Translations. Textured Sterling Silver Studs (round and arch)

Two shapes of hand-carved and cast sterling silver earring studs. Designed and carved taking inspiration from rugged rock surfaces, and finished with a high polish to accentuate the unique, organic texture of these one-of-a-kind earrings.

The round studs are about 11mm in diameter, and the arch studs are 10mm x 12mm. 

Process: Starting with jeweller's wax, I cut and sand the wax down to the rough shape. I then use a combination of woodworking tools, metal shaping tools, and heat to carve and manipulate the surface pattern. The wax components are then cast into sterling silver through the lost wax method, which is one of the oldest art techniques in the world. After the silver component comes from the mold, it requires a lot of sanding to remove the sprues and bring it up to a high polish. For these studs, I also soldered the stud backing onto the back of the silver disc. More sanding. I then polish the piece with several steps of polishing compound grit, then give everything a quick soap and water bath.