Precious Metals In Jewelry

It is not uncommon for jewelers to combine manufactured elements to create a finished piece of jewelry.  For example, there may be a cast head soldered to a hand-fabricated shank of a ring.  A hand drawn shank has good elasticity, which enables the ring’s band to be sized to fit.  

In other situations, a die struck head may be attached to the hand drawn shank because its prongs have superior strength, which will hold a gemstone securely. In this instance, very fine and intricate details can be worked into the shank without having to sacrifice any choice in the size of the center stone.

Combining elements of different manufacturing methods also allows for virtually unlimited creativity on the part of the jewelry design, be it by the customer or the jeweler. A skilled jeweler would be able to implement just about any design and be able to advise on the process and best design practice for the desired finished piece, especially if the piece is hand made.

Next, learn about the El Dorado Legend | Gold in History and Culture.