Sterling Silver Rings Production Techniques

Sterling Silver Rings can be produced using a single casting or by the assembly of several components. A basic sterling silver ring that is mounted with a gemstone requires several elements. The elements can all be part of a single casting, also know as a mounting or many parts that are soldered together to form the complete ring.

The ring shank, is the part of the ring that goes around the finger. Ring shanks tend to be flat on the inside, and oval on the outside. However there are many sterling silver rings that have a rectangular shank. Thinner bands that do not make contact with a large area of the finger tend to be rectangular. Wider shanks tend to be flat on the inside, and oval in shape on the outside. Some shanks are formed from a round wire of sterling silver. There are also process in which a ring shank is extruded, (pressed) from a flat sheet, or tube of sterling silver.

When a ring is made from a rolled shank, which is a length of metal that is precut and them rolled over a form to produce the correct size and radius, a typical production technique is to solder the ends of the shank to a stamped or formed mounting for the Gemstone or Jewels. The term soldered can be misleading. In the manufacturing of jewelry soldering is a very fine process. The two major methods of soldering involve having the silver to be soldered in almost perfect position without any gaps, and cleaned of all loose material. A very small, thin sheet of silver metal alloy which is very similar to true sterling silver is place between the mountings and heat is applied. The second method involves the use of a paste that has very tiny beads of solder applied between the band and mounting to be joined. Heat is them applied. With both methods any excess material must be removed, usually by filing to maintain the proper shape and prepare the semi finished piece for Polishing and or finishing. A property soldered joint has almost the same strength as the sterling silver itself.

Many of the sterling silver rings that we offer have "carved silver effects". To hand carve each ring would be too expensive. Therefore a ring made from a casting probably has the pattern transferred from the master pattern through the casting process. Rings that are formed from several components might have stamped or formed sterling silver trims soldered to the ring shank or the jewel setting to give the appearance of hand carved silver.

Normally after most, if not all of the metal work is complete the stone or jewel is mounted. The ring will they receive a final cleaning and polishing to prepare it for sale. The production of expensive gold jewelry, buy assembling premade parts is often done in a similar manor as much less expensive sterling silver rings.