Description
Saturday, August 8, 2026
10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Create two sterling silver stacking rings with your own hands.
In this beginner-friendly workshop, you will learn the foundations of traditional metalsmithing while making a set of sterling silver rings from start to finish. Measure, form, solder, texture, file, sand, and polish your rings inside the intimate working ARIMAS Metal Lab.
Choose from a small selection of ring profiles, textures, and finishes to create a set that feels clean and minimal, richly hammered, softly organic, or somewhere in between. Make one ring smooth and one textured, give each ring a different finish, or create a coordinating pair.
Wear them together, divide them between different fingers, or give one to someone special. No previous jewelry-making experience is required.
Adults 18+ • Beginner • One-day workshop
Length: 3.5 hours • Class size: Maximum 4 students
Location: ARIMAS Studio at the Village of Industry & Arts
320 South Broad Street, Space 151
Philadelphia, PA
Materials: Included within the workshop material allowance
What You’ll Make
You will create two handmade sterling silver stacking rings.
Students will select from a small range of studio-approved sterling silver wire and strip profiles. You will then create your own textures and finishes using jewelry hammers, forming tools, abrasives, and polishing equipment.
The project is intentionally limited to two simple stacking bands so every student has enough time to complete and properly finish both rings.
Wide bands, gemstone settings, advanced decorative attachments, complex ring designs, additional rings, and additional silver are not included in this introductory workshop.
Your rings will be formed and finished entirely by hand. Small variations in texture, shape, and finish are natural parts of the metalsmithing process and make each set unique.
The goal is not factory-perfect duplication. The goal is to leave with two well-made rings that carry visible evidence of your own hands and creative decisions.
What You’ll Learn
- How to determine and measure your ring size
- How to calculate the correct length of metal
- Basic metal cutting, forming, and shaping
- How to prepare and align a clean ring seam
- Safe introductory torch use
- How solder joins metal
- How to create hammered and polished surface finishes
- Filing, sanding, refining, and polishing
- How jewelers transform raw metal into a finished wearable object
What’s Included
- Sterling silver for two stacking rings within the workshop material allowance
- Access to all required jewelry tools and studio equipment
- Safety glasses and shared protective equipment
- Solder, flux, and studio-approved solutions
- Texturing and forming tools
- Sanding, finishing, and polishing materials
- Step-by-step demonstrations
- Individual guidance within a four-person class
- A small pouch or container for your finished rings
Additional silver, gemstones, advanced decorative elements, and additional rings are not included.
Who This Workshop Is For
This workshop is designed for adults ages 18 and older who are new to jewelry making or want a guided introduction to traditional metalsmithing.
No previous jewelry-making experience is required. The workshop does require steady hand control, close attention to demonstrations, and the ability to follow studio safety directions.
Registration is for one participant and one scheduled workshop. Seats may not be shared between participants.
Studio, Tools & Safety
The workshop begins with a studio introduction and required safety orientation, followed by a demonstration of the complete ring-making process.
You will then measure and prepare your sterling silver, form your rings, align the seams, and work through the soldering and finishing stages with individual guidance.
Students will rotate through shared tools and equipment during the workshop. Because the class is limited to four people, you will have room to ask questions, work at your own bench, and receive direct support throughout the process.
This is a hands-on working studio experience. You will use jewelry torches, hand tools, hammers, abrasive materials, polishing equipment, and heated metal under supervision.
Students must arrive on time for the required safety orientation. Anyone who misses the orientation may not be permitted to participate in torch work and may need to transfer to a future workshop according to the studio’s booking policy.
What to Wear & Bring
For your safety, please arrive wearing:
- Closed-toe shoes
- Comfortable clothing that may collect dust or metal residue
- Natural-fiber clothing when possible
- Fitted sleeves or sleeves that can be securely rolled up
- Long hair fully tied back
Loose sleeves, flowing garments, dangling accessories, open-toe shoes, and highly flammable clothing are not appropriate for torch work.
You may be asked to remove bracelets, long necklaces, scarves, or other items that could interfere with tools or equipment.
Bring a labeled water bottle and your creativity. All required tools and project materials are provided.
Food and alcohol are not permitted in the active metalsmithing area.
Location & Arrival
The workshop takes place at the ARIMAS Studio inside the Village of Industry & Art in Philadelphia.
Please arrive on time so you can participate in the required studio and safety orientation before hands on work begins.
Registration is valid for one participant and the specific workshop date selected during booking.
Cancellation & Studio Policies
Because this is a small class with limited seating, please review all workshop and studio policies before registering.
Your booking confirms that you understand the class format, safety expectations, arrival requirements, and studio policies.
About Your Instructor
Samira is a Philadelphia based jewelry artist, metalsmith, art educator, and founder of ARIMAS.
Her work explores adornment, identity, beauty, memory, protection, and transformation through metal and wearable objects. She brings years of teaching experience into the studio and is committed to creating a welcoming, focused environment where beginners can learn real jewelry techniques with thoughtful guidance.
Through the ARIMAS Metal Lab, Samira teaches students how raw materials become personal objects through skill, experimentation, and the work of their own hands.
