Understanding the Jewellery Design and Manufacturing Course of: A Detailed Information for the Jewellery Fanatic

Making jewelry, like any other art form, is a process that takes time and skill. Every piece of jewelry must be conceived by the designer, taking into account all the possible techniques and drawbacks of the manufacturing process, and then turned into beautiful pieces that we can sell and wear. In the past, jewelry was made entirely by hand, metals were all shaped, and gemstone setting was patiently done by hand. With the advances in technology, bank jewelers and artisans nowadays are equipped with multiple machines and technologies that allow them to create any of their masterpieces with ease and speed.

DESIGN

Jewelry must first be designed before any manufacture can be done. Every piece of jewelry has to be carefully thought out through a lot of trial and error. The design of the jewelry at KuberBox takes place in several steps before it can be processed into our masterpieces. All of our jewelry are both wearable and durable, two important factors that all jewelry must adhere to. Wearable to make jewelry comfortable, light and beautiful, and durable to withstand normal wear and tear. As with everything, an idea begins with jewelry. A piece of jewelry could be inspired by a window in the Mirror Palace in Jaipur or a print on a child’s water bottle. Anything could give our designers the inspiration they need. These ideas are then translated into a design that can be used in jewelry and that looks graceful and compliments its uses. As a CPP, you need to be able to sell a design to the right person. It’s important to talk about a design that is versatile, as a lot of jewelry can be worn from day to night and with different outfits.

Our Chivalric Ruby pendant with its filigree design is not too big and at the same time very functional. The excellent workmanship is evident in the perfectly set diamonds and the balance that the ruby ​​offers to the right of the design. The design has a flexible and flowing design so it fits comfortably on your client’s neck and emphasizes her beautiful neckline. So you have to explain the design to your customers. You need to understand the needs of the customers and then give them something that best meets their needs.

COMPUTER AID DESIGN

This idea, once turned into a sketch on paper, is checked by our chief designers. Once approved after an in-depth analysis, this 2D sketch is converted into a three-dimensional image using computer aided design techniques. With the CAD software, the designers can convert their ideas into drafts and get an insight into the appearance of the piece of jewelry. This 3D image provides a complete and thorough view of each part of the final piece of jewelry. Once the creative team approves the designs based on the design aesthetic, it is moved to the production manager’s arena. He then creates prototypes for the jewelry and decides whether this special design can be created without errors. It is important that the designs are practical for manufacture. When the production team gives a green signal, the design will be made available to all of our customers. During the prototyping phase, the production team creates an RPT (Rapid ProtoType), which is usually used as a master sample. RPTs are made using the same technology as a 3D printer and can be made in minutes, reducing the timescale of design and therefore the manufacturing process. This RPT is used to make a liquid resin dye which can then be used to make the jewelry.

The design process is followed by the manufacturing process, which begins with:

LOST WAX CASTING / CASTING METHOD

Much of the jewelry that is sold commercially and on a large scale today is made this way. It offers both economies of scale in mass production and flexibility in production as both complex and simple designs can be easily replicated. First, a rubber mold is made to recreate the perfect piece of jewelry. The artisan needs to carve this rubber so that the piece of jewelry comes out just right. After the mold has been started up, the hot liquid wax is injected into the rubber mold. After cooling and hardening, this wax leaves behind a piece of jewelry that is made entirely of wax. A single rubber mold can be used to replicate numerous parts. Each wax model is placed on a cylindrical structure that resembles a tree with different patterns. Then the wax is melted into an investment (a device for melting the wax) and replaced with plaster of paris. The liquid metal is then poured into the casting and allowed to cool. After cooling, the plaster is broken up and leaves pieces of jewelry in the chosen metal.

This is known as the casting process, which involves brushing and buffing the jewelry to remove rough edges and bring it to life. It is then passed on to the setters (the person who puts the stones on the jewelry) to add the gems, which will give your jewelry piece the boost it needs. We’ll cover the hiring process in detail in the next few chapters. Knowing how jewelry is designed and made gives you the upper hand when it comes to the technical details your client is looking for as you will be able to meet their needs. Your knowledge of the design and manufacturing process will help drive a sale by taking advantage of each of the jewelry’s characteristics. The casting process is increasingly used to separate stems and heads, as they can then be put together to create a final piece of jewelry that adds strength and durability to the design.

HANDMADE JEWELRY

The manufacture of jewelry by hand, which used to be the only method of making the magnificent jewelry of the maharajas of our country and the world, continues to this day. “Karigars”, as they are called in India, make an entire piece of jewelry by hand, from shaping the gold to the final completion of the jewelry. They used hand tools to shape and create every stroke on the metal, which gives the piece so much more character, and are carried out to this day by select workshops around the world.

When jewelery is made by hand, it usually goes through the following process:

This then leads to a process called “Patti”. Here a heavy wheel presses the metal under pressure and gives it a shape. Patti stands for both the process and the result of that process. The block of metal is rolled under heavy wheels to make sheet metal or wire that has the various shapes required to make an entire piece of jewelry. During this process, the metal is heated at constant intervals to increase its malleability.

Once the required thickness is reached, it is moved to the Karigartisch to create a “supti” or base. These supti are generally the collets, rings, links, shafts and bands, etc. that will eventually hold the gemstone and will be part of the design.

Each of these parts is then soldered together to form the final shape. In some designs, jewelry is often placed in a black wax material called “moum” when soldered together, which maintains the shape to create a perfectly symmetrical piece. Once in the Moum, plaster of paris is added from above. The soldering is then carefree in perfect symmetry.

DORA POLISH

Just like threading unwanted facial hair, Dora Polish uses a dora (thread) to polish off rough metals and edges on difficult corners where common tools cannot be used. After removing it from the black wax, a “do” polish is performed. This polish is used for small holes or delicate work that the large polishing wheel cannot access. The jewelry is also placed in the ultrasound machine to remove wax stuck to areas that the Karigar cannot see and remove.

ULTRASONIC CLEANING

Ultrasonic cleaning is a cleaning process that uses ultrasonic waves to remove dirt, grime and manufacturing residues from jewelry. These waves are at an extremely high frequency that leads to what is known as cavitation – the sudden formation and collapse of low pressure bubbles in the liquid. The ultrasound can only be used with water, but the use of a solvent that is appropriate for the item to be cleaned and the type of pollution present will increase the effect. Handcrafted jewelry reflects the skill of the “Karigar” and gives them the freedom to make changes based on the outcome of the design or make changes such as resizing, etc. more difficult to handle. Handmade jewelry also costs a higher price because each piece requires a lot of skill and will always have small differences from one another.

THE STRIKE

Striking is a method of making jewelry in which a steel die meets a sheet of precious metal and gives it shape. It consists of two essential parts, the stamp and the mold, and is perfect for light jewelry for everyday use. The jewelry made by this process is also much more durable as it compresses the metal and makes it stronger. This method is good for tines because they need to be durable. A sheet metal is used and the die is then punched out. These can be charms or finds of the piece of jewelry that have to be soldered together. These jewelry pieces also require less finishing as they tend to take on the finishing of the die itself. Jewelry made with this process is very wearable.

ELECTROFORMING AND ELECTROPLATING

Electroforming is another technique used in making jewelry. In this process, the chosen wax base is used and painted with an electrically charged layer. When immersed in a precious metal liquid, it attracts particles that leave a layer on the wax mold. This can continue until the desired thickness is achieved. The wax is then melted out through a small hole in the piece of jewelry that the eye cannot see. Although extremely light, electroforming is not a good option for permanent jewelry. It’s perfect for jewelry that isn’t as worn out as rings. It is ideal for pendants and earrings as they are lightweight. This jewelry is also much cheaper. Despite the theoretical advantages of electroformed jewelry, they are not common and are not used as widely. Electroplating is another process that makes metals look like fine metals by coating them with thin layers of gold, silver, or platinum. This process is like electroforming, although the fine metal is deposited onto another metal that makes up the jewelry. The positive ions are attracted to the negative ions and leave a piece of jewelry behind. This is essentially the same process used to coat a piece of jewelry with rhodium.

You must have heard of gold plated jewelry. This is nothing more than a thin layer of gold on top of the existing metal jewelry. For example, silver jewelry items are generally coated with a thin layer of gold to add to their perceived value and to prevent the silver jewelry from tarnishing.