Franklin Chavez Jr.

MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE:
The materials utilized during creation of the piece include the following: numerous natural stones, spiny oyster shell, melon shells, and other sea shells, metal sterling /nickel silver sheets, and silver bezel in different dimensions, silver wire, silver solder, clasps, silver chains, crimps. The initial phase is cutting and shaping the stones/shells, then sanding and polishing. First steps of the metal work is to cut bezel according to shape of stone/shell, then soldering the bezel. Next step is cutting out designs on the silver sheet with gig saw blades. Then shaping the metal according to design on ring/bracelet or metal mandrill. Next step is soldering the shaped bezel piece onto pre-cut silver sheet with designs. Next step is cutting silver wire/sheet according to size of loop and then finishing it off by soldering the loop onto the metal sheet. Then polishing the metal and the stone. Lastly, placing finished products onto leather straps, silver chains, etc...