Journal archive
Category: Materials & Mount Preparation
Precious metal selection, casting assessment, mount components and preparation for jewellery manufacture.
Published guidance
Articles in this archive.
One, Two and Three Piece Ring Mounts: Preparation Explained
Ring mount preparation needs a defined starting point and a defined next stage. Describing a mount as one, two or three piece helps identify the supplied assembly, but the count alone does not explain how far each surface should be worked. The workshop also needs the construction plan and the operation that follows.
Creating a Jewellery Bill of Materials for Repeat Production
A jewellery bill of materials records what is needed to make a defined product. It connects the finished design with its components, stones and material references, helping the workshop distinguish one variant from another. For repeat production, it is a practical complement to drawings and samples.
Stock Ring Mounts vs Custom Mounts: Choosing a Production Route
Choosing between stock ring mounts and custom mounts depends on how closely an available component meets the required design. A stock mount may provide a useful starting point, while a custom route allows the construction to be developed around a particular brief. Neither option removes the need to check the actual stone, material and finished requirements.
Ring Head and Shank Alignment: Checks Before Assembly
Ring head and shank alignment influences the relationship between the setting and the band in the finished design. A small unintended tilt or offset can affect the appearance of an otherwise carefully finished ring. The appropriate checks begin before the components are permanently joined.
Mixed Metal Jewellery: Planning Construction and Finishing
Mixed metal jewellery needs a clear record of where each material belongs and how the components will become one finished piece. A two-colour render can communicate the visual idea without resolving the joining method, preparation access or finishing boundary. Those decisions should be made before the components reach assembly.
Jewellery Castings: What to Check Before Workshop Finishing
Jewellery castings should be checked before finishing work is treated as routine. The receiving workshop needs to know whether the components match the intended design and whether their condition allows the next stage to proceed. Discovering a mismatch after substantial preparation can create avoidable rework.
Porosity in Jewellery Castings: Why It Matters Before Polishing
Porosity in a jewellery casting can become a production problem when voids affect the surface or a feature that must be worked. Polishing is not an automatic cure. Before more material is removed, the workshop needs to assess what is visible, where it is located and whether the component remains suitable for the intended result.
Choosing a Precious Metal for a Jewellery Collection
Choosing a precious metal for a jewellery collection connects design intent with production decisions. Colour and price matter, but the material also needs to suit the construction, setting and finish you plan to offer. A broad description such as white metal leaves too much unresolved for a manufacturing specification.
Manufacturing Jewellery in 9ct vs 18ct Gold: Practical Considerations
Manufacturing a design in 9ct and 18ct gold involves more than changing the material description on an order. The gold content differs, while the full alloy composition and its condition influence how the material is worked. A useful comparison therefore starts with the specific alloys and the intended construction.
Platinum vs White Gold: What Changes During Jewellery Production?
Platinum and white gold can serve a similar visual design brief, but they are different materials and need distinct production specifications. Choosing between them should involve the actual alloys, the construction and the intended surface finish. A colour description alone cannot tell the workshop how the piece should be made.