"Miami-Dolphin" (Football Award) => 36 unbelievable photos.

 Here is the "Miami-Dolphin" emblem-logo after all of the stones have been set.

 This is my favourite Onglette Graver #2 which is highly polished only on one side. I use it often just for cutting patterns into gold, or silver.

This area looks flat, but really it is in a 'near vertical' position when it's being used. I had to place it in my ring-clamp as shown,

 

 In this flat position you can see how near-vertical the sides of the abdomen really are. BTW, those blue stones are 'Blue Diamonds'.

  Underneath, or back-view, I know that 'counter-sinking' all of the holes is definitely required, and not left untouched. I wanted as much light as possible to enter the stones, therefore 'opening the holes' was needed.

  Every hole before drilling, had to be perfectly planned ahead of time. If one hole was ill-placed, I had to get my jeweller to solder the hole once again.

  I modified my Onglette graver #2 to be used as a "Bead-Raiser". This "Dolphin" project could not be CAD created with the beginning layout. There was no chance of knowing where the different size stones were to be placed.

   Around each of the Orange coloured stones is a decoration style of metal cutting.

 Instead of placing the project on a shellac-stick, I decided to place it on my adjustable metal clamp.

 

 I filled in all of the gaps in between the diamonds with a large array of decorating beads.

 

  My client wanted to 'push in' (his words) as many of  Blue Diamonds as possible.

 Many times I had to decide if I needed more large diamonds that was originally intended at first. I was planning this option constantly.

 On some raised areas, I saw some defects from using my burs. These were inspected and subsequently removed.

 

 During my setting, I had to make sure that each stone was secured or tightened.

 I only wished now upon viewing this project, that my client would have given me extra smaller diamonds.

  For spacing, I had to decide many times if I had enough Diamonds or Coloured stones. They had to be placed in a certain way as to enhance the overall appearance.

 

 I must have spent many days just on the 'spacing' and deciding if I had enough stones. 

  If some of the spacing was made in error, then I just removed some of the 'ink-spots' and started all over again.

 These 'casting-lines' were a real problem to my drilling and finally the actual stone setting. To call these lines a nuisance, was an 'understatement'.

   Every few days my client shipped more Diamonds of various sizes to me. I spent many days anticipating another *** delivery.

 

 Just in the "tail", I had additional shipments coming to me requesting for me to set more diamonds. To set even larger stones, I had to have my jeweller solder the holes and start again with MORE larger stones. (This was getting so very annoying).

  

 Finally he sent me a package of loose white diamonds just for the 'Dolphin-helmet'.

This photo shows where and how the holes were made ready for the Blue Diamonds. When inserting any of the stones, I always left 'extra' space for the size of stones and the many 'Beads'.

 What expected to be just a few (6) numbers of Blue stones ended up with 12 stones in all.

 

 This "Miami-Dolphin" project took me well over 4 weeks of difficult planning and deciding which stone was to be used and where each were to be placed.

 

 This project was placed at "30, out of 10" on the Difficulty Scale.

"Guinness World Record" and other casino-related designs (60 photos)

 In this jewellery community, I wonder seriously how many of 'us' have had an opportunity in receiving this exclusive award? 

 Although that award is now 10 years old, it is still a worthwhile honour, agree? 

This was originally made in gold and diamonds. Once I received this statement, I gave back the diamonds to my supplier and I refined the metal.

 

On the reverse side is a #7, the #8 was meant for the Asian market. I was planning to market this disk to many countries, sadly those plans did not solidify. 

As this was a CAD pattern I made a rubber mold of the many related designs. 

 This blue-painting was only an after-thought, this disk was easily cleaned with my #1,000 grit PINK Pumice Wheel. The "88" was stone set independently to the main disk. I had 2 hours in setting the main group of white stones, I used 'shared claws' throughout.

 I chose to simulate setting these stones on my bench-peg as I had three things going on at one time. 1) I had to hold my iPhone, 2) Hold the Bead-Burnisher and 3) gently hold the #7. This was not too easy.

 I wanted to demonstrate working on the Pink stones. I just couldn't do this if the large 75.0 gram disk was in my adjustable mini-clamp. I improvised everything all through this pictorial essay.

 I temporarily painted the casino suites as the need was to finish the full layout of stone setting. Again I used the 'shared claw' technique on the outer circle of stones. 

 I gave instructions to my CAD designer to keep the 'casino format' all through the many patterns. This novel casino-idea was used inside the ring otherwise known as Azure. This ring was a two-piece construction.

 I created another (of many patterns) in using the #7 in blue stones as well as 16 white stones. How did I get the mottled look? I used my Reciprocating Hammer with a sharpened anvil and let that point dig into the metal

 With the casino-motif running throughout my collection, I soldered a dice in the center of the circle of stones.

 

 I preferred to avoid any blank spaces on the sides of this ring. I put 3 stones on either side. 

  For a ladies bracelet, I had my designer use the "4 suites" into the plate of stones. There were also 32 white stones on the plate.

 For a novel approach, I created a key chain, but with a rotating 'dice'. There were also a single row of stones on the edge of this disk (not seen). My CAD designer was very interested with my ideas.

 I used 'shared claws' as often as I could, I used this style for simplicity and keeping the ruby stones free of 4-claw metal.

 

 These are the 2-piece castings that makes the polishing so much easier, prior to being soldered.

This is how the two pieces look before being joined after two-toned casting.

 For some fun and avoiding any stress, I played with the 'stars & stripes' motif and a 'peace' symbol.

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BTW, all of these ideas are mine and never once were they plagiarized from outside sources.

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  These are just metal & wax-shaped cuff links.

This is just another mixing of ideas. More 'fun' involved.

 The edges of the disk is where the 17, 6.5mm stones will be set. In all actuality these would have been 1.10 carats in size.

 I chose to keep claws on my extra large stones, as I didn't want to cover the stones with unnecessary metal.

 This pendant idea kept the casino-related patterns in the 'active file'.

 

 I had my CAD designer embellish my company name over the photo, just in case of being copied by illegal means. In this strange world this could happen at a 'blink of an eye'.

 

 This was my fun time again but with some serious thoughts. I like the 'Stars & Stripes', so why not use it in an emblem?

 

      And the winner is!

 Please excuse the two light sources as they were from my over-head lighting at my bench.

 Just a rough idea in keeping with the many casino designs.

 These are just a selection of 'different views' that you've seen in this pictorial essay.

 I thought of this pattern during one of my 'creative' evenings.

    My friendly 'jewellers community' if you wish to copy any of my patterns, please do so. It would be an honour if you so desire, but just remember where you saw these first.

Gerry Lewy