How a Ring Is Made at GoldeuleJewelry: A Look Inside My Workshop by Lake Walen

I'm often asked how a ring actually comes to life at my workshop – from the very first idea to the finished piece in your hands. So today I'm taking you behind the scenes into my workshop by Lake Walen and showing you, step by step, how a piece of sterling silver and a carefully chosen stone become a handmade ring.

Step 1: Choosing the stone

It never starts with the silver – it starts with the stone. I choose every natural stone individually, for its colour, pattern and character. No two stones are alike, and that's exactly what makes every piece one of a kind, even when it's part of one of my signature lines like Beaded Goddess or Feather Goddess. Sometimes a stone sits on my workbench for weeks before I know which design will do it justice.

An opal, before it finds its place in a ring

Step 2: Forging the silver

I use 925 sterling silver for my rings. I forge every piece by hand: the silver wire or sheet is heated, bent, hammered and shaped, millimetre by millimetre, until the ring's basic form takes shape. This handwork takes patience – but it's also exactly why every piece has its own, slightly imperfect character that you simply won't find in machine-made jewelry.

Step 3: Setting the stone

Once the silver form is ready comes the most exciting moment: setting the stone. Depending on the design, I use a prong setting, wrap the stone in fine silver wire, or set it in a bezel. This is where it's decided how the stone gets to shine – and whether it truly becomes the ring I had in mind.

Step 4: Finishing and polishing

Finally, everything gets sanded, polished and checked edge by edge, until the silver shines and the ring feels right on your hand. Some of my designs get a deliberate patina in the recesses – it adds depth and highlights the texture. Only once I'm truly happy with the result does a ring leave my workshop.

Why handmade takes time

That's why my made-to-order designs usually take 4 to 6 weeks to reach you: your ring is forged individually after you order it, with the stone that's right for you. No mass production, no shelf full of identical rings – just one ring, made just for you in my workshop by Lake Walen.

If you'd like a piece like this for yourself, take a look at my Signature Collection – you'll find all my recurring designs there, each with its own individual stone. Or send me a message if you have questions about a specific piece or would like to commission something special.