new feedback, new blog

its official, I'm now moved to WordPress for regular jewelry studio updates and feedback from my custom jewelry design clients!


check out new feedback from two clients I've just posted at www.heather-reilly.com/sdmetalsmith plus pictures of Glenn's cool organic pendant and Miranda's seven diamond wedding ring/


and if you haven't seen the first video of my LifeChain jewelry project, that posted over there, as well as here-- but the rest of the series will only go up on the newWordPress version of this blog from now on.

jewelry studio video

Yes, we shot video of me in the studio talking about and working on pieces for my contribution to a very special show happening in San Diego this summer. Titled "Little and Large", this show of jewelry and sculpture actually takes place in multiple galleries across San Diego with a number of different artists that work in both scales: "little" (jewelry) and "large" (sculpture).


Find out more about "Little and Large" from the San Diego Visual Arts Network who organized this show in honor of the Alexander Calder jewelry exhibition coming to the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park this summer.


Anyway, here's the video, its the first of a series of short clips about my "little" piece for the show, something I've been planning for a while called the LifeChain project. Enjoy! and check back here in a few days for the next installment.

five-diamond ring

finally getting to posting the the five-diamond engagement ring that is a mate to the man's wedding ring pictured in the last post. The yellow gold "studs" on his ring match the pattern of the bezel set diamonds on her her ring. Both rings are hand forged from 18k palladium white gold.

man's wedding ring

this is one of the 18k palladium white gold wedding rings I was working on (and writing about) last week, just getting to post today.





the yellow gold ingots fused to the white gold of the groom's ring echo the pattern of the diamonds set in the bride's ring, but those pictures need to wait until tomorrow.

hammered man's ring

Finished forging and polishing out this sterling silver ring today and fit right onto the finger of our friend photographer Mike Brown.





The aggressively hammered texture and polishing that stops short of "shiny" shows well on men and leaves room for the inevitable wearing away of the metal over time, a softenign that shows *very* well on men who never take their rings off.





Remember these pictures are only a few hours after I finished polishing the ring, so there is no wear or even oxidization on the ring you see here.


I'm always very happy when my clients really love the final product-- actually that's part of why I make jewelry-- but I'm especially happy today because Mike is as stoked on his ring like I am of the gorgeous picture he took of me in my studio that now graces my site and my profile pic here-- thanks again, Mike!

platinum engagement ring

i asked John to reshoot the new platinum ring I'm so pleased with before I finally ship today (post office next!)


so if you wanted a better look at this ring, here are some different views in two different lights that show it more clearly.

platinum engagement ring

Finally finished the three current wedding rings on the bench. Here's an almost final picture of the platinum ring I showed you in process two posts ago. This ring features the client's own diamonds set in one yellow gold and two platinum bezels, with two more diamonds flush set down the sides.

More pictures coming!