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Chisel Patterned Mokume Gane Class at Metalwerx

Now you can! Our collectors are invited to design with Arn to create something incredibly special. Get in touch to talk with us about the options for metal choices, color combos, and patterns.  Mokume is an elusive art form, with very few folks even aware of this traditional Japanese craft. Those who are in the know, know that choosing and customizing your own metal palette is a very rare and special treat. As far as we know we are the only makers in the US that make custom billets in mokume and offer this level of personalization. If you are here, you have great taste and elevated style for sure as this work will only increase in value over time. Check out our blog on mokume value here. Arn is currently booking into November so it’s always best to get in touch ahead to get your luxe piece into our work queue.

A little about our mokume gane and Arn’s process - All of our metal is reclaimed right here in the USA, and because our pieces are all made small batch style 100% in house in our Warren, RI studio by a team of 4 people, it is eco friendly.  Our billets are blocks of layers of metal that have been fused together, often using different types of metals. Billets are the foundation of mokume gane, and custom billets allow for an added layer of personalization. We use primarily palladium, silver, 14 & 18k Red, white and yellow gold.

  The process of creating mokume gane billets involves fusing metals at high temperatures and creating strong bonds between the layers, ensuring that a mokume gane ring will be as long lasting as a more conventional single metal ring. This incredible durability makes mokume such a perfect choice for wedding bands, able to hold up to daily wear. Creating a strong and stable billet is essential. In addition to fabricating all of our stock billets for our rings, the beauty of our mokume gane rings lies in their intricate patterns, which are achieved by carving and forging billets made of many thin layers of metal. Arn is a pioneer on the pattern and palette front and is always engineering and exploring new patterns and processes. He studies nature for patterns and colors for inspo for his next pieces.  Arn’s incredible artistic designs and ability to craft and engineer these works into existence set us apart. We have so much gratitude for the gift of art in our lives and we strive to bring it to yours. 

The primary advantage of custom billets is the level of customization they afford. Each billet can be tailored to suit the preferences of the client, whether it's a specific color combination or even a specific order or proportion of colors in the layers. If you’re envisioning something outside of our stock palette options for your ring, a custom billet can be a great option for finding just the right palette. These pieces are made with quality as a priority as well as visual beauty, and made to last. 

Many couples come to us to design their mokume engagement ring. The first thing to know is that a mokume gane ring is different from a traditional ring in that mokume holds value.

Rings, and especially wedding rings, take on a lot of daily wear, so choosing a strong gemstone is crucial. We work with diamonds, moissanites and sapphires in our mokume rings, as these stones are the strongest and most beautiful. We’ve put together this guide for you to help you understand how gemstones rank in hardness. Softer stones can be great for other jewelry like earrings and necklaces, or even special occasion rings that won’t be worn day to day. 

What is the Mohs Hardness Scale for Gemstones?

When selecting the perfect gemstone for your jewelry, especially in rings, it can be helpful to consult the Mohs Hardness Scale. This fundamental scale, developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs, provides a comparative measure of a mineral's resistance to scratching. The Mohs Scale characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of harder materials to scratch softer ones. It serves as a guideline for determining the durability and maintenance needs of gemstones, which can be key information when choosing stones for jewelry that will be worn daily like wedding and engagement rings. Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist, introduced the scale to provide a straightforward method of comparing mineral hardness. Although modern tools and methods can measure hardness more precisely, the Mohs scale remains a popular reference for its simplicity and ease of use.

The scale is composed of 10 reference minerals, each representing a specific level of hardness:

1. Talc

2. Gypsum

3. Calcite

4. Fluorite

5. Apatite

6. Orthoclase Feldspar

7. Quartz

8. Topaz

9. Corundum (Sapphire)

10. Diamond

Each mineral can scratch those below it on the scale. For example, a quartz gemstone, rated at 7, can scratch anything with a hardness of 6 or below but will be scratched by topaz, corundum, and diamond.

For rings, especially wedding bands that are worn consistently, selecting a gemstone with a higher Mohs rating ensures longevity and resistance to everyday wear and tear. Diamonds and Sapphires (Corundum) are very strong stones, their popularity for wedding jewelry can be attributed to how well they wear, as well as their beauty. 

The Strongest Stones

Diamonds, rated at 10 on the Mohs scale, are renowned for their unparalleled hardness and brilliance, and have been a top choice for wedding and engagement rings for many years. Their ability to resist scratches ensures that they maintain their sparkle and shape throughout a lifetime. Due to their incredible physical qualities, Diamonds have also been revered by a multitude of cultures throughout history, from being symbols of status to even being believed to possess special properties. Diamonds were often linked with gold, possibly due to the joint occurrence of diamonds with quartzite, quartz veins and an occasional occurrence of gold in them.

Their incredible ability to catch and refract light, creating that characteristic sparkle has always been captivating. They have come to be seen as symbols of strength, purity and endurance. They are also the April birthstone, and symbolize a sixty year anniversary.

Corundum minerals, which include sapphires and rubies, rate at 9 on the Mohs scale. These stones are excellent choices for rings due to their toughness and vibrant colors. Sapphires are available in a wide range of hues, from classic blue to pink and yellow, offering versatile options for personalizing jewelry. We also particularly love pairing sapphires with mokume gane, a stone in a complimentary color can be perfectly suited to the beautiful mix of metal colors and patterns that characterize our mokume rings. Traditionally sapphires symbolize nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. They have often been associated with spirituality and connection to the celestial. Sapphire is the birthstone for September, and symbolizes 45th wedding anniversaries.

Another lesser known but amazing option for wedding jewelry is the moissanite. It rates at roughly a 9.5 on the Mohs scale. It was originally discovered by Henri Moissan while examining samples from a meteor crater in Arizona in 1893.  Most moissanite available today is lab grown, as it is made of an incredibly rare naturally occuring material, whose origins have been traced to meteorites. Moissanites have a beautiful sparkling quality, evoking the material’s origins of outer space. They are often visually indistinguishable from diamonds, but being lab grown, are sourced sustainably and are a much more affordable option. 

Understanding the Mohs Hardness Scale is invaluable for anyone involved in jewelry design or purchasing. By considering the hardness of gemstones, you can select stones that not only complement your aesthetic preferences but also suit your lifestyle and durability needs. Our mokume gane rings are made at heirloom quality, crafted with care and skill to ensure they last you this lifetime and beyond. Choosing stones that will stand the test of time like mokume gane itself will help you create jewelry that is not only stunning but also built to last, ensuring that your pieces remain cherished for years to come. If you’d like to start your design journey with us, contact us here! 

See the process behind these beautiful mokume gane snake earrings!