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

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.

If there is a red x only, try Firefox. Otherwise you can watch the video here also.

The steps i make while setting

Perhaps you do not see at all what i do while setting. Here are some pictures for a better understanding.

Brilliant setting – step one

brilliant in the hole

This is very important – the stone must perfect fit into the hole!

Brilliant setting – step two

watch out where the pressure goes

close up

Brilliant setting – last step

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 rock in your workshop

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.

The look of a workbench

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

1. the board it self, mine is very heavy, made of cross-banded lumber veneered wood (gauges cm: 112x56x12)
2. bench pin adapter plate, made of steel
   

   pin adapter

3. border made of wood, hight 40 mm
4. bench pin
5. sheepskin bench apron
6. a simple wire where the pliers find their places (left-handed people mount it on the left side)

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

You need…

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.

Basic furnishing

These furnishings are a “must have”:

• work bench
• bench chair
• overhead channel lights
• wash-bowl
• deposit station

Expedient are also:

• hanging cabinets
• floor units

Basic tools

Note: the look and the name of the tools can vary from country to country.

• an empty book, call it a workshop-book. It is highly recommended! You’ll fill it with your own words and thumbsketches. Don’t use a computer, don’t use loose papers! Use a hardcover only. Never remove a page! You will love me for that after years…
• one goldsmith’s hammer
• one chasing hammer, weight: 4 oz. (110 gram)
• two locksmith’s hammers, one 10.6 oz. (300 gram) and one 17.6 oz. (500 gram)
• one blow-back proof nylon-mallet – weight: 8.8 oz. (250 gram)
• one steel bench block (80x80x30mm) with one radiused edge
• one brass bench block
• one hardwood bench block
• one hexagon anvil with holes and slots
• two adjustable saw frames, one with a 4-3/4″ (120 mm) throat depth and one with a 3″ (80 mm) throat depth
• saw blades: ten gross (10×12 dozen) – Size: 4/0; two gross (2×12 dozen) – Size: 1/0; three gross (3×12 dozen) – Size: 8/0
• three or four curved stainless steel cross-lock tweezers with fiber-grips
• one bench brush hand type e.g. German or Italian style
• one scraper hollow
• one scriber
• one oval burnisher
• one aplanatic watchmakers eye loupe (10x) – it’s always good to have both hands free
• one head loupe (lens 2x or 3x)
• one stainless steel vernier caliper min. 150 mm or a digital version
• two or three dividers, made of steel
• one magnet
• one 90 degree try square
• one stainless steel ruler 300 mm
• one jig vise miter cutter
• one parallel locking vise pliers with serrated jaws
• one cutting broach set
• three or four different tweezers, one made of brass

to be continued

Today it’s enough

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!