The different stages of making a piece of jewelry

Drawing and modeling a piece of jewelry

Firstly, the creation of the jewelry is done by the design of the jeweler. Once put on paper and colored according to the type of stones used. Jewelry artisans generally use gouache paint which helps to enhance the diamonds and the detail of the stones for the most realistic drawing possible. Now for new creations, we then proceed to model the jewel in 3D which will create a wax for making the mold. Using computer-aided design tools, the designer is able to create a 3D model with a complexity worthy of precision industries, while respecting the constraints of traditional manufacturing imposed for the operations of melting, repairing or setting stones. .

Jewelry wax

After obtaining the 3D model, we move on to the printing stage. For this, the jeweler uses a specific wax which can be modeled by hand, which was done traditionally (and therefore for vintage jewelry that you find on 58 Facettes) or using a 3D printer now. This wax model will be used to make the mold. 

The wax has a melting point above 100°C, which allows many possibilities that were impossible with the different plastics used previously. With this process, we obtain a smooth surface and very fine details with layers of 25 microns thick which are perfectly suited to the creation of jewelry whose size and shapes are often very complex.

Cast iron

Once the wax model is finished, it is taken to the founder so that he can create the body of the ring in the chosen precious metal. The melter then uses the wax shaft to create the refractory plaster mold, which is then heated to melt the wax during the mold dewaxing operation. The metal (gold or silver) in fusion will then be poured into the mold. Once the metal has cooled, the craftsman breaks the mold in order to recover the body of the jewel which will then be reassembled before setting the stones.

Crimping

This step consists of fixing the stone(s) to the structure of the jewelry. Setting is truly the art of assembly since the creator cannot glue the stone (this system is not strong enough) nor weld it because the heat would damage the gem. The only option is therefore to position the stone in a small specially dug cavity and then fold down the metal surrounding it to hold it in place. The jewel can be set in several ways: closed setting, claw setting, rail setting, grain setting... Each setting adapts to the shape of the stone as well as the design of the jewel so that the result is as aesthetic as possible .

Polishing

The finishing touches are a crucial moment in the making of a piece of jewelry. In fact, poorly done or insufficiently polished polishing will cause the creation to lose a good part of its character and its power of shine. We polish the interior and exterior of the piece with a blade to remove possible roughness present on the surface then we pass the jewel through high pressure steam in order to remove traces of dust and grease and thus ensure a perfect finish. Once the metal is perfectly shiny, the polisher can give each creation sandblasted finishes or a satin appearance, depending on the appearance the designer wants to give to the jewel.

Punching

The punch a piece of precious metal jewelry (gold, silver Or platinum) guarantees the purity of the metal. Punching is done using a hammer which leaves the punch. There are many hallmarks for gold depending on its purity: 999, 750, 585, 375…

The big houses highlight all its stages during exhibitions, open house events, etc. because excellence and their know-how are part of their values. Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet, Cartier notably amazed us about these “hands of gold” with their sumptuous events.