What is “handcrafted” jewellery anyway? And what is “Cad Cam” jewellery making? As a jewellery master craftsman of over 40 years’ experience, I sometimes take all that knowledge and expertise for granted and forget that this is not common knowledge and that people are very interested in how a ‘handcrafted’ jewellery piece is made. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words… I hope you find these handcrafted jewellery design and manufacturing journeys interesting… One of the biggest differences between jewellery handcrafting and ‘Cad-Cam’ production are the skill sets required to produce a beautiful piece of jewellery from a bar or plate of gold to world class standards. The other is the time required; 100% handcrafting is a very time consuming process. The quality that the handcrafted approach achieves, when done to the highest standard, is second to none and is truly a one-off original. It has to be said that designing a one-off piece and creating it with the latest ‘Cad-Cam’ technology is very cost effective when compared to the more laborious approach of 100% handcrafting. With such amazing high level technology now, to a point where you can’t see any visual or aesthetic differences in the quality of the two approaches, one point still needs to be made… The quality of the ‘metallurgy’ in handcrafted jewellery with all the working processes performed on the gold to create a handcrafted piece means the density, malleability, and knitting of the metallurgic structure is as good as it gets. Although, casting technology these days is not very far behind. We live in an age of fantastic and remarkable technology advancements; this is true for the jewellery industry as well. This is why my opinion has changed on this subject in recent times. The two jewellery production methods in question
November 22, 2017
Jewellery Design and Handcrafting
Welcome to my first jewellery design and handcrafting blog. My name’s Edward and I’m excited to share my knowledge with you. In the past, this information has been reserved for my private clientele. Before I talk about my first subject, I think it’s very important to qualify and introduce myself, so you get a good idea of the experience behind my comments. I am an award-winning jewellery designer and master jewellery craftsman with 40 years of experience. As a master craftsman, I have passionately pursued my desire to design all types of jewellery with a cutting edge of design uniqueness and producing handcrafted pieces to world class standards and qualities. Now, it would be impossible for me to make you an overnight jewellery expert, so let’s look at the most important issues one step at a time that you are going to face as a consumer. It doesn’t matter what type of jewellery, or for what occasion you are buying a piece of jewellery. It could be an engagement ring, wedding bands, an anniversary, a gift, or just simply spoiling yourself. This knowledge will change the way you think about jewellery qualities and values forever. Now, let’s take a look at the subjects I am going to cover; I think it will be easier to digest if I separate the subjects below into categories, and blogs. If you like the first installment, stay tuned for the following subjects as they need to be combined to give you the full picture. The difference between one-off bespoke jewellery designs and the impersonal mass market retail store approach. What is handcrafted jewellery anyway? What is Cad Cam jewellery production? What are the hidden facts about white gold that you are not being told? Why is it so critical that form meets function for
May 26, 2017
How & Where to Buy a Diamond
The best way to buy a diamond can be very confusing if you’re new to all of this, which most guys are when searching for their engagement. Technology & the internet have really changed the ways in which diamonds can be bought & sold. Where & how you buy is going to have a major impact on the quality of diamond you can get for your budget, as well as your overall diamond buying experience. Three of the most popular methods of buying diamonds are through a; Jewellery Retail Store Online Diamond Wholesaler / Broker Diamond Broker with Jewellery Studio & Workshop Each method of buying offers a completely different experience and we’ve outlined this in a bit more detail below… Jewellery Retail Store Let’s start with a traditional retail jewellery shop… With all of the associated expenses of opening the doors daily, high rent, staff, stock, and many other overheads, as you might suspect, this is going to be the most expensive way to buy a diamond and piece of jewellery. To compete with the other methods of purchasing a diamond, jewellery retailers often carry uncertified stock or EGL certified diamonds, where grading detail can be 2-3 grades lenient of actual quality. So you think you’re getting a great deal on a G colour / VS2 clarity stone when in actual fact it could very well be a J colour / Si2 clarity. Not so great value anymore. While you will pay the most for the ‘retail’ experience, it does offer its advantages as you’ll be able to see and try on stock, as well as purchase immediately. Insist on an Independent Valuation from a member of the National Council of Jewellery Valuers – www.ncjv.com.au (not in-store valuation) to make sure you’re getting exactly what you’ve paid for. Online Diamond Wholesaler
