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Loon hand carved sterling silver bracelet

Written by Owen Walker · Leave a Comment

Loon is rather rare in North West Coast art which seems a bit strange as there are so many loons living here. Perhaps it is because they spend so much time underwater. He appears as a kind of minor walk on character in a few stories, but nothing of a nature to inspire illustration. We felt that since he is a symbol of Canada we should have a loon bracelet in out collection so we came up with this little guy of which we are quite fond! I like wearing different creatures on my wrist and exploring how I feel when I wear them. I have the greatest affinity for the Raven, then the Orca. Many people have remarked that the Loon’s call is lonely or sad, having grown up in the bush I think Loon is actually rejoicing that no one is around to bother him! I think when I’m wearing my Loon bracelet I hear them calling to me more often than when I’m wearing Raven or Bear. This is an experiment in mysticism that I am still exploring!

Hand carved sterling bracelet by Owen Walker .75 inch w/o border D34 $300

Hand carved sterling silver Loon bracelet by Owen Walker

Loon hand carved sterling silver bracelet Design #34

Leslie’s Elegant and Sophisticated Custom Memorial Ring

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

Memorial Ring from Recycled Family jewelry

When Leslie contacted Walker Goldsmiths about making a Custom Memorial Ring for her we invited her to come out to the Studio. She and her family live in our area and it was fun to meet friends of our kids’ friends! Leslie is the neighbor of one of our daughters’ friends and the word is out about our jewelry work and friendly professional service.

Leslie explained that she wanted to, “have a Memorial Ring to commemorate both my folks”. She brought a nice collection of rings and earrings, a tie tac, a couple of loose diamonds, a pair of diamond earrings and a pendant from her childhood with a melee diamond on it that was special to her. These special and familiar old pieces were what she wanted to recycle and make into a useful form for her and her lifestyle. Not only was she not going to wear them in the form they were in, but they had sentimental value to her and it made her sad that she wasn’t wearing them and seeing them and their history.

We talked about what would be good for her and a ring was really what she wanted. That set us off to decide on style and function for her busy momma and professional life. Leslie loves blue so a large bright blue laboratory created Sapphire was found and would be the center stone, with both 1/2 ct. diamonds, two smaller diamonds on either side, and one very sentimental melee on one side only. These would be hammer set for a smooth surface with no elements to catch on anything. We would use her yellow gold, alloying any 10kt up to 14kt. So we were good to go ahead drawing the design, then wax carving to fit the stones with Leslie approving all the way. This size and design was destined for elegance.

Owen lost wax cast the ring using her 14kt yellow gold and finished it preparing it for stone setting. We had all the stones hammer set flush to the top of the metal beautifully. My goal was to have the Recycled Memorial Ring to her to wear before Thanksgiving and the vacation they were planning and Walker Goldsmiths accomplished it! Thank you Leslie for letting Walker Goldsmiths be in on the creation and recycling of old jewelry into this Elegant and Sophisticated Custom Memorial Ring.

A sapphire and 5 diamonds in a 14kt Recycled Memorial Ring

Sapphire and Diamonds in a Recycled 14kt Memorial Ring

Recycling Family Gold for a Special Christmas Gift

Written by Janet Walker · 4 Comments

14kt Red and White Gold Custom Rose Pendant

Recycling Family Gold for a special Christmas gift is one of Walker Goldsmiths’ favorite jobs. Donna had arranged for Walker Goldsmiths to recycle family gold for her own ring and there was gold left over from that experience. She had us hold on to it until she could figure out just what she wanted to do with it.

We got a package from Donna in the fall with some more family gold saying she wanted a gift made for her daughter who is a Chaplain in the Air Force and she thought a special pendant was in order made from her grandparents rings, possibly a Custom Rose Pendant. So we worked together with Donna, emailing back and forth with pictures and ideas about how to go forward on this project. Donna wanted a two color Custom Rose Pendant made out of the special sentimental family gold she had sent us. Owen alloyed some of the gold to make into 14kt Red Gold and on we went!

Custom wax Rose

I carved a rose pendant and emailed pictures for Donna’s approval, which I got. Next I cut the wax rose apart, sprued them for casting into two different colors of gold; 14kt Red Gold for the flower and 14kt White Gold for the stem. Owen lost wax cast them each flawlessly and they turned out beautiful. The tricky part was soldering the two parts together and setting 4 melee diamonds on the rose and leaves!

This was a very fun project for Walker Goldsmiths and made even more enjoyable knowing this Recycling of Family Gold was a special surprise Christmas Gift for Donna’s daughter. Thanks for the privilege to be in on the surprise !

Another Fun and Romantic Story Ring

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

14kt Palladium White Gold Surfer Story Ring

Another fun and romantic “Story Ring” by Walker Goldsmiths is off to surprise a customer’s husband on their 10th Anniversary. Zea got a hold of Walker Goldsmiths telling us that she and her fiancé had spent some lovely romantic time on Cape Henelopen in Delaware. They married and were now about to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. She was very interested in surprising him with a “Story Ring” depicting a view of the beach where they fell in love. She emailed us, “I truly would love the dunes & seagrass on the ring as that is where my hubby proposed in Cape Henelopen State Park Delaware. My hubby is a lifetime surfer so I’m trying to get a view that is as close to reality as possible. I like forward crashing waves, seagrass, sand fences and long slopping dunes.”

I said, “Wonderful! I’m loving your Cape Henelopen story.” Zea wanted the ring to be 10mm wide and a size 10. I started carving wax and we shot pictures back and forth of what I was up to and what she wanted on the ring. Zea approved the wax and we began the casting process.

Wax carving of Story Ring

Owen lost wax cast it in 14kt Palladium White Gold and we tucked it in the mail to get off to surprise her sweetheart. We love email here at Walker Goldsmiths because we can closely communicate with folks about their jewelry desires with words and pictures! Zea said, “Thank you again for keeping posted with progress!!!!! I was really apprehensive at first about doing something like this via email but you have been great keeping in touch & I feel like I’ve been right there!!!

As it turns out this “Story Ring” by Walker Goldsmiths is also a “Surfer Ring” and we love that we got to participate in this continuing story about this lovely couple. Thank you, Zenovia, for the fun time Walker Goldsmiths has had with you creating this piece of romantic art.

14kt Palladium White Gold Surfer Story Ring

Trade Beads and a Prehistoric Artifact

Written by Janet Walker · 4 Comments

Artifact of Prehistoric Walrus Harpoon Head "Shaft Socket" with Blue and Green Trade Beads

Artifact of Prehistoric Walrus Harpoon Head “Shaft Socket” with Trade Beads

Here at Walker Goldsmiths I love to create Trade Bead Jewelry especially with Prehistoric Artifacts, because Trade Beads are themselves artifacts from bygone eras. That’s not to say that they aren’t collected and sold and traded today, but they are more a beautiful historic curiosity than a currency of sorts. Each bead has an interesting history not to mention exquisite beauty. I have an extensive collection that I create with and I’m always trading, buying and selling them to others who appreciate them.

These artifacts that I sometimes include in my Trade Bead Necklaces are possibly as old as 5,000 yrs. They have been buried for years where they were either broken and lost or discarded, made by prehistoric residents of the Alaskan Arctic from Walrus Tusks that they hunted, then used every bit of the animal for their daily life. They’ve now been searched for and found by children who comb the beaches and creek banks of the Alaskan Arctic looking for these artifacts eroding out of the soil and gravel. They then sell them to a trader and we buy them and create beautiful jewelry. I totally believe this is a good chain of events for these precious beautiful pieces of workmanship, not unlike the trade beads I collect that have been made and are each one of a kind bits of beauty and history. Owen tells me that this is a great “kid business, “because they don’t have lawns to mow in the Arctic!”

This featured Trade Bead Necklace, TB507, with a Prehistoric Walrus Harpoon Head “Shaft Socket” Artifact, includes Blue Russians, circa 1800’s or earlier, and Cobalt Czech glass beads. The Turquoise heishi is newer but was also, and still is, used as a trade item all over Eastern Europe and the American SW. Green Melon Chevrons are a marvelous work of art from the early glassmaking era in Murano, Venice or the Gablanz, Bohemia glass industry in the 16th century. The small bright blue spacers are Venetian made, but called French Blue White hearts because of the blue uniforms the French Army used to wear, and have a white center with an blue glass overlay.

Beautiful Blues and Green Trade Beads

Walker Goldsmiths feels honored to even be able to see and touch these Prehistoric Artifacts and Trade Beads and to make them available to anyone who wants them also. There are sweet bits of history in this necklace that we’re offering for $ 250.

Lavender Star Sapphires on Custom Surfer Wedding Rings are Beautiful

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

White gold and Lavender Star Sapphires on Custom Surfer Wedding Rings

Custom Surfer Wedding Rings for Matt and Stepanka

Walker Goldsmiths has had an interesting experience making our “Custom Surfer Wedding Rings” for a couple who live and surf in Australia and around the world. We did it all through emailing back and forth and mailing finished rings to the Czech Republic, where the wedding was to be and where the bride’s family lives.

Stepanka emailed saying, “We’re going to my country of origin, Czech Republic, and are going to have another wedding to have my family involved (the first one was in Australia without them). It would be beautiful to have our rings. Do you think it would be possible? We’re leaving Australia in one week and will stay in Czech Republic for a while traveling about.”

Stepanka wanted our Custom Surfer Rings that she’d seen on our website in 14 kt White Gold with Star Sapphires on them, matching, but not quite the same. I carved them in wax, Owen lost wax cast them and set the beautiful Star Sapphires. They turned out beautiful with the Lavender colored Star Sapphires with the waves and sand dunes. I love the idea of them being worn in Australia and other surfer places!

14 kt White Gold Surfer Rings with Lavender Star Sapphires

14 kt White Gold Surf Rings with Lavender Star Sapphires

It was fun to make these rings for these lovebirds, but it was a knuckle biter experience since the postal service there was less than speedy as USPS. We are so spoiled here in the USA, let me tell you. As much as I often gripe I know how fortunate we are with the service we enjoy. My postal guy told me how they don’t truck postal packages from one town to the next in most of eastern Europe unless they have a full truck (!!!) so there’s no guarantee that anything will get to where it’s suppose to go on time. Plus, don’t get me goin’ about the extortionist fees called “duty” in the Czech Republic…

Walker Goldsmiths did, however, get to exchange a wonderful communication with Stepanka and Matt who live and love primarily in Australia and it was a joy to provide them with Custom Surfer Wedding Rings in spite of the difficulties. Thank you so much!

Star Sapphire and Surf Rings

Sharon’s Choice Trade Bead Necklace

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

Long Cobalt Russian and Venetian Fancy Trade Beads

Sharon’s Choice Long Russian Cobalt with Venetian Fancy Trade Beads

I display Trade Beads on our Walker Goldsmiths website to introduce the collections that are for sale and to highlight some wonderful history. I can say that each necklace that I’ve created is a collection of authentic antique beads with amazing histories. The posts here on Walker Goldsmiths and on activeartist.net are about trade bead histories.

This custom made necklace, TB485, Sharon’s Choice is an exquisite example of top of the line, highly collectible Trade Beads. I call it Sharon’s Choice because my favorite Bohemian/Polish girlfriend, Sharon, loves this piece! The large, appox. 1.5″, center faceted Cobalt Russian is a thing of beauty. This individual bead was probably made in Bohemia in the early 1800’s or earlier. Faceted glass beads were made and faceted by hand on the island of Murano, Italy as far back as the 1200’s and who knows when this shape and color were first created, but they were very popular for their beauty. The sweet 1/2″ red beads with the gold application are pressed glass from Venice. I’m guessing they were made to impress any Chinese trade. The individually made round blue monochrome beads are Gablonz, Bohemian as well as the 3/8ths” faceted Cobalt Blue Russians. These are the real deal in the world of “Blue Russians”, of Pacific Northwest Coast Fur Trade History. And the molded, faceted Red 3/8ths” glass beads are very old Venetian-made. There’s a few small chevrons, Bohemian crystals and Czech cobalt’s in this necklace as spacers.

Sharon’s Favorite Long Cobalt Russian Trade Bead

We can’t know the exact age of a bead without some fancy scientific chemical analyses applications like Spectrometry or X-Ray Fluorescence, but we can often know the provenance from family member to member and other historical research like ships cargo lists and glass manufacturing work logs. I’ve found the least authentically reliable to be family stories as they always seem to be blown out of proportion, but they are the most fun and adventurous with shades of real possibilities.

This goes into the romance element for me to imagine the 5 W’s of a Trade Bead; What, When, Who, Why and Where! There’s names that have been given to the beads over time to identify them and we’re getting a better and better idea of What, When , Why & Where they come from with scientific techniques. Even Who made them is find-able. The real mystery is Who has had them over time and where have they been hiding all these years. It’s the real story and I love it! Is it your turn?

The TB485, Sharon‘s Choice Trade Bead Necklace is $250. from Walker Goldsmiths. Matching Earrings are also a possibility.

A Beautiful Custom Red Gold Wedding Ring Set

Written by Janet Walker · 2 Comments

Ben and Emilie’s Custom Red Gold Wedding Rings

When Ben called Walker Goldsmiths wanting a Custom Red Gold Engagement Ring for his sweetie, we were happy. Ben is Owens nephew and we were very pleased to hear the news of his lovely fiancé. They came out to Walker Goldsmiths Studio and we met Emilie and talked about just what it was that she had in mind for her wedding ring. As Uncle, Owen gave his stamp of approval on Ben’s choice of fiance’ (like he has anything to say about the matter! ) and we encouraged the kids to talk to relatives and see if they could find or get family jewelry that they could recycle to keep their young newlywed costs down. Ben had just started a new job and Emilie didn’t have one yet so money was tight.

They came up with a ring that her mom had worn years ago; yellow gold with a few small diamonds and a center stone, Emilie asked, “Would that help out?” You bet it would, but she wanted red gold. Owen said, “No problem! As a Master Alchemist I take the copper and the silver out of the yellow gold and add back the correct percentage of copper only to make 14 karat Red Gold. Then we have the reddest gold color available..”

Owen melts jewelry to be recycled in a crucible.

Emilie had found a picture of a ring with elements that she liked so I tweeked it, redesigned and rearranged it to fit her stones and started carving a wax to be lost wax cast into her desired 14 kt Custom Red Gold Engagement Ring. The casting was a gorgeous success and a beautiful color of red gold. Owen welded on a illusion crown to enhance her center stone, set the stone, bead set the smaller melee and polished up her beautiful Custom Red Gold Engagement Ring.

Ben wanted a Sterling band with Red Gold edges to go along with Emilie’s ring. Not a problem. They both turned out beautifully. Thank you, Ben and Emilie, for letting Walker Goldsmiths create these beautiful heirloom wedding rings. Love you kids!!

Red Gold Custom Wedding Rings

Beautiful Custom Pendant for a Daughters Wedding Gift.

Written by Janet Walker · Leave a Comment

Custom Sterling Wedding Pendant with Tanzanite and diamond

Joan brought two stones to Walker Goldsmiths to be made into a Custom Pendant Wedding Gift for her daughter Melissa and away we went carving and creating. Melissa determined that a leafy pattern design for her pendant was what she wanted then emailed me a photo of a general idea. Joan said, “I have the two gems – we bought them years ago when we lived in Africa and I have been saving them for this very occasion.”

When Melissa was a young girl her parents took her to visit Africa where they had served with the Peace Corp as young adults. Melissa lived there with her parents from age 3 to 10 mostly in Tanzania. They had purchased a Tanzanite there to memorialize their wonderful romantic experience.

Later after daughter Melissa was older they took her traveling to Africa to see where her parents had lived and worked. Mom Joan went shopping in South Africa and bought a gorgeous Diamond symbolic of Africa. Joan has been saving it for years as Melissa has grown into a beautiful young woman now married to her sweetheart, Ken.

Walker Goldsmiths did as Joan asked for Melissa. The pattern is a modernistic leaf, 1 3/8″ tall by 7/8″ wide with texture to accommodate a lovely patina over time.. I carved the wax and positioned the stones for maximum “wow!” and Owen lost wax cast it in Sterling silver. The crowns for the Tanzanite and the diamond are white gold. The diamond is about 4mm and the tanzinite is 7 x 5.5 mm. The Custom Sterling Pendant will naturally oxidize over time, but will be easy to polish with a cloth to whatever brightness Melissa wants. The gold crowns will never get black and will always keep the stones looking their very best. They are gorgeous Stones, by the way! Joan said, “Yes, I kept the stones with the intent to make them into a wedding pendant for her. She wore it – it was beautiful!”

Thank you Joan and Melissa for the opportunity to make this for you and get a glimpse of an exciting life story. Walker Goldsmiths wishes Melissa and Ken all the best on their marriage adventure.

Wax carving of Leafy pod Custom Wedding Pendant

Our Octopus Ring changed his color

Written by Janet Walker · 4 Comments

Walker Goldsmiths Potlatch Collection 18kt Octopus Ring

Walker Goldsmiths has a wonderful Octopus Ring in our Potlatch Ring Collection. I originally carved the wax, lost wax cast it and made a mold of it for a wedding ring so this latest challenge was a perfect fit.

Marisa contacted us through our website telling us that she had purchased one of our Octopus Rings at Earthworks Gallery that we sell through in Yachats, OR for her fiancé and that he loved it. She wanted to see it in 18kt yellow gold as a Wedding Ring for her husband-to-be. We said, “No Problem” and got it all together. It had to be fast because they were getting married the middle of September. I love 18kt yellow gold as does Owen- it’s not only beautiful, but wonderful to work with.

Octopus are not only delicious seafood, but incredibly interesting characters! Living on the Pacific NW Coast, by the sea as we do, we come upon them occasionally. There’s a great Salt Water Touch Tank exhibit on the waterfront in Bellingham, WA that always has an Octopus to view and we love to go down there with the grandkids to watch the octopus get fed. Quite a sight to see. They can match their coloration and texture to their surroundings! “Color change” enables camouflage against different backgrounds.

They can fit their flexible bodies in and out of the tightest spaces. Owen has a great story about an Octopus that got caught in his net on our fishing boat. He was going to bring it home for dinner so he put it in a bucket with a board over it while he finished bringing in the rest of the net, only to turn around a bit later to see the Octopus slither over the side of the boat!

“Octopus are among the most intelligent and behaviorally flexible of all invertebrates, can rapidly change color and pattern, though the major reasons for this include signaling, not only camouflage.” Forbes, Peter. Dazzled and Deceived: Mimicry and Camouflage. Yale, 2009.

I’ve observed over the years that people choose the designs or Totems that they not only like but identify with, so I’m wondering, “just who is Marisa’s fiancé?” He must be a very interesting guy! Thank you, Marisa, for the fun time making this sweet Octopus Wedding Ring.

18kt yellow Octopus Wedding Ring