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As long as people fall in love, jewellers will have plenty of work to do! There is undoubtedly a piece of jewellery for every occasion, and your ability to identify, understand, and work with different types of jewellery will help to increase your business. One of the most important pieces of jewellery that you will ever make is a ring: engagement, wedding, maternity; these rings are designed to be worn and cherished for generations to come.

The first step to getting the perfect ring for a couple is to know your shanks! There are seven types, here goes:

1.

The Straight Shank

The straight shank does just what it says on the tin. A straight band, usually flat-edged. no tapers, no splits. This is fairly simple to produce and is usually the first type of ring shank that a jewellery learns to make. Sometimes, the edge of a ring shank can be rounded off to make it more comfortable to wear; this is known as the comfort fit.

2.

The Cathedral Shank

The cathedral shank gains its name from the top profile, where you can see that the stone is framer by two arches, one on either side. This is achieved by splitting the shank and lifting two ends to create arches. This looks as though the shank is lifting the stone up and adds prominence to the stone; a great way of making a stone appear larger.

3.

The Tapered Shank

A tapered shank narrows as it approaches the stone. This enables you to make a chunkier, more practical band look daintier, and it can make the stone look bigger in comparison to a thinner band.

4.

The Split Shank

By splitting the shank before it reaches the stone, you can give the impression that there are two or more bands within the one ring. This design is fairly complex in itself, but you can make it as intricate as you want; some customers opt for twisted, crossed or woven designs within the split shank.

5.

The Knife Edge Shank

By splitting the shank before it reaches the stone, you can give the impression that there are two or more bands within the one ring. This design is fairly complex in itself, but you can make it as intricate as you want; some customers opt for twisted, crossed or woven designs within the split shank.

6.

The Bypass Shank

In the bypass shank, the two ends of the shank don’t meet in alignment, instead, each one wraps around the stone, as though it is bypassing it, and meets the shank on the other side. It adds a nice twist to the ring (literally) and by surrounding the stone, it can add to the size, too.

7.

The Interlocked Shank

Interlocked rings are made together by the same jeweller or customised to fit perfectly together. There are many different types of interlocked rings; some jewellers create a split shank wedding ring, into the middle of which the engagement ring perfectly sits. Or, it could simply mean that the wedding band has been custom made so that the engagement ring, sits perfectly alongside it.  The options are limited only by the customers’ and jewellers’ imagination, and the jewellers’ skills!

If you want to invest in tools to help you to create the perfect rings, invest in the best with Durston’s selection of ring tools.