Description
Australian boulder opal doublets and Brazilian amethyst cabochons arranged to pretty perfection, set in fine silver. This one of a kind ring is designed by the amazing American artist, Steven Ruse.
Ring Size: 7 PLEASE NOTE! This ring CANNOT be sized!!!
Dimensions (ring face): 1.36″ long x .61″ wide
Weight: .31 ounces/8.7 grams
Steven Ruse is a California artist/designer. He uses gemstones from around the world to make magical, fantastical jewelry. Every piece of Steven Ruse Jewelry is one of a kind and handmade by the artist and his apprentice. Using his own technique of electroforming, he arranges the stones first into their desired configurations and then adds silver or gold to the design. Steven Ruse jewelry can be found in galleries and shops throughout the world!
ELECTROFORMING is a process developed by J. S. Electro-Plating Co., Ltd. of London in the 1960’s. A negative mold that is fitted with electrical contacts is placed into a specially prepared gold or silver bath. Metal builds up on the inside of the mold to any desired thickness, preserving the detail. Another method of electroforming involves coating an object such as a leaf, insect, etc. with a conductive coating and allowing metal to build up on the outside while in the bath. The object on the inside is then dissolved.
What is fine silver, you ask? Also called pure silver, or three nines fine, fine silver contains 99.9% silver, with the balance being trace amounts of impurities.|It is more durable and resistant to tarnish than sterling silver.
AMETHYST – These purple quartz crystals are most often seen in the form of cut gemstones, as amethyst is the popular birthstone for February. Its lavender to deep purple color is mainly due to irradiation and impurities of iron. Amethyst also forms as stalactites, which produce beautiful “rosettes” when cut into cross-sections. As a healing stone, amethyst is known as the “gem of transformation”, a powerful energizer which can be used to bring about physical, emotional, and spiritual change. Its history dates back to ancient Greece, where it was used to cure intoxication, clear the head, sharpen the intellect, and render its users shrewd in business matters. Amethyst is found worldwide, but its primary sources are Brazil and Uruguay.
OPAL is a hydrated silica with a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5. It comes in a variety of forms, one of the most popular today being “boulder opal”, which forms in an ironstone matrix. Opal forms when silica-rich water fills the cracks and voids of rocks, clay, and fossils. Though opal has been the subject of historical misconception and superstition, it has an even longer history of being both exalted and coveted for its beauty. It was the ancient Romans who provided the first real market for opals, raising the opal to gemstone status around 100 B.C. Today, opal is said to encourage optimism, confidence, playfulness and curiosity. While it can be found in many different locations such as the US, Mexico, Ethiopia, Brazil, Guatemala, and Japan, it is primarily found in Australia.
https://geoclassics.com/product-category/jewelry/electroform-jewelry/
