Blog

You are here: Home » Blog

Hand carved 14kt White Gold ring with a ½ ct. center stone by Owen Walker

14kt white gold hand engraved engagement ring with 1/2ct stone by Owen Walker

Sweet Solitaire engagement ring hand engraved by Owen Walker

Walker Goldsmiths always has fun working with young customers and their preparations for their wedding. And this was no different. The young man and woman decided that they wanted this hand carved 14kt White Gold ring with a 1/2 ct. center stone, yet a sweet simple design for their engagement ring. The shape of the ring was actually one that we had done before and we had the mold on hand. Janet prepped the wax for the lost wax casting and Owen cast the ring in 14kt white gold. The tricky part was the teeny-tiny hand engraving by Owen as he worked his magic on this sweet ring. The engraved design is a basic leaf pattern with a milgraine border leading up the top and sides of the band that gently swirls around the 6 prong Platinum crown creating a very elegant solitaire. The center stone was the perfect ½ ct size that coordinated well with this design. We think it all came together very well!

Owen Walker Hand Engraved engagement ring

Large Lovebirds bracelet with abalone inlay

Written by Owen Walker · 1 Comment

Large Lovebirds bracelet with abalone inlay

Lovebirds Bracelet With Abalone Inlay

In the 18th century when the Native cultures of the Northwest Coast were flourishing and the wealth of the fur trade was flowing throughout the world, a curious custom was born. When a man was mature and wealthy enough to seek a wife he had to look outside his clan, and had to receive permission of the woman’s uncle before he could court her and make his intentions known to her family. He announced his suit by giving her a gift. In more ancient time this gift could have been almost anything of value, and the higher the value the higher his status.
Among the Tlingit and Haida peoples of Alaska there are only two moieties, the Ravens and the Eagles. The gift of choice was a silver or gold bracelet, hand-carved with the symbol of both moieties, the Eagle and the Raven, hence Love Birds. This custom is very much alive and flourishing on the North West Coast and is the most frequently requested pattern we carve. We often use the word clan rather that moiety, but the correct term is moiety.
When a man meets a woman he is interested in, the first question asked is usually “Are you Raven or Eagle?”. If both are Eagles or Ravens they are as brother and sister, and the relationship dies right there, but if one is Raven and one Eagle sparks may fly!

Hand-carved Sterling Silver Lovebirds Bracelet with abalone inlay by Owen Walker
1.25 inch width tapering slightly to 1 inch. Price $650

Large Lovebirds bracelet with abalone inlay

Hand Carved Sterling Lovebirds Bracelet D#3 with Abalone Eyes by Owen Walker

Large Beaver Bracelet with Abalone inlay

Written by Owen Walker · Leave a Comment

Photo of a sterling silver bracelet beaver design with abalone shell inlay

Beaver Bracelet with abalone shell inlay

This Large Beaver Bracelet with Abalone Inlay hand carved by Owen Walker is in keeping with the Northwest Coast Indian lore that speaks of Beaver, who at first was a woman who loved to swim.

Many of the stories of the first peoples are both entertainment and a cautionary tale similar to the passion plays of medieval Europe. This woman who became the first beaver and ancestress of the Beaver families had a husband who was not kind and loving as husbands should be but was demanding and dictatorial. She dammed-up a small stream to create a pool to swim in. Swimming was her escape as she could not hear her husband complain and give orders when she was under water. Soon the pool grew into a lake and as she spent more and more time away from her husband, he scolded and threatened her for ignoring her wifely chores. Gradually she lived in the lake altogether and her leather apron turned into a tail and she became covered with brown fur to keep warm. She had spent so much time in the lake that she became Beaver.
I have always loved this story and the design of this bracelet with the ears of the beaver breaking out of the frame. It was created for my daughter Sariah’s high school graduation. I have given each of my children and now my grandchildren a bracelet of their choice when they graduate high school.

Hand-carved Sterling Silver Big Beaver Bracelet by Owen Walker
1 inch width plus ears, tapers to .75 inch width.
Price: $650.00 Design Number: D2

Beaver Bracelet D2

Large Eagle Bracelet

Written by Owen Walker · Leave a Comment

Front view Eagle design number D1

This Large Eagle Bracelet, hand carved by Owen Walker, is a good representation of one of the two principle clans of the North West Coast peoples. Just as elsewhere in the world, eagles are respected for their strength and acrobatic flying abilities. There are many many eagle stories most of which involve villages or individuals being saved from certain destruction by benevolent and courageous eagles. The greatest mark of respect and welcome is to lightly shower your guests with eagle down while seating them at your feast. And you must serve a feast at your Potlatch because your guests would be insulted if you let them leave hungry.

This is one of the oldest designs in my book, I have forgotten for whom I created this eagle or why, but it has taken its’ place as design #1, and remains one of my favorites. I’m not sure why the bracelet that is in the photos has no cross hatching, I think it looks better cross hatched.

Hand-carved Sterling Silver Eagle Bracelet by Owen Walker
1.25 inch width Price: $550

another view of eagle bracelet number D1

Eagle bracelet design number D1

D 0001

price: $550.00

Owen in his relm-carving

Written by Owen Walker · 2 Comments

Owen In His Realm Carving

It’s 9:00 at the Walker Goldsmiths Studio and there’s incredible ZZ Top, LenneRockers and Wanda Jackson blasting out their tunes. Is this night or morning? What day is it? Rooster’s crowing and chicken politics makes a huge squabble as the neighbor’s cat wants some chasing fun. The compressor blasts off telling us it’s already at work. Yummy food smells and clanking sounds coming from the kitchen and the garbage truck rumbles around the neighborhood. Screeching, cranking, blasting, wailing and rockin’ out all accompany the seemingly quiet business of Owen Walker hand carving beautiful Sterling Silver bracelets, and inlaying them with Abalone. Awww! Morning!

Hand carved Sterling Silver face on Octopus bracelet D82

Photo of Hand Carved Sterling Frog Bracelet D14 with Abalone eyes by Owen Walker

Hand Carved Sterling Frog Bracelet D14 by Owen Walker

New life for old family gold

Written by Owen Walker · Leave a Comment

Owen Walker

We at Walker Goldsmiths used to think “In the olden days” June used to be the traditional month for weddings. Since we’ve been in the wedding ring business for 30+ years we’ve seen folks use the gathering time of the winter holidays to get married since families get together then anyway. But this year we’ve been very busy doing wedding rings for people having the old fashioned June wedding. My blog article on custom wedding rings has been useful! This part of Walker Goldsmiths’ business is really the most fun, being part of happy exciting times with folks. Many of our customers have been bringing their old broken gold and silver for remaking or trading for their rings. We can do that since we are manufacturing goldsmiths and Owen melts and casts their gold into the new forms, whatever color gold they want. It sure can keep the cost lower and it’s so fun to incorporate family gold and stones into new wedding rings. New life for old family jewelry that goes forward into new marriages is something the standard jewelry store can’t do and Walker Goldsmiths can!

Click here to find out more about recycling for wedding rings.

Surfers wedding bands with surf and mountain designs with moonstone

Custom Maori design wedding bands

14kt wedding band with collection of family diamonds

Ring for a Princess

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

Ring For A Princess

Time has been flying around the Walker Goldsmiths Studio this month of July; some weddings, two family reunions, lots of family visiting, tending the garden, finishing up the Alaska jewelry orders and fitting in custom jewelry work.

One of the beautiful pieces of jewelry that went out of the studio this season was the “Ring for a Princess“. A real joy to make since the stones were so beautiful as were the folks that commissioned it. This ring was made entirely out of their Recycled family gold and their stones. As we’ve said before, what good is that broken jewelry in the back of the jewelry box, the pieces of jewelry that are family heirlooms that don’t fit anyone or aren’t your style? We take that jewelry apart and use what’s still strong and sturdy, melt down the old pieces and cast them into new shapes of your design, provide new crowns if need be or set the stones any manner that you like. We have many different stones available and can buy your gold and silver to pay for work done by us. Walker Goldsmiths will guide you every step of the way with all questions answered and rest assured we specialize in royalty!

My favorite Earrings for the whole month of July

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

My Dancing Eagles

Walker Goldsmiths is really so blessed to live in the land of Eagles here in the Pacific Northwest, in fact, spoiled! By the time July finally rolls around I’ve counted Eagles, watched them hook up with their mates and refurbish their nests. I think I can count at least 7 eagle nests within 10 miles of my home. The Bald Eagle is the predominate one although I’ve seen plenty of big Goldens around here. There are days when the beach is full of them feeding and searching for food for babies. Both parents are engaged in this activity because those kids are ravenous. I’ve seen eagles fly over heading for the nest with chunks of wood and flotsam to patch their nests and with snakes, rabbits and lots of fish. I like to celebrate the whole month of July by wearing my Dancing Eagle earrings. Not only do I celebrate the ability to enjoy the gorgeous eagles in my life but the birthday of my favorite country whose mascot or symbol is the Eagle. We make a big deal of the 4th of July around our place! Lots of flags flying and friends partying with a whole lot of noise and firework explosions. These lost wax cast earrings are my favorite earrings for the whole month of July. My Eagles just keep on dancing!

These Sterling Silver Dancing Eagle Earrings are part of Walker Goldsmiths Potlatch Collection and sell for $ 50.00

Custom Wedding Rings are exciting!

Written by Janet Walker · 3 Comments

Diamonds & Sapphires - Custom Wedding Set

Diamonds and Sapphires – Custom Wedding Set

Custom Wedding Rings are exciting at Walker Goldsmiths!

I’ve had an interesting few days this past week. A new friend and husband -to-be came by our Walker Goldsmiths Studio to talk wedding rings. We love doing custom rings for folks and this one is no exception. There are lots of stones to set and a challenge to incorporate her design and our expertise. They also had old family gold to recycle and a stack of Silver Dollars to trade towards the wedding rings.

When we talked Owen was sure they said that the wedding day was the 10th of July. So off I went to Oregon to visit my Dad for Father’s Day and Owen kept plugging along on the mountain of hand carved Bracelets and Earrings that are currently on his bench. I came home thinking I had quite a few days left before their rings were due and proceeded to finish up the garden planting. They called wondering about the status of their rings and Owen told them I was in the garden and was soon to proceed. Holy Crow! Low and behold the wedding date is the 1st not the 10th! So I dropped my shovel and box of fertilizer and headed to the studio. Hours later I emerged with a wonderful wax ring with the stones all positioned to photograph to show them how it would look. I love it!! Can’t go wrong with Diamonds and Sapphires! It was approved by the couple and is now invested, drying and will go into the kiln for burnout in the early morning to be lost wax cast tomorrow afternoon. Owen will finish the gold, solder on the crowns and set the stones probably on Tuesday. Hooray! We’ll make the deadline! Attached is a photo of the purple wax that I carve to create the base for the Platinum and Gold crowns. I’ll post a photo when were done. It will be a beauty!

Owen at the Rolling Mill

Written by Owen Walker · 3 Comments

Owen Walker

Walker Goldsmiths suffered a major setback in the Studio this Spring with our necessary trusty ‘ol Rolling mill breaking down. A bearing failed, bound up and broke the shaft. It took 6 weeks to get the part from England, of course, it was all happening in the middle of the Royal Wedding and NOTHING was possible quickly. When the part finally arrived it took three days and a lot of help from good friends to get it all put back together. Now it’s working better than ever and we’re in full production doing Hand carved Bracelets, Earrings, Pendants and putting in 12 hour days to get caught up with orders. Walker Goldsmiths want to keep our loyal customers happy!