows some really gorgeous subtropical plants to thrive. Palm trees line the streets, bananas grow around stately homes, and our gardens are blessed with exotic plants that would simply perish in the frosts further north. There's even a Cornish Palm!

Just a short drive from our doorstep is the wonderful Trengwainton Gardens, bisected by a crystal clear stream rushing under pooh stick bridges and over miniature waterfalls. To the right is a series of sheltered walled gardens and to the left are unusual subtropical woodlands currently carpeted with bluebells.

Once you reach the far corner of the gardens, there are the most beautiful views across the Bay.

The gardens are officially home to some of the finest examples of magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias in the country.

I have never seen such gigantic magnolia trees anywhere else, some are so big, other trees grow halfway up their trunks. My neighbour told me the magnolia with the widest girth grows there, quite an achievement ~ and the fragrance WOW!

It was another gloriously sunny day yesterday, so we decided to visit the gardens. This time I grabbed my camera, a little point and shoot 6 megapixel Ricoh Caplio R4, my 2 year old son (who thankfully needs no persuading to walk around the gardens inspecting the flowers ), and most importantly enough money for a cuppa and cakes at the tearooms.

We had a lovely afternoon, and here are the pictures.

I hope you find these buds and blooms as inspiring as I do!

Some of them really look like fabulous pieces of jewellery!