Are you the type who appreciates a good piece of jewellery? Do you have some staple pieces that you wear daily such as a watch, maybe a pair of earrings or even a chain with a pendant that holds meaning for you? People often become quite attached to jewellery, and it can be used to complete an outfit, show off their personality and add elegance and sophistication. But have you ever stopped to think about those individual pieces and what’s involved in designing them? Sure you love them and you have appreciated how well they’ve lasted over the years, but that may be the entirety of how much thought you’ve given them.
Here we’ll take a look at the art of fine jewellery design and what’s involved in creating spectacular pieces that people go on to treasure.
It Often Begins on Paper
Just like with any great idea or design, jewellery concepts tend to begin on paper. The jewellery designer will often sketch out their idea and give a rough look at how the piece will appear once finished. There doesn’t need to be a lot of specifics at this point in terms of the material being used, the gemstones and so forth, it’s just a general concept that they are sketching out.
This is especially true for custom pieces, and in this stage, the jewellery designer will also be working with the customer to create something of their liking. The customer may like other pieces the designer has made and just wants a few tweaks, or they could be starting from scratch.
There are also jewellery designers who make creations for mass production rather than custom items. They may be commissioned by a particular company or work independently.
Computer-Aided Design Programs Help Add Detail
Just as with so many other careers today, jewellery designers also rely on technology to make their job smoother and more efficient. Once they have sketched out their general design and concept, it can then be input into a computer-aided design (CAD) program. This will bring the piece to life and the designer can then add more specifics such as the dimensions, the size and types of gemstones, intricate details and so on.
There is still a large amount of creativity required at this point as the designer is essentially an artist, crafting a piece of work that will be loved by customers.
A Lot More Steps Than You May Assume
Creating the concept is only a small part of jewellery design, there is a lot of hands-on work required after that point. There will be model making (casting), stamping and presswork, mounting, chasing, soldering, fabrication and finally polishing the finished piece.
There are even specialists in the industry who focus on electro-plating, stone-setting, welding, enamelling and engraving as not every designer can do every step.
All of these steps take time and they are incredibly precise. If even one element of the process goes wrong or there is a flaw, it will be very visible and the piece won’t come out properly.
A Combination of Art and Skill
Jewellery design is a combination of art and skill and it’s not every person that can pull this off flawlessly.
If you’ve got a piece of jewellery that needs repairing or engraving so you can show off its fine craftsmanship, give us a call at 0141 946 6333 so we can help.