The intricate process of making jewellery lies in the extreme preventive measures undertaken to ensure that each piece is beautifully welded. If you have a liking to wearing ornamental pieces and bracelets, you surely would have wondered how they are made and processed. But how does the process of jewellery making take place?
The Traditional Way
You can trace the traditional way of jewellery making back to predated times when the artisans spent most of their days perfecting the craft of stone and gem placements. The attractive gems and materials freshly excavated from the ground and caves were chiselled, hammered, pounded and refined to their intended sizes. These processes were also made by incorporating the following techniques:
- Filigree: This technique uses heat and pouring through various gemstones to create a perforation, making thin wires. At that time, the artisans used thinned wires made from silver, gold, and copper to create exciting patterns and symbols of flowers or animals. Silver jewellery also incorporates this type of technique to create elegant designs.
- Cloisonne: It is an ancient technique where a glass component is inserted into a compartment of metals. The process is then initially started by setting the rig at higher temperatures to create a vibrant design. This jewellery making technique is pervasively practised in ancient China and some regions of Japan.
The New way
The contemporary method in jewellery making involves incorporating a traditional approach such as lost wax casting and adding computer-controlled tools. The sophistication of the materials and the process today has helped produce detailed designs and styles. However, some jewellery production companies still consult the assistance and guidance of seasoned and well-trained artisans for their expansive skill and mastery. Those companies that have silver jewellery employ these artisans to complete their unique and distinct design ideas.
- Jewellery Moulding: The process involves moulding the pre-formed jewellery piece into a master mould. The old way of moulding is still done by hand by artisans. However, with the advent of advances in technology, the jewellery moulding process is now gradually substituted with a computer algorithm’s facilitated guidance. Additionally, the moulding phase of jewellery making is the most time-consuming part since the incredible attention to detail and the appropriate selection of the material must be taken of the highest consideration and priority.
- Jewellery casting: Jewellery casting is the part of the jewellery making process that involves placing a steel in a container and pre-filling it with an investment powder like those materials found in plaster of Paris. It is then cooked at a certain temperature to attain the intended shape. Gradually, the heat will build-up, and the material will consolidate to form a wax. The material is then poured into a container, and the finishing is polished by using several methods. The most common ones are the brushing and hammering.
Selection and Embellishing
After the entirety of preparing and melting of metals, the stones are then cast for selection and sortation. The stone size and weight are considered if they would appropriately fit a certain design. After which, the final polishing and plating are then initiated.
