Six Claw Split Shank Ring

This is the fifth project in Stage 3 of the Silver Program at Jewellery Training Solutions. This one was fun since I learned how to make a split shank as well as cut the claw setting.

What were the challenges?

What I found most challenging when making this ring is cutting the seat for the stone. I had trouble getting the stone to sit even and at the correct depth. It was also a challenge to make sure everything was uniform.

Where could I improve?

The prongs could definitely be improved. I think the problem is that I did not cut the seat deep enough. Also, I bent the tip of the prongs over the stone, whereas Peter bent the prongs and then rounded the tips off. The back seam of the ring needed to be better, but I didn’t want to sand so much that it changed the thickness of the band.

What did I learn?

I learned how to make the split shank a different way than I’ve ever done it. Why didn’t I think of this before? I love split shank rings, and am so happy to find a better way to make them Also, this way of making the setting was fun to learn. I learned how to use a bezel block to close the tubing used to make the setting.