Every once in a while I receive a request in my inbox to make a custom ring using some strange exotic material, and these are often the most challenging but rewarding projects! This month I was asked to create a ring using a beautiful Hawaiian Koa wood, turquoise and an inlay of sharks teeth!
After a short email exchange with the customer to finalise a design and get the sizing details we were good to go. The post man regularly delivers unusual materials to my door and a bag of shark teeth was definitely a first for me!
Each tooth was tiny at about 3mm wide and 2-4mm long which was perfect for me to work with and held sentimental value to the couple I made the ring for. It is not unusual for customers to request rings to be made with materials that are significant to them, perhaps a wood that reminds them of where they first met, birth stones or engravings and I am always happy to help where I can.
The final design was made with a golden Koa wood with a maple lining. The inside was then engraved by hand with the phrase “15.5AF” and the outside had a band of sharks teeth and turquoise. I filled the gaps between the teeth with Hawaiian sand and applied a weather proof finish to the entire piece.
Setting the teeth individually was a challenge for sure but the final piece came out better than I could have imagined. I am so proud of this little ring, and to be honest I didn’t want to let it go! Each and every piece of jewellery I make feels like a child of mine, a product of the time and concentration spent in the workshop. There is nothing more rewarding to me than taking raw ingredients and seeing them transform into something beautiful.
If you have a cool idea for a ring and want to see it come to life then feel free to get in touch. You can contact me through my Etsy shop or Facebook page with your requests. Perhaps you’d like a specific combination of woods, a crazy inlay or a mixture of materials like silver or acrylic. Anything goes so get in touch.
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