Details

Four rings made by hand. Three that spin. The spinning ring is one of the most satisfying things you can make at a silversmithing bench — a piece of functional jewellery with real mechanical elegance, and every single one comes out differently. Over the course of the day you'll make four individual ring bands — in sterling silver, or a combination of sterling silver and copper if you'd like to introduce a warm contrast of colour — and learn how to combine them into a single, beautifully engineered spinning ring. The outer bands rotate freely around the inner band, and the textures, metals and finishes you choose along the way make it entirely your own. Who is this workshop for? Open to complete beginners and anyone at an early stage of their silversmithing journey. No prior experience is needed — the techniques build naturally through the day and you'll be guided through every step. A good level of dexterity and close-up vision is helpful. Open to participants aged 16 and over; under-18s are welcome with an accompanying adult. What will you learn? Making four rings in a day means covering a lot of ground — which is part of what makes this workshop such good value as a learning experience: - Annealing — preparing your metal to work with throughout the day - Saw piercing and precision filing - Soldering — joining and sizing each band cleanly - Shaping and forming on the mandrel - Texturing — with a wide range of surface finishes to choose from - Combining your rings into a working spinning mechanism - Polishing and finishing to a wearable standard By the end of the day you'll have covered more ground than most single-day workshops, and you'll have a ring that shows it. What's included? Everything is provided in our fully equipped studio in the heart of beautiful Alcester: - All tools and equipment - Sterling silver for all four rings - Copper if you'd like to incorporate a mixed metal design - Tea, coffee and biscuits throughout the day - We take a lunch break from 12.30–1.30pm What should I bring? - Reading glasses if you use them, and magnifying goggles if you have any - Closed-toe shoes (essential in a workshop environment) - Long hair tied back, and avoid loose or flowing sleeves