How to Use Stipple Finish in Jewelry Design – With a Video

Stipple Finish, Have You Considered this in Your Design?

As a jewelry designer in California it's fun to play with different finishes to get unique looks in my designs. How can banging away on a piece of jewelry with a pokey little tool get me excited? I just love the result. Let's see if you do too.

Stippling, Kind of Like Painting!

White Gold Princess Cut Diamond Pendant with Milgrain EdgingAn interesting article by Lee Krumholtz in MJSA describes how he likes to apply a stipple finish. I love how he describes doing it:

"The motion when applying it is almost like painting; I move the steel point in a circular pattern as I try to create a uniform texture."

This finish is fairly durable and doesn't show scratches, making it suitable for rings intended to be worn daily." I couldn't have said it better myself!

In the pendant on the left I had a large recessed surface that I wanted to decorate. I used stipple which goes well with milgrain.

The All Textures, All Sapphires Ring

Heart Pink Sapphire Ring with Special Finishes, Calla Gold Jewelry

This Fabulous Multi-Sapphire Ring Shows Off Matte, Stippling, Hammering and Antiquing Finishes

When this wonderful project came to me, I loved not only using stipple finish but adding oxidation, (blackening) to it.

In this view of the ring, you can see that the two areas of stippling occur on larger plain gold surfaces.

Adding stippling to a ring changes its look dramatically, adding art and often a playful vibe.

In case you think I've lost my mind calling these lovely gems sapphires. It turns out that in the sapphire family there are a rainbow of colors available.

Stippling the Video

Here is the video I've done with lots of pictures of custom design jewelry projects I've made using stippling finishes. https://youtu.be/-IRSWv_Wp1A

Is Stippling in Your Future?

Hopefully I've intrigued you to try this fun texture to make an existing piece of jewelry pop or to incorporate it in your next personal statement piece of jewelry you have made.

Stipple Loving Jewelry Designer,
Calla Gold

 

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About Calla Gold

Calla Gold is a Personal Jeweler and Author who takes pride in working with clients one-on-one to integrate their personal sense of style and taste into custom designed jewelry and repaired jewelry pieces.   Unlike typical Santa Barbara jewelry businesses, Calla Gold has no brick-and-mortar location. Calla Gold comes to you, bringing you the jewelry collection you want to see and collaborating with you to create unique custom jewelry. Calla also works with at-a-distance clients.

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Christine @ Quilters Diary
10 years ago

Stippling is a favorite technique for quilters, too. I use it to give the surface of a quilt a pebbly finish. Looks as good on a quilt as on jewelry.

madphoto.com
10 years ago

Stipple Finish seems kind of cool, I like it.
I like how Calla Gold Jewelry shares these little details of design. As a photographer I am all about the details and feel that this particular post is different and educational and helpful.
I could see myself incorporating stipple finishing in a future jewelry design. Hmmm I wonder who I’d call about that? HaHa. I’d call Calla!
Mady, at MadPhoto

Dr. Lynn K Jones
10 years ago

I love your videos Calla! When I am in doubt as to what you are talking about you provide wonderful photos in your videos to illustrate your point. And then your explanations are simple and easy to grasp.
You have made me aware of what a stipple finish is and why I should care. And now I do care! Great job! 🙂
LJ

Sue M.
Sue M.
9 years ago

Hi Calla,
It’s fun to learn about jewelry design details that you use in you custom ring designs. That’s a great video on stipple technique. I feel more like an expert now that I’ve seen it.
Do student jewelers ever contact you that they are reading and learning from your blog?
Sue