My new Ancient Coin Ring

    
I picked up this Ancient Judaean Coin ring from my coin collection and handcrafted a ring with it. The coin was struck in ancient Jerusalem during  the First Jewish Revolt against the romans in the years 66-70 and it rolled and rolled (for this is what happens to coins - they are round and they roll...) until it reached my box of ancient coins.Ting! But it did not stay there as you may see: 

Ancient coin ring - sterling silver and a  Judaean "Pruta"

The coin was struck in Bronze and is called  "prutah". It has on its surface a vine leaf on a small branch.  The Vine leaf, and a bunch of grapes, on other similar coins, are popular in Jewish art.  The vine is one of the seven agricultural species of  Judaea. Vine leaves and grape branches are a symbol of peace, contentment and long lasting life.

Ancient coin ring with "Prutah"

The inner part of the ring

Size of the ring US 6.90
Size of the bezelled coin is 0.7" in diam. (about 22mm)


more handcrafted artisan jewelry:
http://etsy.com/shop/riorita

My new sterling silver and Opal gemstone ring

I love freeform gemstones. I collect them one by one. Simply cannot resist the temptation. When they are cut into a small freeform shape, I feel as if part of the world is in my little hands. The richness and variety of stones never ceases to amaze me. Lately it has been Australian boulder Opal stones. Last week I was to prepare a necklace for a customer of mine. Instead I felt that  I MUST create this ring first. Of course I finished the necklace and delivered it on time, but the real fun was in making this ring. It may be one of the simplest designs I've made, but sometimes "simple" in collaboration with a beautiful stone does the job. 

Sterling silver ring with Australian Boulder Opal gemstone

Here is some information about Opal stones:
 There were times when the stone was considered an unlucky stone, probably becuase of it's fragility. Cutting this stone is rather tricky because it has a tendency of chipping.
Anyway , the stones I use, are cut with a thick layer of the basic matrix, to give it a stong backing.
The stone contains a high percentage of water, and can deteriorate if entered into hot or cold fluids.Inspite of this, some places in the world use it as a charm for luck.


One can find Opals in a numerous and awesome variety, here are 3 examples:
Harlequin Opal. This stone has a rich coloration with specs of blue, red and yellow. 
Common opal  has a dull white color with a tendency to blue but is  not as flashy as the Harlequin.
Fire opal  has intense red and yellow hues.
I  love to combine them in my jewelry.
If you love Opals too,you should know one important thing about them: 
They  should be washed in pure water from time to time to  remove traces of makeup from the stones. Never wear them while tending to house work.
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