Mark B. Mann

Contributions From Mark B. Mann

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Box Clasp Tongue Repair

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Box Clasp Tongue Repair

This 14-karat yellow gold heavy bracelet chain has a broken tongue at its critical springy location. An ideal method for...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Pearl and Diamond Pendant

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Pearl and Diamond Pendant

This karat gold pendant design calls for several solder joints in close proximity. To facilitate the assembly, I tack and/or...
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22K Gold Granulation on Turquoise Earrings

22K Gold Granulation on Turquoise Earrings

Featured are the materials for turquoise, platinum and 22-karat gold granulation earrings. The turquoise is 10.25 millimeters round and will...
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Repairing an Omega Earring Clip

Repairing an Omega Earring Clip

This project shows a challenging repair and reconstruction of earrings with a broken Omega clip and heat sensitive gemstones.
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Moissanite Necklace Repair with Welding Technology

Moissanite Necklace Repair with Welding Technology

This necklace contains Charles ' Colvard created moissanite. It has been mistakenly pulled and a few links have broken. Repairing...
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Repairing a Sterling Silver Shell Cameo Pin

Repairing a Sterling Silver Shell Cameo Pin

Repairs and alterations of jewelry that has been in families for generations is an ongoing request at retail service departments....
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Making a Yellow Gold and Platinum Ring

Making a Yellow Gold and Platinum Ring

This two-part series highlights tips and techniques, tools and accessories and procedures for custom making the 18 karat yellow gold...
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Installing and Repairing Hinge Rivets

Installing and Repairing Hinge Rivets

Installing or repairing hinge rivets can be difficult with a torch. Flooding a hinge with solder and permanently joining a...
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Prong Setting Round Brilliant Gemstones

Prong Setting Round Brilliant Gemstones

For setting round brilliant gemstones in prongs, many setters and bench jeweler generalists use a 90 degree low speed bearing...
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Foredom’s New Finishing Products

Foredom’s New Finishing Products

JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler Linda Steinke uses Foredom's new pre-finishing wheels and polishing compound to finish fabricated and cast...
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Flush Setting Round Brilliant Diamonds in Platinum

Flush Setting Round Brilliant Diamonds in Platinum

Seated at his bench, David Howard, owner of My Jeweler, Inc. in Albuquerque , NM contemplates and prepares his work...
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Foredom Bench Lathe Kit

Foredom Bench Lathe Kit

Understanding and using updated materials will help you accomplish pre-finishing and finishing requirements professionally and efficiently. Here's a brief overview...
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Foredom Milling Assembly for Wax Components

Foredom Milling Assembly for Wax Components

Bill Holman uses modern technology to create his designed line of jewelry featuring Drusy gemstones. Wanting his jewelry designs to...
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Wax Build-Up Procedures

Wax Build-Up Procedures

The Foredom Wax Carver (WC-1) is a new wax worker recently made available to the jewelry industry by The Foredom...
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Platinum Ring Sizing and Torch Welding

Platinum Ring Sizing and Torch Welding

Sizing and torch welding a platinum ring with diamonds channel set down the shank could be risky to the diamonds....
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Bracelet Shortening and Reassembling

Bracelet Shortening and Reassembling

This Charles and Colvard created moissanite (hereafter referred to as moissanite) and two-tone karat gold in-line bracelet requires shortening by...
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Making Custom-Designed Earrings Using Welding Technology

Making Custom-Designed Earrings Using Welding Technology

This custom job of 14 karat yellow gold earrings with diamonds and pink tourmaline is made easy using tack-welding technology....
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Jewelers’ Gripping Tools

Jewelers’ Gripping Tools

Euro Tool, Inc. offers a wide variety of innovative and standard holding device's to make working at the bench easier,...
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Foredom Micro Motor Kit Review

Foredom Micro Motor Kit Review

This article features Bill Holman who bezel sets a 2.55 ct. trillion diamond, 0.03 ct. round brilliant diamonds and engraves...
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Foredom TX Flexshaft

Foredom TX Flexshaft

When manufacturing and repairing jewelry products, rotary equipment is essential to the process. Nothing is more frustrating or potentially damaging...
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Wax Tools Update

Wax Tools Update

Euro Tool, Inc. has developed five wax tool kits and a cordless wax pen for the overall improvement of wax...
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Warrior Power Tool System

Warrior Power Tool System

New patented Warrior Power Tool System kit provides a revolutionary proficiency advantage for bench jewelers and jewelry manufacturers for split-lap...
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Tru-Seat Setting System

Tru-Seat Setting System

Hoover ' Strong, Inc. in Richmond, VA provides a line of Tru-Seat settings that include solitaire earrings, pendants and solitaire...
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3M Bur and Polish Wheels

3M Bur and Polish Wheels

3M XR wheels, formerly known as XK wheels are ideal for sprue removal and smooth deburring with minor surface reduction....
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Finishing the Inside of a Platinum Ring

Finishing the Inside of a Platinum Ring

Jeff Mathews has developed a process for polishing the inside of platinum rings using 3M abrasive technology. To illustrate how...
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3M Radial Bristle Discs Proficiency Advantage

3M Radial Bristle Discs Proficiency Advantage

3M Radial Bristle Discs were introduced to the jewelry industry in 2000. Additional discs and end brushes have been added...
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Channel Setting Tools Designed For Wax

Channel Setting Tools Designed For Wax

Stone-in-place casting is growing in practice with manufacturers and retail manufacturing operations taking advantage of these labor saving techniques. Stone-in-place...
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Steps for Graver Preparation

Steps for Graver Preparation

Gravers are small cutting tools used for stone setting, texturing, de-burring and applying decorative embellishments and traditional hand engraving. Steps...
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CAD/CAM Wedding Set Finishing and Setting

CAD/CAM Wedding Set Finishing and Setting

Computer aided design (CAD) was used to develop three designs in multiple views to show the customer. After the design...
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Setting a Three Stone Ring with Foredom Tools

Setting a Three Stone Ring with Foredom Tools

This three stone ring designed by Barney Jette has two flush set trillion sapphire side stones with a total weight...
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Award Winning Cufflinks by Bill Holman

Award Winning Cufflinks by Bill Holman

These cufflinks designed by Bill Holman were award winners in the AGTA 2004 Spectrum design competition. They are 18-karat yellow...
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Making a Platinum Wire Setting

Making a Platinum Wire Setting

These materials are for a platinum pendant and they include wire made of a platinum iridium alloy. This article covers...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Ring Prong Replacement

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Ring Prong Replacement

This 14-karat yellow gold, emerald and diamond ring has a broken prong requiring prong replacement. Steece Hermanson will replace the...
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Making Custom-Designed Diamond and Tourmaline Earrings

Making Custom-Designed Diamond and Tourmaline Earrings

The customer has selected the pair of earrings shown the rough sketch. The top portion is cast, the bottom piece...
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How to Make a Three Stone Dangle Pendant

How to Make a Three Stone Dangle Pendant

The assembly of this three stone pendant pendant appears simple but when using traditional methods to position and join the...
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Making a Double Domed Pendant

Making a Double Domed Pendant

This article covers techniques for making an 18-karat double domed yellow gold pendant. The front side will have a bezel...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Sterling Silver Bracelet

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Sterling Silver Bracelet

To demonstrate how pulse-arc welding performs on sterling silver, this bracelet was cast, finished and assembled without the use of...
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Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 1

Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 1

Proper holding and firm contact between parts during tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc-welding is essential. Aside from pieces not meeting properly,...
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Remount Preparation Using Tack Welding

Remount Preparation Using Tack Welding

Tacking settings in location on remounts using tack-welding technology offers the bench jeweler many advantages over traditional assembly methods... Tack-welding...
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Phillip Voetsch’s Jewelry Design Process

Phillip Voetsch’s Jewelry Design Process

Phillip Voetsch is an accomplished designer and master level bench jeweler, he began using 3D CAD/CAM technology 3 1/2 years...
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Making a White Gold and Turquoise Cameo Pendant

Making a White Gold and Turquoise Cameo Pendant

This article covers techniques for making this custom designed 14-karat white and 22-karat yellow gold granulated pendant for a customers...
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Making a Crown Using Welding Technology

Making a Crown Using Welding Technology

David and Diana Howard, owners of My Jeweler, Inc. in Albuquerque , NM recently worked with a local church to...
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Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 2

Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 2

Custom jewelry projects for tack-, fusion-, and pulse-arc-welding sometimes call for special welding tool lead attachments. Bench jewelers often make...
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Fixturing Using Welding Technology

Fixturing Using Welding Technology

Fixturing is a technique of using tack- and/or pulse-arc welding technology to temporarily position parts prior to soldering, pulse-arc or...
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Jewelry Design and Manufacturing Process

Jewelry Design and Manufacturing Process

At GLJW it iss not unusual to see the sales staff wearing jewelers aprons and optivisors at one of the...
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Jewelry Repairs with ABI Mini Pulse Arc III

Jewelry Repairs with ABI Mini Pulse Arc III

This article covers routine repair and assembly projects accomplished using Mini Pulse Arc III. Tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc equipment settings...
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Pearl Earring Repair Using Mini Pulse III

Pearl Earring Repair Using Mini Pulse III

14-karat yellow gold cultured freshwater pearl and diamond earrings will be repaired as a demonstration of the new Mini Pulse...
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Making a Pearl and Diamond Ring

Making a Pearl and Diamond Ring

This illustration is of a 14-karat white gold ring for three cultured freshwater pearls and two small accent diamonds. After...
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Foredom AllSet Preparation for Prong Bearings

Foredom AllSet Preparation for Prong Bearings

The Foredom AllSet Master Stone-Setting Kit includes prong, pave, channel-cutting guides and a fixture that attaches it to a Foredom...
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950 Palladium: Making a 3-Stone Ring

950 Palladium: Making a 3-Stone Ring

When heated to high heat soldering temperatures, some 950 palladium alloys will develop a bluish-purple surface discoloration. It is easily...
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950 Palladium: White Metal Alloys

950 Palladium: White Metal Alloys

Of late, an increasing number of white precious metal alloys have been introduced into the jewelry marketplace in answer to...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Creating Jewelry

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Creating Jewelry

For this project, the No. 1 tip was used with the ABI Pulse Arc Welder. Five tips come with the...
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How To Avoid Destructive Tack-Welds

How To Avoid Destructive Tack-Welds

As a technical adviser to bench jewelers I often troubleshoot tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc-welding applications. One of the more frequently...
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10 Key Ingredient of Retail Success

10 Key Ingredient of Retail Success

After 30 years in the jewelry industry working as a bench jeweler, sales professional, manager and owner, Michael Gerwig had...
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950 Palladium: Fabricating Custom Earrings

950 Palladium: Fabricating Custom Earrings

This article examines manufacturing procedures used to hand fabricate 950 palladium earrings. These custom earrings designed by Lainie Mann feature...
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Manufacturing a Free-Form Pendant

Manufacturing a Free-Form Pendant

This article features the manufacturing steps for a one-of-a-kind free-form pendant designed and created by Barney Jette. The center stone...
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Creating a 950 Palladium and Diamond Ring

Creating a 950 Palladium and Diamond Ring

This ring design provides an excellent example for gemstone setting and working characteristics of 950 palladium. The superior white color...
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The Jewelry of Barney Jette

The Jewelry of Barney Jette

Barney Jette and wife Nancy Ball have built a retail success story, solely focused on jewelry featuring Jettes design. The...
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950 Palladium: 22K Granulation Wedding Band

950 Palladium: 22K Granulation Wedding Band

This band was designed and rendered using Gemvision Matrix jewelry design software. The 22-karat granulation beads measure approxiametely 1.0 millimeter...
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CAD/CAM: Passion and Innovation

CAD/CAM: Passion and Innovation

Greg Stopka and his wife Lee began JewelSmiths 18 years ago with a belief they could succeed by providing jewelry...
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Customized Stock Earrings

Customized Stock Earrings

This project features a stock pair of earrings that are customized for cultured pearls. The request was to design earrings...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Closing Chains

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Closing Chains

This sterling silver chocker chain is handmade from 16 gauge round wire. It has multiple interlocking links. The customer leads...
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Fixing Magnetic Finisher with MF610

Fixing Magnetic Finisher with MF610

After several years of use, the small stainless-steel pins in my magnetic finisher had became dark, were stuck together and...
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CAD/CAM Design and Model Making Services

CAD/CAM Design and Model Making Services

Retailers seeking designers and model makers for fulfilling custom orders or for developing new designs exclusive to their inventories have...
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Custom Designed Wax Carving

Custom Designed Wax Carving

This article features the wax carving steps for this custom made pendant designed and created by Bill Holman. The center...
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Reconstructing Earrings Using Welding Technology

Reconstructing Earrings Using Welding Technology

These fashion drop earrings contain oval diamonds weighing 1.78 carats. The customer is concerned about loss because of the open...
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Custom Antique Coin Pendant

Custom Antique Coin Pendant

This article features manufacturing steps for a custom designed 14-karat yellow gold and diamond coin pendant. The coin pendant featured...
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Paul Klecka Joins the Digital Revolution

Paul Klecka Joins the Digital Revolution

Without a doubt, jewelry designer Paul Klecka has joined the digital jewelry design revolution. Evolving from a traditional business model...
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Foredom Redesigned Series SR Flexible Shaft

Foredom Redesigned Series SR Flexible Shaft

Foredom has redesigned the popular Series SR Flexible Shaft motor. It has more power/torque and is rated at 1/6 HP...
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New Efficient Bench Applications

New Efficient Bench Applications

Pre-finishing, finishing, polishing and re-finishing have all been tasks usually done with a flexible shaft at the bench and/or a...
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950 Palladium: Selling Points

950 Palladium: Selling Points

Designers and manufacturers have embraced 950 palladium alloys for a variety of jewelry manufacturing products. At the recent JA Jewelry...
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950 Palladium: Superior White Color

950 Palladium: Superior White Color

Striking differences between elements such as color, tone, texture, reflection, refraction, pattern and shape create contrast. Contrast not only enhances...
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950 Palladium: Setting Fabrication

950 Palladium: Setting Fabrication

This simple pendant design will be made with 950 palladium wire. Tack-welding technology will be used to temporarily hold the...
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CAD/CAM and Expertise of David Nytch

CAD/CAM and Expertise of David Nytch

David Nytch, proprietor of West ' Co. an independently owned jewelry store in Webster, NY is changing the way customers...
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950 Palladium Bridal Jewelry Manufacturing

950 Palladium Bridal Jewelry Manufacturing

Retailers have been converting bridal inventories from white gold to palladium as manufacturers expand the selection of new palladium jewelry...
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Making a 950 Palladium Signet Ring

Making a 950 Palladium Signet Ring

The natural beauty of this white, bright and light palladium ring is enhanced with hand engraving of initials done in...
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Granulation Using Fusion Welding

Granulation Using Fusion Welding

This ring is manufactured using Hoover and Strongs 14-karat white gold alloyed with palladium. It was cast using standard casting...
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Installing New Tapered Bezels

Installing New Tapered Bezels

This ring is in for repair and reconstruction. When it was originally made, 6-prong settings were used to mount the...
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Setting and Shank Assemblies

Setting and Shank Assemblies

Setting and shank assemblies are routine work in many retail manufacturing jewelry shops. Heres a method for expediting this process...
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Hart Jewelers Drive for Growth

Hart Jewelers Drive for Growth

Hart Jewelers in Grants Pass, OR has been a family owned store for over 50 years. Owner Tom Hart proclaims,...
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How to Build Up a Thin Shank

How to Build Up a Thin Shank

This cultured pearl and diamond 14K yellow gold ring is in for sizing. When the take-in person inspected the ring,...
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Manufacturing Mokume Gane Jewelry

Manufacturing Mokume Gane Jewelry

Mokume gane translated from Japanese means "wood eye metal". This rare metal lamination process was developed and used by Japanese...
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950 Palladium and Tahitian Pearl Earrings

950 Palladium and Tahitian Pearl Earrings

These 950 Palladium earrings were designed by Tom McLaughlin of Lennons Jewelers, Syracuse, NY. The top portion of the design...
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Cultured Baroque Pearl Necklace

Cultured Baroque Pearl Necklace

This story details manufacturing and assembly steps for a cultured baroque pearl necklace with yellow gold design elements. pearl necklace....
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950 Palladium: Casting Procedures

950 Palladium: Casting Procedures

With the jewelry industrys acceptance and increased use of new 950 palladium alloys for jewelry design and manufacturing, its fundamental...
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950 Palladium: Manufacturing Tips and Techniques

950 Palladium: Manufacturing Tips and Techniques

The "other white metal" is making its presence known and it wont be long before light, bright and white 950...
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950 Palladium: Fabrication and Assembly

950 Palladium: Fabrication and Assembly

This article covers methods and techniques for hand fabrication, soldering and assembly for a custom designed 950 palladium and cultured...
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950 Palladium: Laser Welding Techniques

950 Palladium: Laser Welding Techniques

According to Frank McAllister, the quantity of individual pieces of jewelry made from 950 palladium has surpassed the same for...
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950 Palladium: Finishing Procedures

950 Palladium: Finishing Procedures

Practicing specific procedures for pre-finishing and polishing of 950 palladium will make a stunning difference in the final presentation of...
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950 Palladium Bench Guide

950 Palladium Bench Guide

The palladium bench guide reviews the working characteristics of palladium for the jewelry bench staff and provides an overview of...
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950 Palladium: Successful Design Considerations

950 Palladium: Successful Design Considerations

Well designed 950 palladium jewelry plays to the strengths of this unique metal -- the aesthetics of its light, bright,...
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950 Palladium: Unique Manufacturing Process

950 Palladium: Unique Manufacturing Process

This Unique Settings ring is an excellent design for palladium with heavy, low-profile prongs for the 1.50 carat center diamond,...
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950 Palladium: Gemstone Setting

950 Palladium: Gemstone Setting

Setting gemstones in 950 palladium alloys is a bench jeweler'#39;s dream. Stone setters will agree that the combination of palladium'#39;s...
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950 Palladium: Manufacturing Methods

950 Palladium: Manufacturing Methods

Palladium, long used as a luxurious jewelry metal, has recently experienced renewed interest largely due to its purity, natural white...
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950 Palladium: Stock Mountings and Findings

950 Palladium: Stock Mountings and Findings

The reintroduction of white, bright and light palladium for use in the jewelry industry has quickly introduced an expanding assortment...
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950 Palladium: Custom Made Components

950 Palladium: Custom Made Components

When making custom jewelry with any alloy, certain components within the piece are often hand made to enhance the final...
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Combining Yellow Gold and Palladium

Combining Yellow Gold and Palladium

Jewelry designers are discovering that the bright, white color of palladium creates a beautifully distinct contrast to the warm rich...
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Production Methods for Palladium Chain Making

Production Methods for Palladium Chain Making

As proudly proclaimed in its name, Balestra 1882 has manufactured high quality gold and platinum chain in Italy since 1882....
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Modified Split Mandrel to Bezel-Set Round Stones

Modified Split Mandrel to Bezel-Set Round Stones

This jewelry bench tip is a follow-up to "Modified Split Mandrel for Finishing Round Bezels," which showed you how to...
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How to Sharpen Drill Bits

How to Sharpen Drill Bits

Small, fine drill bits used for jewelry making will become dull with normal use. Worn cutting edges make tasks more...
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Quality Assurance Benchmarks for Jewelers

Quality Assurance Benchmarks for Jewelers

Fine jewelry represents much more than its trade value in diamonds, gemstones and precious metals. It is a personal representation...
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