The Mbuya Collection

The Mbuya collection consists of an assortment of rings, pendants, earrings and key rings made using a combination of sterling silver, silver chain veneer and leather.

Being a flat sheet the veneer was easy to work with. I first sawed out the basic shapes, sanded them first with 220 and 360 grades and then subsequently through the different platinum papers. With the layers of wood being so thin it was important not to remove too much wood and the platinum paper was less abrasive but very affective. I enhanced the colour with a final layer of linseed oil.


The shape of the earrings and pendants has a typical ethnic feel to it and is the shape the Masai warriors often use for the large, loud and proud leather beaded necklaces they wear.

The pattern the rivets make in all the designs, follow a five star symmetry layout, a key characteristic of all sea urchin shells. The wood being flat was able to withstand considerable force with the riveting hammer, which made the process quick and easy.


I bent up bezels to fit the shapes using 0.7mm by 3.5mm, 925 strip and soldered them on 0.7mm base plates to make the settings. As the detail of rivets was visible from both sides I was able to saw out most of the back plate, which not only contributed to the visual quality of the pieces but also conserved metal and reduced the weight for the earrings.


Before setting the pieces I cleaned up all the rivets using rubber wheels and bevelled the edges of the wood and the silver bezels ready for setting.


I used a pitch bowl to set the pieces using thick masking tape to protect the pitch from touching setting or seeping into the wood from behind. A very handy tip I often use as it saves the time and effort of removing the pitch from the piece after setting. I’m not a fan for turpentine and there was no way I could burn it off in this case.

With the masai shapes I was then faced with a problem as a gap had formed at the top of the bottom section where I had moved the metal up to secure the main body. Even though the bottom section was securely set the problem was visual and I solved it by burring it even and inlaying round silver wire.


I used rubber wheels again to clean up the bezels and chose a highly polished finish in contrast to the wood. This was highly affective especially on emphasising the rivets, which really sparkle with light and movement.


The chain is 3mm ½ round Rolo which I cut to length and secured to the settings with jump rings. The highly polished discs secured to the ends are a common feature in all Masai jewellery the only difference being in the metals.

For the rings I bent up ½ round wire shanks and inserted plate rings at the top of each which I part soldered to the back of the bezels (see orthographic). This type of shank is practical, easy to wear and very comfortable. It has the capacity for many variations, which attribute highly to the design quality of a piece.

My favourite pieces from the collection are the disc ring; I love the hole in the middle, which you can see your finger through. The Masai tasselled earrings are however definitely the winners for me. I like wearing bold earrings and the freedom of movement creates an amazing play of light effect on the rivets. Both the pieces make quite loud statements without being heavy or uncomfortable.

I feel I have been successful in forming a balance between glamour and rustic and was very pleased with the final outcomes.