Make a Silver Clay Ring at Home: Materials, Firing and Finishing

Materials:

20-25 grams fine silver metal clay
water
ring sizer
2 nonstick worksheets
tape
roller/brayer
small knife
texture plates
Polishing papers in 400-8000 grit
sanding pads from medium to ultra-fine (80-1000 grit)
brass-wire brush
rubber block (Optional)
flat-nose pliers

Creating the Metal Clay Ring Band

Using the ring sizer, size the finger intended to wear the ring. Increase this size by 1-1/2 ring sizes to allow for shrinkage of the ring during firing. Place the appropriate size ring mandrel onto the mandrel rest.
With scissors, cut a strip of nonstick sheet and wrap it around the ring mandrel (over the appropriate size if using a traditional ring mandrel). Trim the sheet so the ends only slightly overlap. Tape the seam and burnish the tape so it stays in place, forming a tube.
Lightly oil your hands, roller, work surface, texture, and using caution, a clay blade. Open the package of clay and remove about 10 grams. Roll the clay into a log to help control the shape of the clay as it’s rolled out. Place the log between a 6-card-high thickness guide.
Using the clay blade, trim the clay so the sides of your metal clay ring are straight and the band is the width you’d like.
Place the strip of clay onto the nonstick sheet on the ring mandrel.
Overlap the ends of the clay. While holding the clay blade on an angle, trim the clay, working through both layers.
Remove the excess clay. Bring the ends of the clay together, seaming them so the angled cuts meet and create a flush connection for your metal clay ring. Using a paint brush, apply water to the seam so the clay bonds together.
Smooth the seam so it is invisible. Let the ring dry on the mandrel for a short time. Once the ring can hold its shape, carefully remove the nonstick tube from the mandrel. Let the ring dry further. Once the ring seems completely dry, carefully remove the nonstick tube from inside the ring. Usually the ring needs a little more time to dry at this stage; if so, let the ring dry fully before moving on.

Creating the Textured Top

Pinch off about 10 grams of fresh clay and roll it out to a 4-card thickness.
Transfer the clay to the treated texture. Place the 2-card thickness guide on either side of the clay yet on top of the texture. Place another treated texture on top of the clay, face down. Roll across the surface.
Carefully transfer the clay, right-side up, onto a Teflon worksheet. Using the clay blade, cut out the shape for the top of your ring.
Transfer the shape to the mold face down on the outside of the mold. Allow to dry.

Forming the Ring Band

To create a flat edge on the band, place the ring onto a 320-grit sanding pad and move it along the surface in a figure-eight motion. Reverse the pattern. Repeat for the other side of the band.
Using a progression of the sanding pads and polishing papers, refine the surface of the ring until it is round and smooth on the inside and the outside.

From Refining to Firing to Finishing

Refine all areas of the ring and ensure all the joins are clean, smooth, and seamless.
Place vermiculite into a kiln-safe container, like a crucible. Place the ring into the bed of vermiculite so the curve of the ring top is supported and so the ring band is supported. Ramp the kiln at full speed to 1650-degrees F; hold for 2 hours then allow the kiln to cool to room temperature.
If the band is not round, place it onto a steel mandrel and tap gently with a rawhide mallet to reshape. Flip the ring over and tap the band again so you have equal movement from each direction.
Use a brass wire brush to burnish the surface of the ring. If desired, tumble the ring in the tumbler along with stainless steel shot and burnishing solution.
Using two pair of flat nose pliers, open a jump ring. Pass the open ring through the Swarovski XILION disk pendant and the loop of the up-eye; close the jump ring. Repeat, adding as many disk pendants as you would like.

You can purchase Metal Clay Product from www.artclay.asia. They are the authorized distributor of many Art Clay products in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand

Have fun expanding on the techniques outlined in this metal clay ring design.

Tanja M. Sadow G.J.G.
Dean and founder of the Jewellery Design and Management International School

Try it hands-on: Silver Clay Jewellery Workshop in Singapore · Silver Jewellery Experience at Takashimaya

Frequently asked questions

What materials do you need to make a silver clay ring at home?

20–25 grams of fine silver metal clay, water, a ring sizer, two nonstick worksheets, tape, a roller or brayer, a small knife, texture plates, polishing papers in 400–8000 grit, sanding pads from medium to ultra-fine, a brass-wire brush and flat-nose pliers — a rubber block is optional.

Why do you size UP when making a metal clay ring?

Increase the measured finger size by 1-1/2 ring sizes to allow for shrinkage of the ring during firing.

How do you seam a metal clay ring band?

Overlap the ends of the clay strip and, holding the clay blade on an angle, trim through both layers. Remove the excess, bring the angled ends together for a flush connection, and apply water to the seam with a paint brush so the clay bonds — then smooth the seam so it is invisible.

How many grams of silver clay do you need to make a ring?

Plan for 20–25 grams of fine silver metal clay: open the package and remove about 10 grams to form the band, then pinch off about 10 grams of fresh clay for the textured top, rolled out to a four-card thickness. Having the full 20–25 grams in the pack covers seam repairs and shrinkage during firing.

Want to work with metal beyond clay? The foundation metalsmithing course (MS100) is the natural next step.

Want to try it hands-on with all materials provided? Join the Silver Clay Jewellery Workshop — mould, fire and polish a pure-silver pendant in 1.5 hours.

Going deeper: the full silver clay guide — pure silver jewellery without casting.

Explore further: find your Artisan Archetype — which maker are you? — or get an AI-guided course consultation.