Metal Forming

I took in a broken hollow rope chain bracelet for repair this week. The bracelet had caught on a desk...

In many countries, regulations govern the caratage of gold solders used to make jewellery and, with few exceptions, gold solder...

Fire scale or fire stain is a reddish purple toned 'bloom' or 'stain' that appears on silver/copper alloys such as...

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

Considered to be one of the richest and most important archaeological finds in Great Britain, the Ship Burial known as...

In this presentation I attempted to provide you with information on platinum alloys to help you make an informed decision...

Because titanium behaves somewhat differently than the standard metals in the goldsmith's workshop some special attention to its working is...

Available in a wide variety of formulas, epoxy resins are used in jewelry making as adhesives, as coatings, and for...

Fabrics and precious metals would seem to be total opposites, like hot and cold or yin and yang. However, despite...

Textile techniques are traditionally worked with fibers such as linen, cotton and silk. However, they can also be applied to...

Over the years, bad habits creep into our work procedures. Periodical review of our techniques is needed to assure us...

The palladium bench guide reviews the working characteristics of palladium for the jewelry bench staff and provides an overview of...

Plique-a-jour, in French, means "applied to carved spaces" or "membrane where daylight passes through". The 'plique-a-jour' enameled jewelry is endowed...

Transforming a single sheet of metal into an undulating organic form using only a hammer and stake is the art...

This method of etching uses a prepared ferric chloride solution which also contains hydrochloric acid. This 'etchant' is not a...

Did you ever imagine you'd see the day when a finely woven mesh bracelet with thousands of tiny links could...

Joining is a very important production technique in the field of jewelry production. Therefore it is useful to know, what...

True damascus steel is made by a casting process utilizing very high carbon steel. The material is held at or...

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

The first requirement of all catches is that they secure neckpieces and bracelets in such a way that they will...

Silicon carbide separating discs are superb for scoring metal for bending, particularly when the metal sheet is less than 4...

Scoring metal is incredibly important for custom jewelry construction. It enables you to reduce the number of parts in a...

This article is the second of a three-part series on Metal Spinning by James Seavey discussing the techniques in developing...

It took about two months of experimentation to get the formulas for Platinum Sterling Silver just right - Robinson created...

Titanium and the other refractory metals other the metalsmith a new range of exotic colors - colors that are beautiful...

In this article, we will continue our Back to Basics Series with an article on Sawing techniques.

Granulation is the process of fusing tiny metal spheres of silver or gold, in a decorative pattern, to a surface...

The metal conversion chart below will help you determine the amount of metal needed to create a piece of jewelry...

Sterling silver alloys typically contain about 7.5 percent copper, an addition that not only provides strength to the otherwise pure...

Everybody scampers for executing orders in a rush against all odds to satisfy customers or - if you'#39;re lucky -...

Scoring and bending is one of the most important ways of constructing jewellery. Scoring is a method of obtaining very...

This article offers instructions on how to resize platinum rings whether for a size smaller or bigger, as well as,...

Of late, an increasing number of white precious metal alloys have been introduced into the jewelry marketplace in answer to...

The boat fold branch of T-folds is an interesting avenue. It permits you to have a curving, concave table, and...

An art school is in some ways a difficult place to learn to be a metalsmith. Traditional systems of industry...

No single item is more used yet more neglected than flatware. It is used in one form or another by...

A short review of construction and soldering principles would be a good idea at this point. They're fairly basic. Principles...

While I was in graduate school at San Diego State University I became interested in the anodizing process. I had...

Five thousand years of Korean goldsmithing was interrupted from 1913 to 1953 due to the Japanese invasion and the Korean...

As skill develops in spinning, it becomes more important to have a sense of what forms can be produced. To...

This is a metal frame for a brooch which can be made without any soldering. Findings can be glued or...

Looking down the long corridors of time, the ancient Etruscans emerge as a powerful people whose economic and social development...

Multi-metal Lamination is a type of 'faux' married metal which produces a freer, more 'painterly' effect than the hard-edge, highly...

This simple pendant design will be made with 950 palladium wire. Tack-welding technology will be used to temporarily hold the...

This is the second in a series of articles on the art and skill of rendering jewelry and small metal...

White gold presents unique challenges. Who among us has not struggled with white gold at one time or another? Some...

Mary Lee Mary Lee Hu has worked with wire - looping, wrapping, weaving and most notably twining—for the past 22...

This article covers methods and techniques for hand fabrication, soldering and assembly for a custom designed 950 palladium and cultured...

Roll printing, or texture transfer, has been around a long time. The ancient Greeks and Romans used various dies and,...

Jewelry artist Michael Boyd fills his cup with newfound forms and shapes. Well known for his contemporary roll-on cuff bracelets...

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

Before sizing any ring, examine it carefully and compare it to the information on the job envelope. If you see...

From 1988 to 1989, German goldsmith Hermann Jünger was celebrated in his native country with a major retrospective of his...

I first discovered Allan Adler's Silversmithing Shop about 23 years ago when I arrived in Southern California to begin my...

In late 1981, I began working with anodized aluminum, drawn to its light weight, availability and low cost. In developing...

Historically, a wide range of techniques has been used to clad or coat silver or base metals with gold. These...

As well as being used for chasing they may also be used as punches to make textures. A stamp or...

Quoting the scholar, Nyozekan Hasegawa, Masataka Ogawa Calls Japan the country of "the culture of hands." Over the centuries, no...

Pewter, an alloy of tin, antimony, and copper, dominated European tableware for half a millennium until it was eclipsed by...

Stand straight, facing the work. Once you get yourself into this correct body posture, use your feet to move yourself...

Connections are an important part of jewelry manufacturing. We make them with suppliers, with retailers, even with the people who...

Soldering is a delicate and sometimes difficult process especially when you need to solder very close to a previous solder...

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

This article is based on technical information taken from my personal notes and experiences, shared information from the Penland Anodizing...

Firescale has been the scourge of sterling silver casters since the first silver was poured into a mold. It has...

Jump rings may be made most easily by using a small hand drill with various sizes of mandrel. Take a...

Okay, so this is a bit esoteric. I mean, how many people do you know that make silver whistles. It...

This is a HIDI, (How I Do It). It is not the only way to make a piece like this,...

For the illusion of "floating objects" Helen I. Driggs shares her technique, a step by step guide, on how to...

In previous articles we have looked into the "art" of prong repair using the laser (Full Prong Replacement and Tipping...

The use of area inlay, called damascening or woven inlay, is common in the ancient metalwork of Iran, India, Japan,...

Richard Reinhardt's best-known pieces today are silver bracelets, constructed in concave or convex forms that curve smoothly and logically in...

Last fall, the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee hosted a retrospective of the work of Helen Shirk. Nearly...

Technical Briefs deals with technical concerns of interest to a wide audience, addressing topics as diverse as vanguard technology and...

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

Rings with by-pass shanks are right hand and left hand specific and are not interchangeable. When creating a ring with...

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

This article was completed just weeks before Robert von Neumann's accidental fall and subsequent death on April 23, 1984. Books...

'The Art of Gold,' curated by Michael Monroe, is the first major survey of contemporary American goldsmithing. The traveling exhibition...

This article describes step by step instructions how forged ring shank is done as described by Bradney W. Simon. For...

For nearly 30 years, Ambery-Smith has been using architecture as an inspiration for her work. Her name has become synonymous...

Some of the nomenclature used in forming will be familiar but some might be new. Air pocket, Anticlast, Axis, Axial...

Palladium, long used as a luxurious jewelry metal, has recently experienced renewed interest largely due to its purity, natural white...

The principle of this ancient, valued procedure is described here because of its historical interest, and with the thought that...

Claus Bury's rejection of his immediate past, a long standing European tradition in goldsmithing, and his defection to the fine...

Metal shop tin men seem to be as American as L. Frank Baum's tale of Dorothy and company in the...

Due to a recent comprehensive exhibition at the San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum, we reintroduce to our readers...

Pat Pruitt of Paguate, New Mexico, has been working with stainless steel for over a decade. Three years ago, he...

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

One observation on the career of John Prip (more often called Jack) is the way in which the man and...

Jewelry artist Steff Korsage followed her own determined path to find her own distinct voice, making hollow forms from metal...

Granulation involves placing and fusing tiny balls of silver on the surface of the backsheet in a preplanned design. The...

Make the inner band the desired size first. 18 or 20 gauge is about right. Next make the bezel or...

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

Advanced Jewelry Technologies (owned by this author) and Rio Grande are introducing a new CAD CAM system designed to make...

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

The expressions which have come to identify the pre- and post-World War II generations - Me decade, suburban frontiersmen, spoiled...

Retailers have been converting bridal inventories from white gold to palladium as manufacturers expand the selection of new palladium jewelry...

Creativity is problem-solving, a skill based on the conscious and/or unconscious recombination and juxtaposition of information derived from diverse sources...

The word "technology" is defined as the totality of the means employed to provide the objects necessary for sustenance and...

The reintroduction of white, bright and light palladium for use in the jewelry industry has quickly introduced an expanding assortment...

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

Standard sterling silver is not a perfect material to work with firescale adds extra production costs and the tarnishing characteristic...

This article is a review on the Jewelry & Small Objects Exhibition by James Evans held at the Prime Canadian...

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

When Gary Griffith wrote this poetic meditation (see below) on the status of his work for an exhibition at the...

This article examines manufacturing procedures used to hand fabricate 950 palladium earrings. These custom earrings designed by Lainie Mann feature...

Three weeks before "Towards A New Iron Age" was to open at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, it...

This article is a review on the Works In Metal Exhibition by Randy Long held at the Fine Arts Gallery,...

Always preferring a combination of metals in her jewelry, Sydney Lynch of Sydney Lynch Jewelry Inc. in Lincoln, Nebraska, discovered...

The book is based on a workshop for beginners given by the author some years ago called 'The Second Coat'....

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

Double is a German word of french origin meaning rolled gold or gold fill material. I use it for the...

My recollection of the first piece of metalwork I owned is of a pin consisting of two poodles connected by...

Gorham Company was 45 years old when its 2,000-ounce "Century Vase" celebrating the nation's centennial won great acclaim at the...

This page provides some helpful tips when it comes to resizing damaged rings with stones. Read on for more. When...

At a time when the country is still reeling from the vogue for Indian jewelry displayed around the necks of...

Among the most distinguished known surviving pieces of New Orleans-made silver is this tureen made by Adolphe Himmel. With its...

Today's record metals prices have probably encouraged you to be more diligent than ever about capturing every last bit of...

There is something of the alchemist's magic in Pat Flynn. Like those artful wizards of long ago, he changes common...

With the quartz as the central focal point of the "Reflecting Pond Necklace," Sturlin had to design a chain that...

This gemstone-encrusted shield is named in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare who was worshiped as...

CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing) is bringing a new efficiency and profitability to the jewelry workplace. Who is better...

This article series from Metalsmith Magazine is named "Recent Sightings" and here Bruce Metcalf talks about art, craftmanship, design, the...

Entering the enameling studio, one is struck by its openness. Light fills the space. Shelves are lined with organic vessel...

Robert Montgomery surrounds himself in a silent optimism that does not simply ignore adversity, but rises above it. His generous...

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

Jonathan Bonner is a pleasant young man with a quick smile and an easygoing manner. If you saw him in...

One can get tired of it all and want to be entertained, but the media outlets for distraction can look...

About five years ago, Robert Fairbank, John Reynolds and I created a "living entity" called Goldsmiths 3 in Concord, Massachusetts....

Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece...

This band was designed and rendered using Gemvision Matrix jewelry design software. The 22-karat granulation beads measure approxiametely 1.0 millimeter...

The core of life's work in fine artisanry is the unfolding of a personal style within the cultural milieu of...

The term fashion does not immediately bring to mind knives. But wait! The 1895 Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog offered...

Martha Glowacki's works are sculptural abstractions on the theme of landscape. They demonstrate her interest in the imposition of order...

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

Andy Cooperman's Sargasso Server, a contemporary sterling silver fish slice, evokes life in the sea. The blade resembles a squid's...

Putting a spin on tradition, Alexandra Hart of Alexandra Hart in San Diego crafted Broollopskronan, or Bridal Crown, a regal...

In the early 1980’s, I made a drawing based on the theme of transformation, a sudden, intuitive grasp of reality...

Behold the metals supplier, lord of all things shiny. He fills your crucible with casting grain and makes sure youre...

Alishan Halebian’s sphere is a metaphor for light and life. Beginning with the concept of a sphere, Alishan Halebian of...

Welcometo Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece ofjewelry...

Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece...

I stood on Kawaramachi Street in downtown Kyoto. Kyoto, capital of Japan, home of the emperor from 794 to 1868,...

These step-by-step instruction manual guides the process (see procedure for making the class ring). With a core product to produce,...

Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece...

How to use rolling mills

This article features the  Metals Invitational Exhibition held at the Southwest Texas State University on February 15-March 8, 1984 by...