Jewellery Construction Methods

It always amuses me when I browse our so-called "competitors" websites and read that a jeweller describes their products as handmade, and then elsewhere on their site they go on to describe their methods. Where they use CAD software to prepare a design, then a machine automatically carves the design in wax! It begs the question; What part of that process is "handmade"?

The terms "Unique" and "Handmade" are overused and abused by unscrupulous retailers desperate for your cash. Here at Daniel Prince everything we produce is entirely handmade; hand-fabricated from scratch using platinum or gold wire/sheet. But what exactly does hand fabrication actually mean, and why is it the highest quality?

Have you ever noticed how sometimes two pieces of jewellery which look very similar at a cursory glance can actually vary greatly in price? Most consumers find this confusing because many luxury products appear identical; yet on closer examination the real difference will be revealed. One distinguishing factor with luxury jewellery such as our bespoke engagement rings is the quality of the gemstones and diamonds used. Subtle differences in cut, colour and clarity of diamonds or coloured gemstones can significantly affect the value and the appearance of a finished piece of jewellery.

Differentiating between various grades and cut of gemstones is one thing but distinguishing the differences in the construction of the jewellery itself is a less obvious factor, but much of the ability of a fine piece of jewellery to wear well and last for generations depends entirely upon the method of construction, the quality of materials used and the skill and diligence of the jeweller.

Cheap CAD-produced cast jewellery simply cannot be compared to something that has been made from scratch by hand. If a jeweller describes their work as handmade and they use CAD machines to prepare wax models to make it, how many other lies are they willing to tell you?

casting - die striking - eletroplating - hand fabricated

Casting

Casting involves many steps. First a mould is made, then molten metal is forced into the mould. Finally the metal is solidified into the jewellery mounting. This process is used to make the least expensive items of jewellery. Poor casting can result from such things as using too much scrap gold, silver or platinum relative to new metal, a misalignment of the mould, improper use of alloys and poor casting. The result is a mounting that is structurally weak and therefore does not last as long. Telltale signs of a poor casting include pits or bubbles (called porosity) often only visible with magnification on the underside of the setting. These indicate a poor casting that will likely not hold up over time. Likewise, the prongs of the setting may be structurally very weak and put the gemstone or diamond at risk of being lost. Cast pieces also tend to have softer edges and less detail because they are mechanically finished as opposed to being finished by hand.

Improper Cast Jewellery Results of Improperly Cast jewellery 1. Gas porosity. This may be scattered throughout the piece of jewellery and also may concentrate in corners, such as at the junctions of prongs or in galleries. It shows itself as tiny holes or blotches on highly polished surfaces. 2. Shrinkage porosity. Generally located in thicker areas of a piece of jewellery, this appears as starbursts or irregular cracks in the metal. 3. Cracks. Look for cracks anywhere in the cast jewellery, the result of overheating (or in some cases underheating) the metal. 4. Investment inclusions. "Chunks" of the white investment powder used in the casting process may sometimes appear on an item. Usually removed through standard cleaning after casting, it leaves behind a square-cornered depression. 5. Pits other than porosity. These include depressions from air holes the wax worker didn't detect in the wax. If the wax has minute holes when it's cast, it will absorb investment, ultimately leaving a void in the cast item.

Some bench jewellers try to fill porosity with solder, a practice that results in speckled discoloured areas. There is no remedy for porosity; in most cases, the mounting should be remade. It's important to note, the vast majority of jewellery sold is made from castings.

Die-Striking

Die Stamping Die-striking is a finer type of construction found in better quality pieces of mass-produced jewellery. The process of die-striking involves taking the jewellery metal and placing it between dies and forming it in a hydraulic press at high levels of pressure. The result is an item of higher density and a tighter atomic structure. This greatly improves the strength of the setting, versus casting. Pieces of jewellery that are die-struck are stronger, wear longer, take a higher polish and show greater detail than a cast piece. A die-struck engagement ring might cost twice as much as a cast mounting, but would be more durable and more beautiful.

Electroforming

Electromforming Electroforming creates an item of jewellery by applying subsequent layers of metal across a model. This process produces a durable yet lightweight item of jewellery. A good application for this type of construction is in the manufacture of earrings. jewellery produced using this method can be readily identified as being lightweight relative to size and often having unusual textured finishes.

Handmade or Hand Fabricated

Handmade or Hand fabricated This refers to the most expensive and rarest type of jewellery construction. jewellery made prior to 1900 was frequently made in this way. Hand-fabricated refers to jewellery made from scratch by hand tools with no prefabricated or mass produced component parts. A fine hand-made piece of jewellery should be constructed well with great attention to detail. When well made, these pieces are extremely durable and make excellent heirloom quality pieces. However not all hand-made pieces of jewellery are created equal. The quality of a hand-made piece of jewellery can vary greatly among jewellers based on their level of experience, expertise and the materials used. In general, hand-made jewellery made from scratch (not from prefabricated parts) is considerably more expensive than previously described methods such as casting. To give some sense of difference in price, a platinum cast ring for a three stone setting might cost £300 to £500. A platinum hand-made three stone setting might cost £1000 to £1500. The difference is obvious to an expert and over time the difference in the durability and wearability becomes obvious to the owner too. Every single Daniel Prince bespoke jewel is made entirely by hand.