The beginning raw material: a 1 troy ounce pure platinum Maple Leaf bullion coin from Canada. We can make wedding rings out of gold, platinum, or palladium bullion.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
Just as we have for hundreds of years, we bite the coin to make sure it’s real.
The coin is heated above 2000 degrees to improve its malleability.
Then the sides are forged with a hammer until they mushroom over the front and back.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
It takes a lot of forging to get the coin into the shape of a ring.
We then carefully cut out the center.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
Voila!
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
The coin is annealed again for malleability. In the original photo, you can still read the lettering that was on the face of the coin before forging.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
It is quenched in water, which looks and sounds really cool.
The huge ring is cut in half to create two wedding rings.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
I measure both rings to make sure they are uniform width.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
I demonstrate how to use the polishing lathe.
Photo by Catherine Skelly.
