New Design Mobius Flowers Bracelet

I’ve been working on my new design for this year’s state fair competition, and I’m pretty pleased with the result. It’s a bracelet in gold fill and sterling silver that features mobius “flowers” captured in a larger ring, with the flowers linked by a small byzantine weave chain. (I really need to think of a better name for this design!)

First, a picture, and then I’ll write about the design.

Design Details

Materials – The mobius flowers are in 14K gold fill, along with the 4 small tie-down rings that connect the flower to the larger sterling silver ring around the outside. Connecting chains are in sterling silver.

Rings – Getting the sizes just right was the most difficult part, with each flower requiring 4 different sizes of rings! The hard part was finding the sizes for the flower to completely fill, but still fit inside, the larger ring. In fact, the specs are so exact that when I accidentally used just one 18 gauge tie-down ring instead of 20 gauge (a difference less than 1/2 mm), the mobius coil wouldn’t fit and stood above the outer ring.

Chain – The connecting chains are a standard byzantine weave in those tiny 3mm rings I love.

Welding – One more feature: every ring is welded closed! This is pretty much a necessity for those large outer rings. They are just too big, with a large aspect ratio, to have any strength. For sure, they would have pulled open when I added the mobius flower inside. So…a little extra time and trouble, but now I can be confident this will keep its shape and beauty.

Completion / Finishing – The entire bracelet has 6 flowers and is currently 7.5 inches long, with a gold-fill lobster claw clasp.

After completing the bracelet, I tossed it into the ultrasonic cleaner, gave it a bath in my tarnish-removing solution, and then dropped it into the tumbler for a really nice shine. As I said above, it look so, so much better in person.

Before the Fair

I definitely want to get some better pictures before dropping off the bracelet later this month, including a picture on a nice wrist. I’m OK admitting that my hand is not the best display for this piece.

Reaction

When I showed this to my wife, she informed me that she would be wearing this one. That’s it–no discussion. Of course, I just nodded and said “sure!” When I put up the bracelet in my shop, I’ll just have to make another one if anyone orders it. The first one is already taken.

My daughter, too, really liked it. She says she likes it better than my other designs.

So, two positive reactions from women who are far more fashionable than I am.

Now let’s just hope the judges like it, too! Another blue ribbon would be pretty neat. (If I do get the blue ribbon, I’ll probably make a tutorial, as well.)