Making a Domed Black Onyx Ring: A Silversmithing Tutorial

[@rondamiller3126]

Thank ups, Chad, for the great tutorial. I always learn new things. You make it look so easy. I guess it’s your calm demeanor. :)

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Rhonda! It’s just a facade. Inside I’m really a seething mess:)

[@woodndrum303]

Your constant research, or quest for inspiration is obvious in this great project. Not only a very different style of mount, but a clever method to build the separate elements. Your video work has improved in leaps and bounds from the early days and now allows us to be more deeply involved in the development of the build. This onyx ring is not only a beautiful design but shows exactly how make or fine tune tiny changes to always move closer to the image you have in your mind and it’s a real joy to make that journey with you. Thanks so much for all the background work and not just the time we see on camera Chad. Lovely workmanship.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks so much Keith. Always trying to come up with a variety of things to keep it interesting:). Thank you for the kind and thoughtful comment!

[@naomiwendy2234]

Cool way to do double prongs... I'll have to try it one of these days. Very handsome ring... 😊

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Wendy. You should! I thought it was easier than most prong settings:)

[@karie9890]

I love the way you did the prongs. They are unique and easy! I've always wanted to make a domed ring, this is the one I've chosen to do. Thank you again for sharing your artistic talent with us. You give inspiration! 💖💖🙏🏼

[@chadssilversmithing]

What a nice compliment Karie! Send me a pic to my Instagram when you are done so I can see it:)

[@patredden4557]

Love this ring, I have always wanted to try a domed ring. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Of course Pat!

[@marebear61]

I watch a lot of your videos. I'm impressed you can produce so many in one week! Thank you. I love your projects which are more interesting than so many tutorials out there. I would have liked to see how you cut the hole in the ring after soldering and also what you did to produce those prong tips. Maybe just a tad more details in the future? Thanks again and keep up the most excellent work.

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thanks Mare! The video was getting a bit long, and I wasn’t doing anything too fancy when I cut out the hole with the jeweler’s saw. The prongs I shaped carefully with an abrasive silicone wheel on my rotary tool:). I appreciate the constructive criticism! Take care.

[@carolchase2086]

Nicely done!

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Carol!

[@sheila3845]

its a beauty

[@chadssilversmithing]

Thank you Sheila!

[@tahomyjo]

Very nice, wish you would have shown at the very end how you file/shape the prongs to angle onto the stone ? Do you lift the prongs back up first? Or file with them in place ? Thanks Chad

[@chadssilversmithing]

Usually file in place and clean up with a fine silicone abrasive wheel:)

[@KimOwen-taylor]

Hi Chad, Thanks again for your great content. I do have a question, please. After you have soldered the two wires onto the collet you're making. Then shaped it to solder it together and then reshaped it to the correct shape for the gemstone. How do you avoid marking up the wires,especially as it becomes much harder to bend once the wires are soldered on? I understand practice goes a long way. However, when pressure is needed to shape it, is it just a case of sanding them down to remove the marks, or am I missing something. I find pliers that have the protective cover on don't grip as well. Thus, make the job even harder. Some pieces even after annealing are tough to bend, so a lighter touch isn't going to get the job done 🤔 Thank x

[@chadssilversmithing]

Hello Kim. I haven't had much luck with coated pliers for that very reason. I remove tool marks with an abrasive white wheel:)