Heavy Stone Rings cool new Mokume Gane collection

The Hard Facts About Mokume Gane

Here at Heavy Stone Rings we have been making our own exclusive mokume designs for many years. We have the skills to make custom metal combinations in solid or inlay style rings. These stunning rings are as unique as the people who wear them, because no two pieces are exactly the same.

Mokume Gane (moh'-coo-may gah'-neh) is the ancient Japanese art of fusing precious metals. Mokume technique was invented by Japanese artisan in the 17th century and created a revolution in feudal sword making. The intricate mokume gane designs on samurai swords were an indication of power and wealth. This process was adapted to create delicate and complex jewelry designs.

Mokume Gane translated means wood grain metal. It is named after the patterns created by heating the layers of metal until they are bonded into a solid laminate billet of varying colors. Once the various metals are bonded the craftsman here at Heavy Stone create the piece through forging and carving to reveal the hidden layers of color and pattern.

The lamination process involves securing several layers (between 10-30) of colored gold and silver between blocks and heating it in a kiln. With a careful combination of heat and pressure, the layers fuse but do not melt. A fused stack of metal, called a billet, is forged, twisted, hammered, and rolled to create a thin sheet. The delicate and original patterns are created by hand carving through the layers in the laminated stack. The carved laminate is then forged to flatten it out. The process of carving and rolling is repeated many times to create the finished pattern. Our mokume rings are on page 14, 36, 65, and 91 of our catalog.