I’m discovering that I’ve got a bit of a passion for making rings. This is my second crown setting, this time it is a larger setting (a ‘statement piece’) with a Smokey Quartz which caught my eye at one of the Rock Gem ‘n’ Bead Shows. I made a mistake making the shank – I made it slightly too small so tried hammering it to get it to stretch. I like the hammered effect but didn’t think it would go with the setting. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did so that gets chalked up as another ‘happy accident’. I’d like to set a diamond at some point, but think more practise is in order first, so am thinking that a nice big sapphire could make a good stepping stone…