You like blogs? I do! Sometimes it is absorbing to read what people like you and me think. But – are you right here? Will you find what you are looking for?
This blog contains information about methods of producing jewelry by hand only. A German master jeweler shows old world techniques he use every day in his studio.
Want more information about this? Watch the document “About”.
Uninteresting for you? Well then – let’s say goodbye, have a nice day and thank you for looking!
Below you can see a hand-me-down piece. A lady-customer brought it into my studio. She got it from her grandma and wanted me to restore it. After the inquiry i decided to rebuilt it completely by using the original stones. Two of them needed to be replaced because of the heavy worn material, they was lost. It was made from 14K rose and white Gold. The ring shank was worn and very thin, also.
old worn ring
The result of my work can be seen below. The new “old ring” was rebuilt by hand only – it’s not a cast! Note the à jour work under the stones. This was done by using a saw frame.
The new one after my work
Today i am very proud of presenting you two pieces of wire work done by John Murdock. He told me, he is 80 years old and jewelry making is a hobby of him.
Something to keep my mind active…
he said. Yes – a very good reason! I only wish, there are more like him. But stop blabla right now – have look at his work:
The Koi Pool by John Murdock
The Koi Pool. An unusually patterned Rhodonite focal bead evokes a vision of a peaceful pool dotted with lotus blossoms where colorful Koi mysteriously appear and disappear in the dark water. Additional stones include Forest Jasper, Rainbow Obsidian, Rhodonite, and White Fire Agate. Sterling Silver wire.
Summer Sky by John Murdock
Summer Sky. Many a child has envisioned storybook creatures in the clouds of summer skies. An unusual central pendant bead of Sodalite brings back memories of those halcyon days of summer. Additional stones include Fancy Agate, Lapis Lazuli, White Agate, White Fire Agate and Sodalite. Sterling Silver wire.
John, i can say WOW! Your work is clean and well executed. And i really like the titles given by you. Imaginative and appropriate.
Thank you, that you gave me your permission to show them here.
I have made a video (8:51). In it i show how to set a brilliant into a plain ring using a burnisher tool. This kind of setting is very safety and quick if it’s done correctly. You can use this kind of setting everywhere you need to have a undamaged surface or where you can’t refinish the surface. I recommend to practice this very often before you do it on a real piece of jewelry.
If there is a red x only, try Firefox. Otherwise you can watch the video here also.
Perhaps you do not see at all what i do while setting. Here are some pictures for a better understanding.
brilliant in the hole
This is very important – the stone must perfect fit into the hole!
watch out where the pressure goes
close up
Complete it - turn around
After a telephone call today i have to assert that i have to reconsider my attitude for this craft. A colleague friend of mine told me what will happen in the near future – we talked about the newest technical facilities on the market. You wonder what is it all about? Well, tonight i am sure, the trade of making jewelry, the manner to build a piece like i do it dies out and i am sure, this process started over thirty years ago.
Can i hear you say you already know that? You are right – everybody who is an insider knows that already. But i am aware of this time limit tonight. I am melancholy by this notion. The affair of the heart, of my heart i started with this website, it is a museum piece long before it will be finished. This circumstance is really strangely…
…but hey – who cares? I decided to build this museum piece. Perhaps there are people out there who wants to know. The manner we build jewelry changed every day. The process goes faster and faster. I slow it down because i want to.
workbenches i am using - nearly 100 years old
The workbench of a goldsmith has to be a rock. Nothing you do on or with it ought displace the bench. It’s used for very precision work but also for heavy forging – if necessary.
Note: all over the world are goldsmiths, but not everyone use a bench. There are countries where the goldsmith does all the work on the floor. This jewelry is different to ours, not worse, but different. Remember this.
In this section i show you a typical workbench often used in my location. First have a look at the top of it.
workbench from above
pin adapter
Let’s have a look at the front of the bench. As you can see i use two drawers. The sheepskin was suspended by hooks to have more flexibility. The bigger hook is the place for my standard saw. On the left side you see a little hole. Here goes the steel mandrel when forging rings. The hight of the bench measures 100 cm without the border.
goldsmith workbench
Did you noticed the shelf on the left side of the last picture? The picture below shows the usage of it. I put it under the sheepskin to catch all the swarf e.g. when engraving under microscope.
workbench vice placement
hooked sheepskin
sideview
Notice: The main focus lies on doing it by hand. I’ll make no compromise simply because i assume that you will do it professional.
The most important equipment you need is yourself. Don’t laugh. If you are not asleep at the wheel, do other things. The whole purpose is to boil the risk of mishaps down. Believe me, it’s painful if you saw into your finger. And it takes time through the wound cures – time you better have used to practice.
First aid equipment – if adversity happens.
A quiet place of your own with daylight, electricity (with a lot of power sockets), a little radio (if you like to hear music, but no TV!), water connections and drain. On the floor don’t use carpet! Wood, tiles or PVC are useful. If it is possible, mount an annexation for natural gasoline (-city gas). If you don’t have this then you will need propane in bottles. In any case check out the local law terms (safety conditions) at your city/country and speak to your insurance, maybe you’ll need a public liability insurance, third party fire insurance or something else in this way.
These furnishings are a “must have”:
Expedient are also:
Note: the look and the name of the tools can vary from country to country.
Today it’s enough 