Day 2 of this jewellery-making journey was all about precision.
After spending Day 1 preparing the silver and building the foundations of each piece, it was time to focus on one of the most important stages of creating handmade opal jewellery: preparing the settings.
It might not be the most exciting part of the process from the outside, but it's absolutely critical. A beautiful opal deserves a setting that fits perfectly. If the stone doesn't sit correctly, everything that follows becomes more difficult.
Preparing the Settings for Each Opal
The goal today was simple: clean up the settings and make sure each stone sits flush and securely.
Every opal is different. Even stones that look similar can have slight variations in shape, thickness, and curvature. Because of that, each setting needs individual attention to ensure the finished jewellery meets the standard I'm aiming for.
This stage involves careful filing, refining, checking, and re-checking. It's detailed work that requires patience, but it's what separates quality handmade jewellery from something rushed.
The better the preparation, the better the final result.
Getting Into the Zone
Some days in the workshop are all about creativity. Other days are about repetition and focus.
Today was one of those days where I could put on some good music, settle into the rhythm of the work, and simply get things done. There's something satisfying about making steady progress and seeing each piece move one step closer to completion.
By the end of the session, every setting had been cleaned up, refined, and prepared for the next stage.
Ready for the Final Polish
With the settings complete, the metal was cleaned and pre-polished, leaving everything ready for the most exciting stage of the process.
The opals are now seated properly in their settings, and the pieces are finally starting to look like real jewellery rather than individual components on a workbench.
This is the point where the project begins to come together.
The Next Step: Setting the Stones
The next stage is where things get serious.
Stone setting is one of the most delicate parts of making custom opal jewellery. It's the moment where all the preparation either pays off or reveals mistakes that need fixing. A steady hand, a good eye, and plenty of patience are essential.
If the stone isn't set correctly, the entire piece can be compromised. If it's done well, the opal becomes the centrepiece it was always meant to be.
That's exactly what we'll be tackling in Day 3.
Watch Day 2
The Collection Is Taking Shape
What started as a collection of loose opals is slowly becoming a complete range of handmade Australian opal jewellery.
There is still work ahead, but seeing these pieces progress from rough concepts into finished jewellery is incredibly rewarding. It's taken a lot of time, practice, and late evenings in the workshop, but I'm excited about where this project is heading.
If you've been following along and see something you like, or if you'd like a custom piece made from one of my loose opals, now is a great time to get in touch.
Day 2 is complete. Day 3 is where the stones finally get set and the collection comes to life.
Stay tuned.