My partner and I would like to purchase mokume gane rings for our
wedding bands, but what I have located on the internet has been
out of our price range. It seems the average prices range from
$800-1700. I have googled several variations of "mokume" "gane" and
"rings" and have gone through 15+ pages of results. We do NOT want
rings with a 1 or 2mm band of mokume set in a much wider band of
cheaper metal, however, rings with or without rails or liners are all
fine, as long as the bulk of the ring is a mokume pattern. Copper and
traditional mokume "soft" metals like shibuichi that will corrode and
wear away are NOT acceptable, but cheaper duarable metals like
titanium and rust-resistant steel are acceptable. We need to be able
to wear these rings everyday for the rest of our lives. As
long as I'm asking for the moon, I want the workmanship to be great
also. My specific concern is that the ring not feature a soldering
line. Please see this page by an American pioneer in mokume jewelry
for some tips on workmanship:
http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2004/nov04/1104pb1.html
So in short...
Can you find me quality mokume rings made from durable metals that
would cost around $500 or under? If there is absolutely no way that is
going to happen, can you tell me what I can get by compromising on
certain points, or what my lowest possible price range might be?
Finally, if we bit the bullet and spent a lot of money, can we expect
the rings to hold their value well or appreciate as heirlooms?
I understand that's phrased as several questions, but it's all one
problem in my brain. If you can only answer part of the question,
please let me know. |
Request for Question Clarification by
denco-ga
on
06 Jun 2006 23:28 PDT
Howdy skepchic-ga,
How about something such as the following?
http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/mg-6fy.html
http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/mg-6dw.html
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher
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Request for Question Clarification by
denco-ga
on
06 Jun 2006 23:39 PDT
There is this, as well.
http://www.absolutetitanium.com/i-mokume.html
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Request for Question Clarification by
denco-ga
on
07 Jun 2006 00:03 PDT
These poeople seem to be reasonably priced and do custom work as well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8944612369
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Clarification of Question by
skepchic-ga
on
07 Jun 2006 10:43 PDT
Thanks for your responses; allow me to clarify. The first, second and
fourth sites are both the look I am trying to avoid as mentioned in my
fourth sentence: a thin band of mokume overwhelmed by a greater amount
of a cheaper metal, generally titanium. In this case, the mokume is
essentially a decoration on a ring, as opposed to the mokume making up
the ring, with or without rails or lining added. The fourth site
approaches an acceptable look.
The third site (in your second comment) makes their rings with copper
and copper alloys. These will disintegrate with regular use and are
not suitable for wedding bands, as I mentioned in my fifth sentence
above. The fourth site, in fact, makes all of their designs with
copper alloys or sterling silver as at least one component, as well.
As long as I'm clarifying, silver is not a durable metal unless it's
platinum sterling or actually palladium. Regular sterling silver and
.925 silver are too brittle or too soft respectively for daily wear
over many years.
I am aware what I am looking for may not exist at the price I want,
but I figured if anyone could find it, it would be Google! :)
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Request for Question Clarification by
denco-ga
on
07 Jun 2006 12:19 PDT
Howdy skepchic-ga,
All things considered, I think your best bet will be the company that
is in my third comment. Here is a website for them, and it shows some
styles that are more in line with what you appear to want.
http://users.frii.com/gold/Mokume.html
"Mokume Gane By David Emslie"
Email - prospectorsgold@hotmail.com
Phone - (970) 227-5177
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher
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