Bracelet design

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

After seeing all those beautifully bracelets, I thought it was time for me to do some too.
It is especially the very nice one of Andrew that got me there.
I also have been looking at a lot of scrolls on the pictures that I have copied on my laptop from your works, especially the ones of Phil Coggan.
His scrollwork mostly look different than any other, I like his layout but to me it seems not all of the backbones always follow the rules like it is told in books and in this Café.

For my design I tried to have a good balance and flow, without worrying to much about the rules. So perhaps I made a lot mistakes, anyway I like the design.
Critiques are always welcome


arnaud

finished engraving but still need to bend it

 

[BES]

Hi Arnaud!

Do not know how the rest, to me personally, very pleased, I imagine how great this work will look in the technique of silver from blackening!

BES Eric S. Brezhitsky

 

[Marrinan]

That's a terrific design-lots of cutting and shading to do on this one-because of the amount of time and design effort I would suggest a metal other than silver. Here in the U.S. it is very difficult to get more than $300 or $400 dollars for silver work. The same design in 10k to 14k gold will bring 4 or 5 times the money. You have created a design you should be fairly compensated for in my opinion.. I started with silver work years ago and would rather give it away than sell at the prices people were willing to pay. To much cheap work coming in here from Mexico so I mostly quit working silver.-Fred

 

[eastslope]

That is an amazing design, and I don't think you would ever get paid for it on silver. I am with Fred on this one. Put it on gold or something, and your efforts will more likely be rewarded justly.

 

[James Miller]

Arnaud,
I like your design,I showed it to my daughter and she asked if I would make her a bracelet in silver of a similar design. If I did I would be tempted leave a thicker border around the scrollwork, pierce out the black areas and perhaps set a nice cabochon stone in the centre where the three bars are.
James

 

[jetta77]

Arnaud, your progressing rather rapidly, very nice design. I noticed some scrolls are over under and others are over lapping, I would do them all over under personally.

 

[Christopher Malouf]

Beautiful and well balanced Arnaud. I like James' idea of widening the border .... Maybe widening it enough to create a narrow border filled with English scroll.

 

[BES]

Hi Arnaud!

Hi Arnaud!
Now many will start to speak to you about money, but I always thought that high-class masters should bear the work BEAUTY And HARMONY!!!
To learn blind to see fine!
And in last turn about Money!
They come when them do not pursue!!!

I have spent a few time show to you that can it will turn out if to take the most expensive metal and stones and to spoil with them your smart idea!



BUT IT WILL COST MUCH VERY MUCH!!!
PROBABLY MUCH IT IS UNIMPORTANT THAT THE BEAUTY WILL LEAVE THIS PRODUCT!!!

Now comes across such bad taste more and more!
Probably Jewellers do these products for NEW RUSSIAN OIL KINGS at which there is many money and there is no taste!

BES Eric S. Brezhitsky

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

@ Fred, I know about cost, I wont’ engrave it in silver, as silver jewellery is sold also in the barber shop etc. There is of course nothing wrong with silver, it is a nice material to work with.
When one makes a design, I think he does not have to think about the time it takes to make it, but of course, that way one probably does not sell much. Best jewels to sell are those that look complicated but are not. I know how to make them and I make a living from that.
It is different from what James does, his work takes a lot of time. The difference between 80% perfect and 95% is double time. And most people now these days don’t understand or see the difference. And I have no rich customers that are willing to pay lots of money now these days.
Twenty years ago they did spend more money on jewellery, but a lot of these customers are robbed and even those rich people don’t replace there stolen goods. They just buy a silver solitaire with a 12mm zirkonia. Looks like what they had but much cheaper.
Gold or Platinum, no one buys that anymore, the young people don’t like the colour of yellow gold, and they can’t afford it neither.

That is why I work that much in Titanium, as it cost less than silver but I’m able to sell a Ti ring for 400 euro’s.
I will make some other designs that can be executed faster tan this one, but if I don’t make it a relief engraving, just stippling the background, I can make one in a day for 400 euro.

@ Eastlope, I won’t make it in silver, unless… In Titanium I can charge more, but I will have to find out. My wife and daughter would like a bracelet like this, but they won’t pay for it of course.

@ James, thank you for your idea piercing out the background. I would look nice and would work with a wider border. The central stone I also had in mind.
This is just one design, so I will make some more using pave settings .
As I want to make Titanium bracelets, I’m also thinking about colouring it, and use some colour stones. If you want to make one for your daughter, please feel free to use and change the design, would love to see your version of it.

@Jeff, thank you, indeed I like to progress a bit fast, especially on design. Over and under, overlapping, I like it all but one can’t run before he learned to walk.

@Christopher, thank you for your kind words, indeed James idea is great, but more expensive or perhaps not. Have to find out.

@Bes, thank you also for your input, I thought about that also using pave coloured stones. Even worked together wholesale making some like that in Titanium full of stones in pave setting with pieced background. These are for the US market and I don’t have any customer for those. If you can find a Russian oil king, please feel free to contact me about the price for the design I will charge. Of course I understand what you mean, we call it the new and old rich. The new rich indeed sometimes are missing some good taste.

 

[RParks]

That is tip top

 

[Sam]

I like your design, Arnaud. Very nice layout and it will make a beautiful bracelet. / ~Sam

 

[monk]

arnaud: if there are any rules broken, those who found those broken rules failed to see the beauty of your design !! i think you were designing for something nice to look at, not somebody to pick apart with a rule book. i think this a quite lovely design.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Arnaud

Very nice indeed.

A suggestion for you.............I would seriously start thinking about combining your stone setting and jewellery skills with your engraving to give your work a bit more pizazz......call it the bling factor

Don't get too hung up about Sterling silver. That won't dictate the price of your work. If you can look at creating unique peices that are indegenious to you and that is out of the ordinary............then you may find the customers buying more expensive items

The mastery of the work is what attracts the customers........not the metal. There is a lot of very expensive jewellery out there that is made of Sterling.

And...........I really like you new avatar taken from your son's photo. Very artistic and very cool..............but.........think outside the box and start combining the various skills you have.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

@ Sam, thank you for your nice words. Perhaps still a good idea to add a “designâ€￾ chapter to the Photo Gallery to add things like this. As there now there is not one for design.

@ Monk thank you, I’m convinced engravings start with a good design. I will make a lot more as I also have the ambition to design on command for other engravers who are struggling with design.

@ Andrew, thanks for liking my design, indeed I have come a long way with your help on my first pocketknife design. That does not mean my designs can’t be done better, but I’m still working on that combining other ideas to my designs. Like you say, stone settings and other goldsmith skills I have.
You are right about the metal that does not rule the price of a jewel, but it is for a lot of people. If my avater is called trapped, doesn’t mean I am not thinking out of the box. :big grin:

arnaud

 

[Jane]

Hello All,

I am new and have more a question than a comment. First of all, I have only done bright cut work so this style is new to me as an engraver but I have been a long time fan. (I feel like the person that calls in to a radio show and says "first time caller, long time listener!" HAHA

With that said. I tried to take the image and edit it so I could circle my area of question but I am not smart enough to do so. SO I am hoping I can explain enough to ask my question clearly....

My question is about the last scroll all the way to the left upper corner. I am calling it the last one but I guess theres a little scroll just under it that is included in this question. It is not clear to me where it originates from. Does it come from the backbone of the scroll that is being overlapped?

I really hope this makes sense and I am sorry I couldn't just circle the area I am talking about...

By the way, I think the bracelet is killer and I'd love to be the owner!

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Jane, thanks for your interests, I know what you mean, I added some red lines to show the backbone.
Indeed about the upper left scroll, and it is also the upper right of course.
I could add a small past of the stem to make it more clear.
There are some others that perhaps are not that clear, the reds shows.

arnaud

 

[Jane]

Arnaud,
Yeah, thats exactly what I meant!!! Sorry, I was not trying to pick it apart at all....as I said it was more a question than anything!
It was clear in the other areas but I honestly was just following thru the scrolls and it seemed to have a break....
Again, I think this is killer! Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

I need another ball vise

I started to cut this bracelet and noticed that my regular bench configuration did not work. The bracelet is to long to make 360° turns.
But lucky for me, this jewelers bench has the solution.
Still the GRS mini vise is to small so I will pick up the BIG GRS center at the Alexandre tool shop next week.
This center vise will save me some time doing the shading.
Some photos of my two bench configurations and some progres on the bracelet.

arnaud

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Arnaud

I'm not sure if you are aware of this............when using a microscope, a turntable underneath the vice is a very useful way to go. It means you can always centre your work...... even if it is sticking out the end of the vise.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Hi Arnaud

I'm not sure if you are aware of this............when using a microscope, a turntable underneath the vice is a very useful way to go. It means you can always centre your work...... even if it is sticking out the end of the vise.

Cheers
Andrew

Andrew, yes I know about the turntable. It can do the job too.
But till now I have a lot work centering the engraved object by using some plates in different thickness and by moving the wooden block.
The GRS positioning Vise has it all in one and is cheaper then a regular vise with a turntable.
Perhaps my choice of the word "center vise" wasn't the right one, I mean GRS positioning Vise.
It could save me some time and probably also will help making smoother turns.

arnaud