Futuristic Gold Jewellery

Why 'futuristic'? Don't I mean atavistic, a retreat into the past?- Because these earrings sure do remind us of something we might see in a museum, made 2000 years ago, not anything futuristic.

Well, no, I really do mean that these earrings are futuristic- but the definition of this word will here take on a different flavour.

Folks have kept on publishing a stereotypical vision of the future, for a hundred odd years now, that basically involves speed and auxiliary devices that enable us to escape our physical limits- (and ultimately; to escape our body) You see it in movies and cartoons all the time, from Metropolis to The Jetsons to Back To The Future (ergo "where's my hoverboard").

In the actual future, we will laugh at all that stuff. 

In the future there will be a greater connection between humans and the Earth. 

The future will be slower. 

In the future you will love your body and not try to escape it. Then our relationship to jewellery will change, it won't ever be a symbol of wealth, or a symptom of inadequacy-  instead it will be a metallic poem about the things we love. That's what I was thinking of when I made these earrings.

Futuristic.

Earrings, Meadow Flowers

Fiori Earrings (Meadow version). These are hand-fabricated from wire and sheet stock. The seed-like parts are simply flame-melted droplets- although it does require patience, a steady hand and a tiny tiny flame. Its easy to melt the whole thing. I like weeds and meadow flowers, they are small but resilient and beautiful.

Paintings Available

Following on from my 'Colour Fold' works (see earlier blog posts), Ive been making larger versions for the wall. Comprised of folded and riveted steel, these pieces take the form of a traditional painting tableaux.
What are they about? A strong nod to my silversmithing roots- I'm building vertical topographies by scribing, bending and layering sheet metal. Celebrating the fixing points, the silver ball rivets that poise the elements are made prominent. Whereas painted sheet metal is born of Industry, here, the matte, scumbled paint textures are more reminiscent of nature's weathered jetsam.

These David Neale paintings are now up for sale;  www.davidneale.bigcartel.com
There's 6 available in this set, with larger works on the way.

Australian Sapphire, Cut In Australia, Made in Australia

Do you take time to think about where an object comes from, and how it is made?

The rough blue sapphire was especially chosen by the bride-to-be, (imagine a girl in a lolly shop...) and then skilfully ground and polished, facet by facet- by a man who lives geometry- Doug Menadue of Bespoke Gems, Sydney. Apparently, the land where this stone was found is now closed to prospectors, making it all the more rare.
I was really excited to be able to bring together a fully Australian ensemble- this adds real value to the provenance.

Did you know? -Although this stone is a sapphire, the long octagonal shaped cut is called an 'emerald cut'- because it was developed to best show the colour of an emerald. Nowadays it remains a popular shape for diamonds and sapphires, as well as the eponymous emerald.

Specifications: Custom-made 18ct white gold engagement ring- featuring a 3.1ct natural Australian sapphire from Lava Plains, Queensland. Goldsmithing by David Neale.

My next quest is to bring together an Australian-cut Australian diamond and recycled gold setting. Maybe its for you?

Fiori stud Earrings

A stud version of the Fiori earrings in 9k rose gold. I made the rose coloured alloy up myself, so its a very subtle shade of pink. (see earlier post about the making process). These are available at Pieces Of Eight right now, and here on the Golden Smith Shop very soon.

Golden Ratio Ring

A ring designed to rhyme with your finger bones. But not too precise. It has a warmth.
You can buy this 9k gold version from The Golden Smith Shop.
Also available in silver, platinum or 22k gold by request.

Golden Ratio Rings

Golden Ratio Rings
In silver, set with white marble and lapis lazuli

Chevron Mens Ring- 22 carat gold

Gold Stud Earrings- Custom

Custom-made gold studs 

-that can spin!

Got ideas you'd love to crystallise?

Just ask.

Golden Ratio Rings

Golden Ratio rings.
Formula with Feeling- that's my intention.

Golden Fiori

Fiori Earrings in vermeil. These have extra flowers too.

Acquired

David Neale, Colour Fold
Acquired by National Gallery of Victoria

Diamond Ring

David Neale 'Emerald-cut' Diamond, 18k Gold Ring

Simple, simple.

Golden Ratio proportions.

Golden Ratio Ring

Golden Ratio Ring.

 Made of gold (what else?)

I really like just a simple, simple ring, dont you?

But I often think, what is it that would make a simple ring good?

Answer: pleasing proportions.

Also known as sectio aurea and the Divine Proportion.

Flower Earrings

A pair of earrings I made today. The design has in mind a methodology that doesnt require sanding or polishing, mainly just shearing and flame-work (a bit like etruscan?). I would love to make these in 22k gold (of course!) Please contact me if you'd like a pair in gold.
The silver version is available in The Golden Smith Shop. US$250

 Here is the method:

First, roll out silver to a thin sheet, using rolling mills.

Cut out discs, then petals. I use scissors for this- snips or saw would be too awkward.

Flatten and texturise the flowers on a rough anvil, with an antique hammer.

Scribe lines on petals using a double-pointed tool and on a heavy paper pad to allow the right amount of push-out.

Close-up of said tool. I fashioned this from a broken twist drill and hold it in a pin vice.

Dome the shapes using a wooden punch and matrix.

I dont use steel versions of these tools as these would probably spread the already-thin material.

I also stone-washed (not shown) these components to de-burr the edges.

Little backing cups are made using the same method.

 All components, including ear wires are organised for assembly.

The backing cups are soldered to the ear wires. Soldering (not shown) is done under an exhaust hood and I also wear a respirator- to protect myself from potential fume hazards.

The flowers have holes punched through their centres, and are attached to backing-cups with a ball rivet. These rivets are formed from short lengths of wire with little heads melted on each end- and will allow the flowers to move a little.

A hot little flame is needed to quickly melt this rivet-head without heating the adjacent solder join 

-which has a lower melting temperature. In other words, if you do this wrong, the whole lot melts together... or falls off!

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat... Repeat!

Assembly complete.

Bend assemblage into earring configuration, with ear-hooks.

 Looking a little grey at this point, I immerse them in a bath of citric acid, 

which brings them to a bright colour.

I burnish the ear-hooks to be bright and smooth, and give them a soapy wash.

Finito.

I may try some similar versions with elements other than flowers? 

Engraved Wedding Ring

A recent wedding band I forged and hand-engraved.
Best wishes for the happy day, M 'n' C!

Reborn

Rebirth; some Sentimental gold (a grandma's locket) 

combines with an unusual natural pearl (porcelaneous, rather than nacreous)

 -to become a new ring.

Gold and Lapis Lazuli Signet Ring

Keeping it simple.

Lapis Lazuli and 18 carat yellow gold.

I cut this Lapis to a flat tablet, and gave the oval shape a slightly more oblate outline.

The gold has a stonewashed and hand-burnished finish.

Now at Pieces of Eight Gallery in Melbourne.

Of course I can make one just for you, just ask.

Good Gold Again

Folks sometimes ask me to take photos of their jewellery as it is being made. This makes for an interesting keepsake, I'm happy to oblige!

I never get tired of this task; take a spoonful of native gold nuggets, melt into an ingot, forge into wedding ring. Keep it earthy. Its good. Again. 

Iron & Gold Ring- from a scythe.

I cut this ring from the chine of a 19th century scythe blade.
I cold forged this to the desired thickness. This kind of old iron blackens easily- a good contrast to the 18k gold ball.
My method for making the ball (you can just buy them):
-calculate volume of gold req'd
-melt gold into a round cavity in a charcoal block
-attach this resulting crude sphere to a brass rod
-fasten rod in drill (voila: rudimentary lathe)
-turn on drill and file the sphere to perfection as it spins. Then cut off the rod.
-It looks a bit 'hard' and 'perfect' at this stage. To soften the perfection, I then rolled the sphere round and round between two marble slabs imparting a nice stone texture.
A little olde world scythe inspiration: