Jewellery designers use wax to carve an exact model of the ring to be created. Once the model has reached its final shape, the designer will embed the carving in a metal flask which is then filled with a plaster-like substance. The model is left to harden, then placed in a special oven at extremely high temperatures

Burnout and casting

This is where all the hard work pays off...or you cry and start over. After the curing of the plaster, the burnout begins. Burnout is the removal of the wax in the mold through vaporization. The rubber mount is removed and the cylinder with the plaster and wax is placed into a kiln. The temperature is slowly raised over a 3-5 hour period to around 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. The wax, of course, simply vaporizes from the mold....leaving an impression in the plaster behind. At the end of the vaporization process, the kiln is brought to a holding casting temperature. In the case of gold, that temperature is around 900 degrees. Now you are ready to actually pour the ring!!

Once the 900 degree temperature is met, the gold for the ring is melted in a crucible to a liquid state. At this point, the cylinder is removed from the kiln and placed in either a vacuum extractor like we have in our Auburn Day's store or a centrifuge like we have in our South Portland Day's location. Either way, the liquid gold is injected into the plaster mold and allowed to cool for a short time ( usually when it is no longer red hot). Now...how to you get the ring out? Simple: You quench the cylinder in a bucket of water. This serves two purposes. First, it shatters the plaster, freeing the ring. Second, it work hardens the gold to make the ring more resistant to bending and shaping. If all went well, you now have a new ring!!! If not, let the crying commence!

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For platinum, gold, and silver jewellery, there are many techniques to create finishes. The most common are high-polish, satin/matte brushed, and hammered. High-polished jewellery is the most common and gives the metal a highly reflective, shiny look. Satin or matte finish reduces the shine and reflection of the jewellery, and this is commonly used to accentuate gemstones such as diamonds. Brushed finishes give the jewellery a textured look and are created by brushing a material (similar to sandpaper) against the metal, leaving "brush strokes". Hammered finishes are typically created by using a rounded steel hammer and hammering the jewellery to give it a wavy texture.

Some jewellery is plated to give it a shiny, reflective look or to achieve the desired colour. Sterling silver jewellery may be plated with a thin layer of 0.999 fine silver (a process known as flashing) or may be plated with rhodium or gold. Base metal costume jewellery may also be plated with silver, gold, or rhodium for a more attractive finish.

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