[Jewelry making - Article 00148] - Re: [Orchid] Technology & Design

[Jeffrey Everett]

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    Hi Kevin You didn't offend me, nor I am sure anyone else. I admire
    your dedication to hand crafting. Please don't get me wrong. I spent
    my first 25 years or so in the trade highly specialized in hand
    making fine jewelry. Not milling, not wax carving, but melting and
    pouring gold into ingot molds, rolling into a usable form, sawing
    into the shapes I needed and soldering them together with wax and
    plaster support methods and so on. I azured the backs of my settings,
    created fine chenier work, hand made thousands of fancy heads, hand
    made wired platinum bracelets, etc. 

    What happened in my case is that I desired to transcend the limited
    capabilities of my own handwork in creating ultra fine detail, near
    perfect symmetry and if nothing else, to simply explore the
    possibilities of any new tool however cerebral it may be. What I do
    now is incorporate elements I create using the mill or rapid
    prototyping with fabrication technique, and I also create many pieces
    from wax or metal molds solely using my computer and milling machine
    or rapid prototyping service bureaus. I also still hand fabricate
    from rolled metal where it is more appropriate. 

    I don't think anyone is ever going to produce anti-clastic raising
    using a computer, replicate the artistic subtleties of fine hand
    engraving nor any other types of pieces where this technology is
    inappropriate. On the other hand, now that am exciting new tool is
    available, I avail myself of it, as do many other craftsmen. The idea
    is not to replace the craftsman or his skills, but to extend the tool
    set available so he or she can produce whatever design is desired. 

    I add that I hope I did not offend your sensibilities in any way in
    my earlier post, or in this one. I have ultimate respect for all
    craftsmen, and especially jewelers that create such beautiful items
    by hand. I count myself among fine handworkers as well as adapters of
    new tools. 

Jeffrey Everett


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