Critical Notes

Ask any jeweler to list the gemstones with which they prefer to work, and sapphires and rubies would undoubtedly rank...

Goldsmiths and silversmiths use hammers frequently in their work, silversmiths especially. A regular trade goldsmith might use a bench hammer...

Here's something to aim for: a well laid-out, orderly workshop, well-lit by multiple non glare light sources, well-maintained equipment, electrically...

Jewelers treat soldered objects with dilute acid solutions to remove oxides produced from heating and soldering as well as glassy...

Jewelers use so-called -oxidising- solutions to darken metals like silver, copper, brass, nickel silver, bronze and, with specialized mixtures, on...

As many jewelry manufacturers and goldsmiths know from hard experience, cracking in jewelry can occur at any time during its...

Jewellery design is generally considered solely from an artistic standpoint, and the jewellery is viewed as an expression of a...

This talk briefly reviews issues of studio safety and discusses ways of recognizing risks in the studio and reducing hazard...

The following is Consignment Agreement contract. It is intended for information purposes only although if you wish to use it...

While goldsmiths normally strive to have their solder flow easily, there are times you don't want it to flow, such...

This is an academic paper, not a technical 'how to' guide. Many of the procedures described are unsafe in practice....

For someone new to the jewelry industry, the sheer assortment of tools and equipment in the typical workshop can be...

We use a method for cutting down firescale when using a Presto-Lite Torch along with an acetylene B tank. The...

An art school is in some ways a difficult place to learn to be a metalsmith. Traditional systems of industry...

Four areas in the jeweler's workshop produce harmful substances that MUST be properly removed from the shop in order to...

Have a fire plan; ask your fire department for advice. Keep the appropriate extinguishers around and in good shape. Get...

Warming waters, changes in weather patterns, and increases in storm activity may all affect the future success of pearl farms,...

In the Spring 2003 Issue we asked the question "What causes these marks on this casting?" Around 100 readers responded...

This is an example of a production project proposal involving the reproduction of two historically important buttons. This shows how...

There are a number of basic principles in storing chemicals. Know what your chemicals are, what their hazards are, their....

The Art versus Craft issue is a complex question and one that has bedeviled creators a great deal in the...

How you light your shop, illuminate your working area, experience the reflection from surfaces and the paint you choose for...

Each medium has its own vocabulary and so it is with enamels and enameling. The glass glaze material that is...

Although the basic anodizing principles involved in the reactive metals have been discussed in the past, a deeper insight into...

This is a method to reduce technical problems which one repeatedly experienes. We all find during the learning process that...

Procrastination can sometimes lead to wonderful discoveries. Tom Arnold, owner of Facets Fine Jewelry in Arlington, Virginia, found this out...

Ardagh now is scarcely more than a place-name; it is in County Limerick in Ireland. In 1868, while a peasant...

Fortunately, change is inevitable. Even for those individuals in the art establishment who assert that artists cannot and should not...

The first reference that I have that links copperas with the collection of fossils is found in the 'Life and...

Quality matters to Michael Bondanza; he has been known to rebuild entire finished pieces -- some containing hundreds of precisely...

If you know what the chemicals are that you use and what their dangers are you will be less likely...

Design is a perennial issue for all who produce objects meant for a specific use, utilitarian, in contrast to objects...

Jurgen J Maerz of the Platinum Guild International USA outlines factors to consider when adding platinum to your line of...

With over 300 tonnes of gold used in electronics each year, end-of-life electronic equipment offers an important recycling potential for...

I have always thought that if no other lesson had begun to seep through peoples' inertia and greed, that at...

Being more organized, and planning how you use your time will mean that you will spend less time on some...

This article is a set of predictions for what the jewelers bench and workshop will experience in technological change in...

For many years, I have struggled to find ways of conveying the meaning of art and its importance. I had...

What does it mean to be a gallerist today, especially one who deals exclusively in art jewelry? To find out,...

This diagram shows how jewelers approach working in the field in terms of how they relate to the material. The...

This form may be used if you have an idea for a product and wish to approach a manufacturer. It...

I believe the teacher's role is as a guide, an instigator, a devils advocate as well as instructor. A teacher...

In approaching this article, I found there are many avenues to pursue in the exciting and controversial subject of digital...