Whether you want to finish a chain you bought by the foot or repair a clasp or jump ring on an existing chain, you use the same techniques. In this video tutorial, Ganoksin instructor Mechelle Lois outlines the steps for finishing a chain with…
In part 2 of this series, instructor Mechelle Lois teaches you how to re-size a ring with a stone. Sizing a ring with a stone can be scary, but Mechelle will show you a safe and effective way to solder while protecting the stone. (See also part 1:…
In the early 1980’s, I made a drawing based on the theme of transformation, a sudden, intuitive grasp of reality – an epiphany. When it came time to make a new enamel to enter the Enamelist Society exhibition “Surfacing,” I had an epiphany,…
A step-by-step guide to single-row pavé settings Single-row pavé, which consists of a single row of small diamonds set into a narrow strip of metal, is a beautiful use of melee and one of the most popular setting styles today. While…
One of the most popular setting styles today, fishtail settings are one of the few setting methods that show off melee really well. It gets its name from the fact that when viewed from the side, the prongs flare out into two sections that resemble…
Securing curved stones when drilling can be a bit difficult. I use recycled ceramic china, beach pebbles, sea and river glass, and pottery shards in many of my cold connected pieces, which means I need to drill holes— a lot of holes. Very often,…
Making a simple or basic link chain to display your pendant designs is a great way to add further value to your work, and it can be a fairly easy process. When I make my own chain, I like to use 16 gauge (1.3 mm in diameter) wire. This gauge……
Editors Note: This article is excerpted from “A New Method for Preparing 3D Acrylic Photopolymer Patterns for Investment Casting,” a paper by James Binnion that was published in the proceedings of the 2016 Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry…
For the illusion of “floating objects” Helen I. Driggs shares her technique, a step by step guide, on how to mount objects in matel frames. ******************** Bi-directional tabs are a decorative way to secure delicate objects…
When I ran a trade shop, time was money, and I often found myself sizing 50 to 60 rings in a day. When you’re doing that kind of volume, being able to quickly size up rings can make a big difference on your bottom line. Here’s my technique for sizing……
Sometimes, holding on to really little parts is the greatest challenge of my day. I use tiny cabochons almost daily for rings and stone-on-stone work, and I can’t tell you how many 5 mm bezels I have mangled or lost trying to sand, polish,…
One of the most popular setting styles today, fishtail settings are one of the few setting methods that show off melee really well. It gets its name from the fact that when viewed from the side, the prongs flare out into two sections that resemble…
Below are steps for an easy way to create equal divisions in setting stones that jewelers need to know. Dividing something into equal parts is something jewelers do all the time. For example, you may have to set stones equally around a ring band…
A micro-waterjet device can be used to achieve fine matt finishes on precious metal surfaces. Parts required for this are: jet or wet lap hammer; slow-running compressor, vacuum apparatus, and pressure sprayer (Figure 1). 1 Fine-grain material…
Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain invented foldforming and demonstrates the technique in this video. Foldforming is a system of metalworking that uses the metal’s nature to rapidly make shapes that resemble chased and constructed…
Considered to be one of the richest and most important archaeological finds in Great Britain, the Ship Burial known as Sutton Hoo was found near present-day Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in 1939. Coins from the burial mound date the site no later…
I took in a broken hollow rope chain bracelet for repair this week. The bracelet had caught on a desk drawer and broke. I didn’t think it presented any special problems (outside of being hollow) until I looked further and noticed a couple…
The Flat Topped Solitaire Setting is a popular style setting that is slightly more complicated to set than the standard solitaire mounting. I prefer this ring design as it makes the smaller stone app ear slightly larger in its overall appearance.…
Steve Satow describes the procedure on creating a 14KW Rubellite Tourmaline Pendant. Creating a 14KW Rubellite Tourmaline Pendant Beginning components are two 14kw pendants, a lobster claw, a 6mm jump ring, a 16 inch strand of 6mm pearls…
Steve Satow shows the procedure for a customized earring setting pliers using a normal setting pliers. Normal setting pliers can be modified to set stones in loose heads and earrings. Please wear your safety glasses. Most setting pliers have…
Bezel setting the center sapphire is normally pretty straight-forward, but I would like to share a few tricks that have helped me improve the outcome. Please follow along as I bezel set this sapphire using a lathe or a watch-maker’s lathe.…
I received this opal from a woman who had cut it years ago. Her customer was aware it had a small chip on the corner and she was leery of setting it. I wasn’t sure if it had been kept hydrated or if it was more brittle that usual. She…
Single-row pavé, which consists of a single row of small diamonds set into a narrow strip of metal, is a beautiful use of melee and one of the most popular setting styles today. While more difficult than prong or bezel setting, it is a great first…
The use of area inlay, called damascening or woven inlay, is common in the ancient metalwork of Iran, India, Japan, Spain and other countries. Since most applications require the use of ferrous metals as base materials, area inlay is not often…
The casting investment process enjoys wide popularity in the production of commercial and one-of-a-kind art metal objects. However, production practice varies widely. At one extreme, design renderings are turned over to a production…
Titanium and the other refractory metals other the metalsmith a new range of exotic colors – colors that are beautiful and subtle. The saying “less is more applies to titanium since the colors are created by the refraction of light…
While I was in graduate school at San Diego State University I became interested in the anodizing process. I had been working with aluminum in jewelry for a while when Arline Fisch brought back some basic anodizing aluminum information from…
Early in 1984 Jack called to see if I’d be interested in creating an anniversary gift to celebrate twenty-five years of marriage with Ryoko. The question was posed “What can be created that Parallels the unique and creative skills…
As skill develops in spinning, it becomes more important to have a sense of what forms can be produced. To fully appreciate the range of shapes possible, a thorough knowledge of tooling is needed. “Tooling” denotes the specialized…
This is the second in a series of articles on the art and skill of rendering jewelry and small metal objects. Here we show the stages of rendering from pencil roughs to finished pencil renderings with color to full-color renderings, and discuss…
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you the technique of bead setting stones including creating the beads from scratch. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set a diamond in a princess setting with round prongs and v-shaped claws as well as a 5-stone wedding band to compliment a princess ring. Filmed in full HD 1080p.…
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set gems in a beautiful three-tier cluster setting with round claws and in a gypsy / flush setting. Filmed in Full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set a diamond in a bezel setting and a channel setting. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
Drawing on 40+ years of experience, Gerry Lewy shows you how to set a diamond in 4-prong and 6-prong solitaire settings. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to modify simple, everyday, common jewelry tools for better diamond and gem setting. Graver modification and burr modification and other tips for use of necessary…
Granulation, a technique used in jewelry and metalwork, is the decorative use of minute metal granules attached to the surface of the same metal, or, in some cases, attached to each other. In attaching the granules to a surface or to each other,…
This article, “Transparency Making for Photoetching”, is the first of two parts written by Allan Liu and Carol Webb. Check out the second part of this article series “Photoetching for the Studio Jeweler.”…
This article is the second of a three-part series on Metal Spinning by James Seavey discussing the techniques in developing spinning skills. The process of metal spinning involves the entire body. As with any hand-forming process, it is the…
Although the basic anodizing principles involved in the reactive metals have been discussed in the past, a deeper insight into the process can aid the artist in solving some of the technical problems encountered. The publication of my thesis,…
For the last couple years The W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro To Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects…
In the early 1980’s, I made a drawing based on the theme of transformation, a sudden, intuitive grasp of reality – an epiphany. When it came time to make a new enamel to enter in the Enamelist Society exhibition “Surfacing,”…
I was drawn to the idea of making enameled beads by Edmund Massow’s excellent article, “Enameling Copper Balls” (Glass on Metal, Issue 19, 2000). In the process of attempting to make cloisonne beads, however, I experienced…
This is a metal frame for a brooch which can be made without any soldering. Findings can be glued or riveted to the back of the frame. Fig 1. Bend over frame made from silver sheet You can enamel directly onto the frame or you can use it to glue……
For the last couple years The W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro To Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects…
This article, written by Dottie Wood, shares photos and step by step procedure on how to make a bas relief bowl. Read on for more details. I borrowed a kiln which had a controller that I could not figure out how to change the settings, which was for…
Procrastination can sometimes lead to wonderful discoveries. Tom Arnold, owner of Facets Fine Jewelry in Arlington, Virginia, found this out first hand, when his avoidance of a particularly nasty sizing job led him to whittle away some time…
Like many jewelers, Jacob Albee of Jacob Albee Goldsmith in Burlington, Vermont, buys stones without always knowing what he’s going to do with them. That was the case with a near-perfect circle of agate. “It was just a very cool translucent…
This is a beautiful old 14k yellow gold pocket watch. The outside view of the hinge shows bowing at the ends and small tears. Step by Step Pocket Watch Hinge Repair This picture shows considerable discoloration from rust and a hinge that…
Recently, a woman brought in her diamonds and asked to have a ring made with them. Her requirements were very simple. She wanted her I carat princess cut to be prong set as the center stone and her small princess cut melee to be channel set on either…
While at the Atlanta Bench Jewelers Conference, my friend Elesa Dillon (the national sales manager for Southern Jewelry News and Mid America Jewelry News, which I also write for) asked me to help her pick out a gemstone to have made into a ring.…
In the last issue of Bench Magazine I demonstrated how I would go about wax model carving for this unusual mother’s ring design. Bead and Bright Setting: The Four Bead Method The wax model has now been cast into Platinum with a 10%…
This article describes a step by step procedure of a pair of simple pliers to become a pair of customized head polishing pliers. These pliers are just simple by pass style but are heavy enough to hold heads for polishing. They just need to be…
Recently a customer requested that we make her an unusual mother’s ring. She chose a magnificent 3.56 ct. oval blue sapphire as her center stone and this design was made for her ring. The two bezel set side stones, one an emerald, the other…
The strength of Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing is similar to that of any other tool on the bench:it is most effective when itis the right tool for the job.Gemvision’s Matrix 4.0 provides users with powerful design, presentation,and…
This article by Steve Satow shares a step by step procedure on how t o make a customized ultrasonic sediment bucket. These are the parts you need for this project: A Gilmore plastic ball valve (that unlike regularball valves doesn’t choke…
Baguette stones have four corners and a rather deep pavilion. Because of this you must handle these stones with special care at all times. You must make sure that all the bearings being cut are totally in line with the long girdles of this shape…
This article describes step by step instructions how forged ring shank is done as described by Bradney W. Simon. For this solid shank we’re going to forge the shape out of a solid piece of platinum. The bottom of the ring across the finger…
It seems like a lot of laser repairs involve emeralds. I recall the Indiana Jones movies where “Indy” comes face to face with a snake (or snakes). “Snakes, I HATE SNAKES!” Have you ever been overheard saying, “Emeralds,…
The Grace Pendant was designed specially for the Heart Gala, a benefit for the American Heart Association that Stacey and I strongly support. The graceful curves of this white gold heart pendant embrace a pink sapphire that is accented with…
This article contains the following detailed steps to give you a better understanding why grinding and shaping onglette gravers are necessary and important. One of the most important aspects of diamond/stone setting is the correct preparation…
Advanced Jewelry Technologies (owned by this author) and Rio Grande are introducing a new CAD CAM system designed to make it far easier to make class rings, family crest jewelry, and corporate jewelry. This kit not only streamlines the concept…
Sometimes you get a job like this one. Your customer has a platinum and 18k yellow gold wedding band that doesn’t fit anymore. In this case (unlike most of us who have been married a while) the customer needs to have the band made smaller.…
As a traditional symbol of good luck, this piece is inspired by the horseshoe. It is dedicated to the power and grace of the race horse including those of our very own Iroquois Steeplechase. Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we…
This article is a step by step procedure in Laser Welding Solid Back on Opal Ring. The customer wanted a solid back on a ring in which the center stone wouldn’t take heat or where you would have to butcher the mounting to remove the stone.…
These step-by-step instruction manual guides the process (see procedure for making the class ring). With a core product to produce, endless variations are possible. The system consists of two components. These components are ring making…
This article describes the different tool alterations that any bench man needs to know and learn as guidance for their work and workmanship. These are simple chain nose pliers that are trimmed like in picture then the tip bent. After the seat…
There are several ways to make a “box-setting” for enameled work pieces. This is one way on how to make a bezel. The piece you are setting should be finished, because every piece gets a bit larger during enameling. Don’t make…
Cloisonné is a French word that means ‘to be confined,’ ‘to be cloistered.’ Traditionally, the cloisonné technique consists in making the contour of a picture by fixing very fine metallic threads on the piece…
For the last couple years the W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro to Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects…
With this procedure you can dome nearly all regular or irregular shapes or forms, as long as the edges or the corners of the form are not too tight. The procedure worked well with copper sheet up to 5 mm and fine silver sheet up to 8 mm thickness. Tools……
This is a HIDI, (How I Do It). It is not the only way to make a piece like this, there are probably better ways, but this one worked for me. I also assume you are familiar with all the basic goldsmithing techniques. Figure 1 – Completed Plique-a-Jour…
CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing) is bringing a new efficiency and profitability to the jewelry workplace. Who is better to use this technology than the bench jeweler with a working knowledge of jewelry construction? In…
This article offers instructions on how to resize platinum rings whether for a size smaller or bigger, as well as, repair bench tips and tricks. Rings are among the platinum items that jewelers most frequently receive for repair. To make a platinum…
This article is an extract from the book ‘Hinges and Hinge-Based Catches for Jewelers and Goldsmiths’ Not all sizes and wall thicknesses of tube come seamless from a factory or refiner. Especially when working in gold it is not…
Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece of jewelry to our line. In this issue will we will be working with our latest design. I’ll take you through every phase of production,…
This article provides a step by step procedure on how to do laser welding prong repairs on a ring. Laser Welding Prong Repairs Project Use a separating disk to grind the prong flat. Place a redi-prong on a metal surface and tap gently to…
Flush setting, or “gypsy setting” as it is sometimes known, is a somewhat exacting and delicate setting technique. The main reason it is called flush setting, and the key to the whole process, is that the table of the gemstone must…
This gemstone-encrusted shield is named in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare who was worshiped as a patroness of the arts and crafts. She is always shown with her magic shield. Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs,…
A knot is what you create when you tangle up a piece of string and join up the two ends, which you can then deform at leisure – that is to say an imbedding of a circle into space. An interlacing is what you get when you let several people play this game…
These pages contain a list of recommended tools to jewelry rendering, as well as a series of projects that I have used in classes. You could construct your own ‘self-study’ course using them.
These pliers notch round prongs easily to a given depth and replace a bur for the job. They are made to suit a specific size prong and one makes similar pliers for different prong shapes, but all based on this idea. One obtains a pair of chain nose…
You will require a 5 to 6 inch by 3 inch wide brass or copper tube, silver solder a cover on both ends a thicker one or double up for the base to retain the heat. Ideally the tube and top plate should be 1/8th inch thick with the base plate being.
We are assuming you are using W1 water hardening square stock drill rod, W1 tool steel. Many suppliers will sell W1 tool steel. It is often called drill rod (In England ‘silver steel’). It should be square for less work in tool making, but round…
Yes you can make your own earring posts. It is generally more cost effective to buy them, but making them is not a problem and there are times that it is useful to know how.
One requires a taper on the end of the wire to grip it with when placed through a drawplate for drawing. One may obtain this taper in several ways.
First one chooses an appropriate metal for the various parts, that is a metal with appropriate structural for it’s thickness and stress in use. In this catch there is little stress in use and therefore one can use even as soft metal as sterling…
The annealed metal is placed in a sandwich between soft ‘pusher’ paper and a hard paper which will serve as a monoprint paper die to emboss the metal sheet. The metal maybe pre-polished which leaves any areas that were cut out in the paper polished…
Extremely clean metal surfaces give better results. See the article on Cleaning metal Surfaces for more information on cleaning.
First the stone’s diameter is measured at the pavillion and a dent is made in metal for the pilot drill (about 1mm diameter). Then the metal is drilled The metal is drilled again until the hole is about 3/4 the size of the diameter. Lubricate the…
A ring fits well when it is no longer felt on the finger. If in the course of time the size of the finger changes or if the ring is to be fitted for another wearer, a sizing of the ring is necessary. The first step is to determine the finger size, which…
Because titanium behaves somewhat differently than the standard metals in the goldsmith’s workshop some special attention to its working is in order here. When sawing, begin the cut with a very light stroke, and increase the pressure only…
Featured are the materials for turquoise, platinum and 22-karat gold granulation earrings. The turquoise is 10.25 millimeters round and will be bezel set. The platinum is Pt-900-Ir, a platinum and iridium alloy. Once the platinum fabrication…
This project shows a challenging repair and reconstruction of earrings with a broken Omega clip and heat sensitive gemstones.
In high volume production operations, many jump rings need to be closed one after another. For such fast paced operations, pliers simply won’t do. Factory workers need efficient tools for closing jump rings. One such tool consists of a ring…
The construction process is simple enough if you have basic do-it-yourself skills. Firstly, assemble the timber frame as shown below using a length of 4×2 inch planed timber and a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood. In my case the base was…
This is a great modification of pliers to give you a tool that mimics the shape of your thumb and forefinger meeting, but can get into places where your fingers are too large to go.
For setting round brilliant gemstones in prongs, many setters and bench jeweler generalists use a 90 degree low speed bearing bur to cut a bearing in one prong at a time. This procedure is made easy by using the Foredom AllSet with the easy cut…
This Charles and Colvard created moissanite (hereafter referred to as moissanite) and two-tone karat gold in-line bracelet requires shortening by two links. The bracelet is held together by a heavy link-wire that’s wrapped around an open…
This custom job of 14 karat yellow gold earrings with diamonds and pink tourmaline is made easy using tack-welding technology. Tacking the pieces prior to soldering enabled me to ensure proper alignment and soldering procedures without…
Rolled folds are folds which utilize the rolling mill and it’s unique properties of equal, directional pressure on the plastic metal. Many pleated folds work well as do a series of flattened T-folds of various types. This one demonstrates…
Stone-in-place casting is growing in practice with manufacturers and retail manufacturing operations taking advantage of these labor saving techniques. Stone-in-place casting requires gemstones be properly set in the wax model prior…
Gravers are small cutting tools used for stone setting, texturing, de-burring and applying decorative embellishments and traditional hand engraving. Steps required to prepare new gravers include mounting, sizing, shaping, sharpening…
This article describes the steps to making a basic T-fold, one of the main categories of fold-forming. Numerous variations are possible from this simple starting place.
An experienced bench jeweler will often be able to create almost any design that doesn’t actually violate the laws of physics. But colored stones are softer and typically less durable than diamonds, and a setting designed for a diamond may…
One of the most important types of closures used in jewelry is the box clasp. This clasp and its many variations are usually built into jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces, and chains. However, as an exercise, this project demonstrates the…
This project will teach welding, soldering and forging techniques. The ring is a handsome, plain design and can be applied to many applications. To make this ring, you will need.
The size of the bath must correspond to the rectifier. You cannot have a huge bath and a small rectifier. The tank must be made of glass, polypropylene or polyethylene plastic. Plastic is preferred because there is less chance of breakage. You…
This article describes the steps to making a chased wedge T-fold. To begin with a loop is made from a rectangular piece of sheet metal. The loop is placed into the vise and the jaws clinched tight onto the loop. You can see the angle the loop is tilted…
These materials are for a platinum pendant and they include wire made of a platinum iridium alloy. This article covers a manufacturing method using tack-welding technology for making the wire setting for a pendant with a movable bail.
The assembly of this three stone pendant pendant appears simple but when using traditional methods to position and join the tiny parts it can be tricky and time consuming. Each of the bezel units will be connected by jump rings and will dangle…
Casting is the most important method of commercial jewelry production. Even for small workshops, lost-wax casting is often the fastest method for creating a jewelry piece, especially if there is any complexity to it. However, one of the things…
This paper describes two simple methods of creating a shield to be used on the end of a Foredom handpiece. The shield will prevent grindings and dust from being slung into the face. Always wear eye protection when using the handpiece.
David and Diana Howard, owners of My Jeweler, Inc. in Albuquerque , NM recently worked with a local church to design and manufacture a crown to be placed on a popular church icon painting. The churchs parishioners donated jewelry to the cause.…
This technique consists of the successive application of silver foil sheets, changing the colors of enamels among them, and then to wear away sectors, and discover each one of the colors used in the different layers. Apply the first of the layers…
This article covers routine repair and assembly projects accomplished using Mini Pulse Arc III. Tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc equipment settings will differ and are based upon the volume, amount of contact and alloy of the material you are…
When it comes to white gold, my customers want the brightest, whitest white they can get — and some are not willing to pay the premium prices palladium can command. So where do manufacturers turn for a bright white alloy that doesn ot require…
Step by Step Tutorial – Making Three-lead Four-bight Turks-head. The Turks-Head is a general class of three-dimensional knot that lends itself well to decorative uses. Materials required: 18ga Silver wire…
The boat fold branch of T-folds is an interesting avenue. It permits you to have a curving, concave table, and to produce shaped tables as well as other complex derivations. The basic boat is begun by making a wedge T-fold. After the first angle…
The word synclastic describes a form in which the dominant curves both move in the same direction. When the two dominant axes curve in opposite directions the result is known as an anticlastic form. A bowl is a synclastic form and a saddle is an…
With a simple corrugation tool and basic metalsmithing skills, you can make these great earrings. The newest toy in my studio is a Microfold Brake. I have been having a wonderful time learning what can be done with this tool, experimenting and…
Industrial liquid enamel is a versatile material. It can be used as a base coat, directly on the metal, or as subsequent coats. It can be used to coat one side at a time, or both sides at the same time. It can be applied by pouring, dipping, daubing…
This illustration is of a 14-karat white gold ring for three cultured freshwater pearls and two small accent diamonds. After preparing the wax, casting and pre-finishing, the ring was prepared for tack welding. There are 5 parts to be tacked…
This article features the manufacturing steps for a one-of-a-kind free-form pendant designed and created by Barney Jette. The center stone is a one-of-a-kind chrysoprase carving by Steve Walters, Ramona, CA and is highlighted by a cultured…
This project features a stock pair of earrings that are customized for cultured pearls. The request was to design earrings that would be unique, modern and functional – within a tight budget. To prepare them for the addition of 22-karat yellow…
David Nytch, proprietor of West ‘ Co. an independently owned jewelry store in Webster, NY is changing the way customers see his business. Nytch had observed that independently owned stores are often regarded by consumers as service centers…
Customize a standard insulated tweezers to easily hold small objects much tighter…
To learn the art of inlay, its best to start with the basics. This project will walk you through the fundamentals so that you become comfortable enough to move on to a more challenging project. Once you master this simple circular design, youll…
Mokume gane translated from Japanese means “wood eye metal.” This rare metal lamination process was developed and used by Japanese craftsmen in the 17th century for the adornment of samurai swords. Today, mokume gane jewelry is growing in…
This ring is in for repair and reconstruction. When it was originally made, 6-prong settings were used to mount the customers diamonds. All prong tops are severely worn and one prong has broken. The customer has requested bezel settings, so…
Steve Satow shows how to modify Standard insulated tweezers to become effective ring separating tweezers.
Before photography, lockets were decorated with miniature, handpainted portraits — a luxury few could afford. The advent of affordable photographic miniatures propelled the locket to the forefront of jewelry fashion during the sentimental…
Many tools sold in model/hobby stores can be used for jewelry making. During a recent visit to a hobby shop, I found these tube bending coils, which model makers use to build models that require bent tubing. Jewelry makers will find these coils…
Pewter, an alloy of tin, antimony, and copper, dominated European tableware for half a millennium until it was eclipsed by porcelain in the early 19th century. Now, almost two hundred years later pewter has entered a renaissance in the hands…
Available in a wide variety of formulas, epoxy resins are used in jewelry making as adhesives, as coatings, and for casting. This reference article outlines the safety requirements for mixing and working with epoxy resins and introduces…
Make the inner band the desired size first. 18 or 20 gauge is about right. Next make the bezel or inlay unit if it is an integral part of the design. Cut a paper template of the desired ring shape from stiff paper that fits over the inner band. The top…
Okay, so this is a bit esoteric. I mean, how many people do you know that make silver whistles. It all started with a commission from a captain of a racing yacht. He had lost his whistle and he wanted me to make one that also had the shape of a Christian…
Using a relatively inexpensive metal and casting it in an ingot mold, you can create a sophisticated design at the low price point many cash-strapped consumers are looking for these days. Using silver casting grain minimizes costs and maximizes…
Fabrics and precious metals would seem to be total opposites, like hot and cold or yin and yang. However, despite their obvious differences in hardness, they do possess similar properties-specifically, both are pliable and elastic, and…
The links in this 16-in. (40.6cm) necklace are forged so they become flat and work-hardened. The pearl in the featured necklace is held in place merely by the tension between the wire loops in the pendant. Four styles of links define the spare…
Jewelers have been going green for many years by recycling old or worn-out tools into something new and useful. Setting burrs, normally used to cut seats in prongs, can’t be used once they become worn or damaged. But instead of throwing them…
A worn-out bristle brush can easily be recycled into a useful tool called a whip burnisher or rotary hammer to improve or even eliminate minor imperfections and surface porosity in castings and other metal surfaces.
Making a bezel for many stones such as an antique cushion garnet can be difficult when the mandrels on hand do not fit. With the miniature stakes the whole process is quick and easy. The side benefit is that they are more precise than only using…
In this project, I will demonstrate a clever method of making equally sized beads. These beads can be used for granulation or decoration, or they can be soldered inside rings to keep the rings from turning while worn.
Often when soldering, it is necessary to use cross-lock tweezers to hold or steady the piece(s) being soldered. The pressure exerted by the arms of the tweezers can often by strong enough to deform the metal being soldered. The modification…
Use basic metalsmithing skills to create a brooch inspired by forms found in nature. Since the earliest civilizations, the leaf shape has been an inspiration for jewelry. With this 4 1/2 x 13/4-in. (11.4 x 4.4cm) brooch, you can evoke the beauty…
A short while back I prepared this short photo tutorial showing how I make leaves from metal. I have use this method whenever shaping leaves that adorn my creations. The tools are minimal and the process is straight forward. The leaf shown was…
Photoetching metal is simple AND FUN! Etching can be used for printing processes, as an artifact of art, or for roller print embellishment. It involves a mordant (acid) to etch an image onto metal and a resist to repel the mordant. A resist can…
This fold is an example of forging on the open side, and introduces how to use hardness dams in foldforming. Dams are work hardened spots, lines, or patterns within the sheet. This form illustrates the way we can use hardness dams to direct the…
After you learn to apply enamels by sifting, wet packing, brushing on crackle and firing the base coats, you are ready for some of the simple techniques that require only a feel for color. You can design a piece by repeating one technique or learning…
Sawing is an essential skill for a bench jeweler. This article will show you a technique that will increase your sawing speed and accuracy when you need to make sharp corner cuts and reduce your likelihood of breaking delicate saw blades. …
These tweezers are great for gripping melee when straight tips don’t give you enough clearance. They allow you to slide melee down the channel without loosing your grip.
Tom Dougherty of Studio 2015 in Woodstock, Illinois, had an interesting process to share about making hoop earrings from tubing. He learned the process from Kenneth Guth, a neighboring goldsmith and acclaimed knife maker. By all accounts,…
Every now and then when you are fabricating a piece or polishing a casting, a hole or hollow will pop up that needs to be filed and smoothed. You can usually get at it using a bur and abrasive tools in your flex-shaft. But when you just can’t reach…
Making prong settings for items that can not be fired in place. I would like to take you on an exploratory trip by incorporating Titanium into a piece of fine artisan jewelry that is beautiful on the front, and just as interesting on the back. Because…
Jewelers and metalsmiths have had to make their own tools throughout the ages to accomplish different tasks at the jeweler’s bench. One tool a jeweler can’t do without is a hammer. Today, many styles of hammers, made in a variety of shapes and…
Fold-forming is a hand-working technique applied to single sheets of metal to create surfaces and three-dimensional forms quickly without soldering. It relies on the metal’s plasticity and ductility to make hundreds of complex forms resembling…
Many stone setters would agree that one of the most challenging aspects of prong setting is getting the prongs down tight on the stone. It’s easy to take this process for granted. If it’s done well, you might never notice. But doing it poorly can…
This page describes the steps to making a basic wedge T-fold
When a customer brings you a 4.27 carat, E color, VS1 clarity, Asscher cut diamond, it’s tough not to be intimidated and awed. The client, one of my best customers, also had very specific requirements for the platinum bridal set that would house…
A design riddled with undercuts and sharp little details just screams casting nightmare the moment the CAD file shows up. But sometimes even the most straightforward looking designs can cause real headaches for the caster. Take for example…
If you’re designing jewelry using CAD, understanding how the piece will be cast and then set and finished at the bench can mean the difference between failure and success. When modeling prong settings, there are a few tricks you can use to ensure…
The soldering process, used extensively in all aspects of jewelry manufacturing and repair, joins two or more pieces of metal together and when done properly, will result in a virtually undetectable seam. A better understanding of the soldering…
One persistent daily challenge a bench jeweler faces is trying to figure out the best way to hold onto tiny, delicate objects while performing mechanical operations such as sawing, filing or burring bearings for stone setting.
There…
In the course of my 30 years in the jewelry industry, I can recall many instances of damaged equipment and potentially dangerous situations caused by how the handpiece is connected to the flexshaft. Here are a few observations that can make…
Stand straight, facing the work. Once you get yourself into this correct body posture, use your feet to move yourself so that your arm is comfortably bent to slightly greater than a right angle, with the face of the hammer resting on the metal…
Everybody scampers for executing orders in a rush against all odds to satisfy customers or – if you’#39;re lucky – to make customers smile with a piece you’#39;ve created with your craft.
But how about yourself? Why not take the time, unwind…
Dichroic glass is simply beautiful. Often referred to as dichro or dicro, the term refers to multiple ultra-thin microlayers of metal oxides which are evaporated onto the surface of glass in a vacuum chamber. These oxides change the way that…
Rings with by-pass shanks are right hand and left hand specific and are not interchangeable. When creating a ring with a by-pass shank, the side of the shank closest to the hand should come from the side of little finger. The ring will then sit…