Jewellers create jewellery primarily by joining together precious metal pieces using techniques like soldering or welding.
Jewellery Fabrication: A Detailed Look
The process of jewellery making, often called fabrication, involves carefully assembling various components. This isn't just about sticking pretty things together; it's a meticulous craft demanding precision and skill.
Key Techniques
- Soldering: This involves using a filler metal (solder) with a lower melting point than the base metals to join the pieces. The solder flows into the joint, creating a strong bond when it cools.
- Welding: This uses heat to fuse the base metals directly together, creating a seamless joint.
According to information available, jewellery is fabricated by joining precious metal segments or parts by soldering or welding them into position.
Common Jewellery Components
Jewellers utilize a range of pre-made and custom-fabricated parts to construct jewellery pieces. These components contribute to both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the design.
The components include:
- Gemstone Settings:
- Heads: These hold the gemstone in place.
- Cages: Enclose the gemstone for added security and design.
- Prongs: Small metal projections that grip the gemstone.
- Functional Components:
- Clasps: Used to fasten necklaces and bracelets.
- Clutches: Secure earrings in place.
- Earring Posts: The part of the earring that goes through the ear piercing.
Steps in Jewellery Fabrication
- Design: The jeweller creates a design, either by hand or using CAD software.
- Material Selection: Precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum are chosen, along with gemstones and other decorative elements.
- Component Preparation: Components are either pre-made or fabricated by the jeweller. This may involve casting, forging, or machining.
- Assembly: The components are carefully joined together using soldering or welding.
- Finishing: The piece is cleaned, polished, and any necessary details, such as stone setting, are completed.
