July 2015 Bezels and Lapidary Theme for SRAJD Jewelry Design Challenge

July 2015 Bezels and Lapidary Theme for SRAJD Jewelry Design Challenge

Before we begin with July, congrats to Marcia Tobolsky for being the randomly chosen winner from the June submissions.

Marcia, here is a list of the prizes accumulated so far.  Select your gift from here.  Just msg or email me with your selection choice.

And now.... Our theme for July 2015 was “Lapidary Theme for SRAJD Jewelry Design Challenge”.  Click on each artist's name to see more of their work.

Here are the beautiful offerings of the SRAJD members… 

Sue Thompson: This is an Australian Boulder opal chip, too small for most jewellery and too lovely to throw away. I hand polished the front side of it with diamond grit polishing pads to bring out the flash and the back is left rough. It's wrapped in sterling silver.

Sue Thompson: A very small opal chip that demanded to be seen. It's hand polished on one side with a rough back and wrapped in Sterling silver. Quite a difficult exercise to get wire around teeny stones but I am happy with the end result.

Linda Pawlowski

Neva Murtha: I decided I wanted to learn how to make freeform bezels so I watched a Bill Fretz video, got the stakes, bezel wires and stones and started playing. This is one of my more recent ones - and the first teardrop shape stone I have worked with. It's a sugilite cab from a cutter in the USA, set in a bezel I fabricated to fit the stone with 14k gold bezel walls on a hammered sterling silver band.

Neva Murtha: My new favourite watermelon tourmaline stacking ring set with a faceted high dome tourmaline, 14k gold bezel walls and 3 hammered sterling silver bands, all fabricate by me...though I got the stone from one of my favourite cutters.

Neva Murtha: A super rare and stunning American turquoise cab I fell in love with in Tucson set in sterling silver. Again all fabricated by me...but I did not cut the stone. I've found it to be a lovely challenge to solder the larger bezels to the back plates...though I have worked out the technique.

Laura Bosch: Beaded Kyanite Cab Bracelet. I wear this more than anything else I've made (except earrings)! Peyote stitch for everything, using size 11s & 15s. The fire polish beads are sewn on after the whole bracelet is finished.

Laura Bosch: I love beading around donuts & it's much less fattening too! I made this a few years ago so it maybe the 2nd one I made. Czech pressed glass beads accent the fringe, the strand, which I really want to re-do, is brown goldstone & blue goldstone.

Laura Bosch: Do you think I like Kyanite?! These are earrings I made for a friend of mine & she loves loves loves them. Cabochons with small Kyanite drop dangles. Must use other stones!

Laura Bracken: This is the first non-round piece I ever set  I have a new respect for people who set square or other odd shape stones.

We hope you’ve enjoyed looking at these wonderful creations. Make sure to check out the other monthly challenges.

If you’d like to get in on the action, join the SRAJD organization. If you’re already an active member, submit your jewelry challenge piece here for the current month.