Our Jewelry Making Process: Making a Ring by Hand
The Layout
Once the design is finalized, the process of making the ring begins. A ring can be made many different ways. The most frequently used approach is the lost wax casting process. Here the wax is being laid out to begin the sculpting of the model.
Carving the Wax
The wax model is carved by hand (we also do CAD modeling). Skill and patience are required to carve the wax to the exact dimensions and form of the final piece.
Spruing the Wax Model
Once the model is ready to be cast, it is sprued in palce on the sprue base. The sprue becomes the channel that allows the metial to flow to the form of the ring.
Pouring the Investment
The sprued wax model is placed within a crucible and then is filled with investment, which is a plaster-like compound that hardens around the sprued model.
Melting the Metal
The crucible containing the sprued wax model is placed on a kiln for several hours until the wax and sprue are burned out, leaving a void within the plaster that is exactly the shape of the model. The metal is then melted in preparation for casting the ring.
Casting the Ring
Here a vertical casting machine is spinning at extreme speed to produce a centrifugal pressure which forces the molten metal into the crucible and fills the form of the model.
Cutting the Sprue from the Rough Casting
The rough casting comes out of the crucible, covered in plaster and with a rough texture from the cooling of the molten metal. The sprue is cut off and the finishing begins.
Finishing the Rough Casting
Now the rough casting is cut, filed, sanded, and polished to the completed form of the ring. This could be the last step in some projects, but there is more to come.
Setting the Rough Stone
The finished casting is now ready for more precise details like stone setting and engraving. Her the seat is cut and the metal hammered to hold the diamond center stone.
Polishing the Ring
Once the stone setting is complete it is time for the final polishing. Using high speed wheels with different compounds, the ring is brought up to its final polish and ultimate finish.
Quality Control
Every piece goes through extensive quality control to ensure the precision and craftsmanship are impeccable. At this point an appraisal would also be made on the finished ring.
Viola!
The final piece is complete and ready for a loving home!