I made this ring this week. I call it the Pirate's Freedom Silver Wedding Band Ring. I am so happy that this design sells so well, because it's one of those rings that I never get tired of making. Although it's alot of work, it is repetitive work, that allows me to enjoy some good music while I file away. I truly get in the zone, enjoying the process and sending good thoughts to the couple who will soon be married.
You can see more about this ring here. It is part of my Pirate Tides Collection.
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What a Ship Is...Pendant
Finally! I have gathered all my pirate themed and inspired rings, earrings and necklaces and put them together into my new collection - Pirate Tides. Please take a look. I've separated the forms and have included an Art Rings section. You can click on each image for a detail page and a purchase option. As you know, if you've been following me this year, I've been caught up in telling a story through the metal. The most obvious tales are in the art rings, where treasure maps are hidden. This spilled over into more "every day" jewelry, with an X marking the treasure (your loved one) and sometimes just a rustic hammered ring band that anyone, pirate or not, who likes a rugged style, would wear. I watched every pirate movie ever made (some of them several times), while sitting at my bench and creating these treasures. I have a little dvd player on my bench. It's pure bliss to sit and file a ring, moving the metal grains on the surface, and watching a sword fight on the little screen. I love Erroll Flynn in Sea Hawk and Captain Blood. Of course, I love all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies too (especially the first one). All that swashbuckling splashed onto the metal. I think you can see it, if you look. If you like those movies, I think you'll like my jewelry too. Thanks for your support this year - my personal Year of the Pirate. 2012 is on the horizon. I'm looking forward to discovering a new story to tell in the new year. Till then, please take a look at my Pirate Tides Jewelry Collection. Let me know what you think. 
X Marks My Treasure Diamond Ring
Did that put you in the mood to watch some pirate movies?       I just wanted to share a few peeks at my new collection today. It's not quite done, but it's getting closer. Actually, I have a few items already in the Etsy store. But soon, the whole collection will be available here at Pirate Tides Collection.  What a Ship Is.. What a Ship Is.. Pendant - "Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs, but what a ship is..what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom." -Captain Jack Sparrow Double sided pendant made of sterling silver and a blue agate.  Pirate's Freedom Hand Cut Faceted Ring Pirate's Freedom Ring - I used an antique design to figure the placement and technique to cut facets right on the silver for this ring. It looks like it's hammered - a very rugged look. I stamped the word FREEDOM inside the band. I think of this as a pirate's wedding band.  Mixed Metal Earrings If you've been following my blog this year, you know that I've been working on a new collection, inspired by Pirates. The idea of this actually started several years ago, when I made my first Secret Pirate Treasure Map Ring. Since then, I've made about 6 rings in this series. This weekend I created another piece in this series. The Ship's Log Pirate Ring All the captain needs, in a portable, battery free, finger top model. Features - swivel desk for any orientation (suggested use on non-dominant hand). Attached inkwell. Attached, replaceable quill. Leather bound log book with decorated endpapers. Genuine blue Kyanite stone. Engraved "Ship's Log" and "Respect the Sea". Special holes for tying down in rough seas. Materials - copper, brass, silver, Kyanite, feather, cork, paper, leather. I'm finally starting to embrace my inner Pirate and go full tilt boogie on this collection. It's so much fun. I plan to update the site soon, so that you can see all the pieces in one place. Some items will be more collectible than wearable and there will also be very wearable and affordable pieces. Please follow the blog so you'll be notified when it's ready.
Just in case you ever wondered - there are many ways to get to the same result in jewelry making. Most people, jewelers included, will just buy a clasp from a jewelry supply store. Most of those pieces are made overseas where the workers are paid pennies, or they are stamped out in factory machines here, so that there is little labor cost. I'm still trying to find a good balance between making every part of a piece from the raw metal or buying some of the components like chain and clasps. Anyway, here are some pictures of a clasp I made recently. First the pattern is copied onto tracing paper and glued onto the metal. Then I use a jeweler's saw to cut it out. This is not too easy, as it must be thick metal to be strong enough for a clasp. When the pieces are just sawn out, they are flat. I use files and sandpaper to round them and smooth them. Then the components are put together. This is a very simple clasp, called a sister clasp, or fold over clasp. It took more than an hour to make. The only way it is cost effective for me, is if it is attached to a necklace that is outstanding. So...back to the bench. Valentine's Day always comes up on me quickly. As a jeweler, I never feel ready for it. I always think that next year I will have lots of new romantic designs available. Ah well...maybe next year.  But this past week, I DID create one new design that I think would make a perfect Valentine's gift. An X - which can mean a kiss - is also used by Pirates to mark their treasure. What a perfect symbol for a simple pair of post earrings! I made these to be rustic enough for a man, yet interesting enough for a unique woman. These are available as both a single earring and as a set. Every part of these earrings are handmade in my studio. I designed these to be sure that sterling silver is next to the skin. There are sterling wire posts as well. The copper is antiqued and the X is engraved. Although I usually sell all my items here on my own website, I have put these earrings for a limited time in my Etsy shop. Order (and pay) by Monday, February 7th and I promise to mail them by February 9th, which should be time to receive by Valentine's day! I'd love to be marked as a treasure by my Pirate, wouldn't you?
 Improved design - Double Pearl Pirate Earrings Finally, I have something completed to show for my playing with the Pirate theme this whole month. Here are the Double Pearl Pirate Earrings. They are mixed metals - copper, brass and sterling silver. Notice that the sterling silver is the ear wire - so only silver touches the skin. This is good for those who have a reaction to copper or brass. The earrings feature bronze tone glass pearls. I didn't want to use real pearls here. Real pearls should be protected from metal rubbing against them. I don't usually use glass pearls, but this seems like a good place for them. They will keep the cost of these earrings down, too.  I've decided to offer these earrings in my Etsy shop for now. Once I have several pieces ready, I'll make a new Collection page here on the MaryLuWason.com site. If you'd like these, but don't want to purchase on Etsy, just let me know. I can send you a Paypal or Google checkout invoice direct to your email. Meanwhile, it's a Pirate's life for me. More metal bead making, more secret treasure maps to hide. Hope you have a great, treasure filled day!  This blog, which I started in January 2011, is a design journal, as I attempt to create new jewelry collections and also improve some existing collections.
Most of the entries so far are about a new Pirate Collection. I have challenged myself to create jewelry that is so rugged and true to the Pirate spirit, that it is wearable by both men and women. So, my question today - would a pirate wear pearls? I love the look of big pearls paired with mixed metals with aged patinas. I'm wondering if I can pull this off, so that a few brave men might actually wear a pearl or two? I can't imagine a pirate that would be able to pass up a jewel of the sea itself. Above is my first attempt at an earring with pearls and mixed metal. I have a few other ideas, I'll try in the next few days. So, the question is, would a pirate wear pearls? Let me know what you think. Meanwhile, I'll work on creating some designs to convince you.  On most mornings, I take a walk on the beach. I pick up treasures as I find them. Shells with nature made holes are great finds. Purple bits of clam shells, that I call wampum are also special. I couldn't create a collection of these in one day. I just add to it, little by little.  That's how it is creating a jewelry collection, too. A little at a time, piece by piece.
Here, I've begun to create a ship's wheel in brass. I'm going to carve it from the thick metal. First I draw a sketch, then transfer that to tracing paper. It would be easier, of course, to use a charm from a commercial jewelry suppply house. Many jewelers do that. But that has no appeal to me. If I put my name on it, I want it to be from my own hands. It takes longer, this way. I work on a new piece a little bit, day by day. Eventually, I'll have a collection. Yesterday I showed you my newest treasure map ring. Today I'll show you another treasure map ring that I made in summer of 2009. I usually make the first model in brass or copper, even if I plan on making it in silver. These first pieces serve as a reference for the future - better than any sketch on paper. They also allow me to test my designs. This is a hollow ring. The secret compartment is the tiny space between the two rings. Just enough for a folded bit of map. Around the side it says "Bring Me that Horizon". True pirate fans know that is what Captain Jack Sparrow says at the end of the first POTC movie. Jack Sparrow and his love of rings have really inspired me to create a whole series of hidden treasure map rings.     I plan on remaking this in silver soon. In fact, I've already started it.  Modern day treasure hunting is fun with geocaching. Have you ever done that? I've been thinking about ways to incorporate that into the hiding places for treasure maps.
Hmm...perhaps geocaching deserves a whole jewelry collection of it's own. |
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 Mary Lu Wason
is a studio jeweler. Here she shares the inspirations, discoveries and process of creating her art jewelry collections. @PirateTides on Instagram Subscribe
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