Everything You Need to Know About Jewellery Making

Artisans have been practising various jewellery making techniques for centuries, and most industry professionals still use them up to this day. Here are some of them:

The Cloisonné method originated in Egypt (1800 B.C.) and also landed in China (early to mid-14^th century) and Japan (mid-19^th century onward). In this ancient technique, a jewellery maker solders flat metal strips made of brass, silver, gold, or copper into the surface of a metal object. This process creates small, thinly-walled cellular compartments. These tiny compartments are filled with inlays of cut gemstones or other types of precious materials or colourful vitreous enamel paste. The last step is that the jewellery is heated at a high temperature and fired in a kiln to give it a smooth finish and polish.

One of the oldest jewellery making methods is the lost wax costing which is believed to have originated from the 3^rd century B.C. Also known as cire perdue, the process involves a jewellery maker using a wax mould to produce metal alloys. Through this technique, one can use gold, silver, bronze, brass, and other common metals to create jewellery. It can also replicate as many similar pieces of jewellery as possible. In addition to making jewellery, the procedure is used for building sculptures and ornaments. The oldest known produced jewellery through lost wax casting is a 6,000-year-old amulet created by a society in the Indus Valley.

A relatively modern technique is the Filigree method. This became a popular jewellery making procedure in the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. It involves twisting thin metal threads and converting them into lace-like patterns. To create a larger piece, the jewellery maker combines the fine wire pieces using solder, with or without gemstone accents. The entire process can be time-consuming as it is repeated by hand until the desired look is achieved.

Jewellery making involves a lot of intricate processes. If you are an aspiring jewellery maker, be ready to take several steps before producing your final masterpiece.

The first step in creating jewellery is coming up with a concept. Sometimes, this can be the most difficult part, unless you have already envisioned a jewellery design for a long time.

In jewellery designing, you must conduct research to determine whether your concept will sell in the market and is unique from retail stores.

If it’s viable, you also need to consider its potential and appeal to people. You may also want to check if your jewellery concept is safe and cost-effective.

Once you have determined your desired jewellery piece, it’s time to start breathing life into your idea. You can start by doing a simple sketch on paper. You can experiment with various colors and shapes, as well as the types of materials you would like to use for your jewellery.

As you label each part of the jewellery, you will also be able to get an idea of which tools you will need.

Jewellery making supplies will depend on what type of jewellery you are trying to create. For instance, wire-wrapped jewellery can easily be produced even with simple tools at home.

If the jewellery piece contains precious metals, it may require a torch and soldering equipment. You will need a kiln to make fused glass or metal clay jewellery pieces, while a centrifugal casting machine is required for casting precious metals.

In the professional jewellery making world, the approved design will be handed over to the artisan for moulding and casting. Jewellery moulding is a process done by hand wherein the artisan forms a jewellery design into a master mould.

Meanwhile, jewellery casting is a complex process that involves placing a wax mould into a steel container, filling it with investment powder, and heating it in a heat chamber. After moulding and casting, the artisan will work on the jewellery’s finish through matte, satin, hammered, brushed, and high polish techniques.

The next step of the jewellery making process is selecting the stones that are required for the design. Craftsmen will consider which stone weights and sizes are suitable for jewellery. Once every item is finalised, the setting specialist will carefully add each gemstone to the cast material under the lens of a microscope.

The second to last stage is the deburring, polishing, buffing, and cleaning of the jewellery piece. These processes will achieve the jewellery’s highest degree of shine and smoothness. The jewellery then goes through an electro-deposition process or plating. It increases the jewellery’s wearability and durability.

Like any other industry, the final item needs to undergo quality control. A specialised team inspects every part of the jewellery for any possible defect. A chief artisan does this job in some companies.