Wild Ice Jewelry can complete an outfit, making it look more stylish and polished. Choosing the right pieces can be a challenge.
The best place to store your jewelry is in a drawer that will keep it safe from damage and dust. A shallow drawer is ideal, making it easier to see items and find what you need.
While the form and materials of jewellery have varied widely over time, one constant has been its symbolic value. From the curse of the Kohinoor to the healing properties of emeralds, jewellery has been used for both ornamentation and to indicate status. In ancient times it was also used for talismanic purposes and was even buried with people to protect them in the afterlife, as evidenced by the beads and pendants found at the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk, England.
As technology advanced, the skills for jewellery making developed, and trades were created around these craftspeople: Silversmiths (craftspeople who work with silver), Goldsmiths (craftspeople who work with gold), Gemcutters (artisans who specialise in cutting and polishing stones) and lapidarists (craftspeople who shape and mount gemstones). As a result of these developments, more and more jewellery was being made.
The late 1800s and early 1900s saw a change in attitudes towards jewellery, and the Arts and Crafts movement emerged. This movement rejected the use of machinery and focused on artistic elements of design, as well as the beauty of handmade work. This period also witnessed the suffragette movement, and women who campaigned for equal rights wore brooches and necklaces in the colours of their movement: green, symbolising hope; purple, symbolising dignity; and white, representing purity.
It is also at this time that the spelling of the word jewellery became a debate, and it is now spelled jewellery in British English and Australian English, and jewelry in American English. However, in most other European languages the spelling of jewellery is retained. In modern times jewellery has become more of an art form, and designers are increasingly using base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to create pieces. The bling-bling style of jewellery popularised by rappers and hip hop artists is also an example of this trend.
Materials
Metals such as gold, silver and platinum continue to be popular. They’re rarer than other metals and have long been considered precious, often serving as a store of value. They’re also very malleable, which makes them practical for making jewellery.
Other common materials used in jewelry making include glass, either fused-glass or enamel; shells, bones and ivory, and animal skins; polymer clay; and hemp and other twines. Most of these materials have been treated in some way to give them the shapes and other properties required by jewellery designs.
Jewellery making tools are needed to work with some of these materials, particularly wire and sheet metal. A small ruler is useful for measuring, and digital or analog calipers are helpful for accurately determining the size of beads, wire, or flat-finished metal sheets. A bench block, a smooth (usually stainless steel) surface for hammering, and a rawhide mallet are also essential. The latter two can be used to shape metal without deforming it, especially when shaping round wire or reshaping smooth-finished sheet.
A hammer with a smooth chasing head is also used to create surface textures and patterns in metal, and to make dents and dings in glass. Other tools that can be used to add finishing touches or enhance the appearance of jewellery include an electric soldering gun and abrasives, including grit and diamond abrasive pads.
Design
Jewelry is a complex, artisanal product that requires an intimate understanding of the production techniques used to create it. Historically, this has included wax sculpting, soldering, and bending but digital transformation is increasingly enabling the use of 3D printers for prototypes and try-on models in addition to traditional investment casting. Adding a stereolithography 3D printer to your studio enables rapid iterations to verify aesthetics and proportion and facilitates consultative client sessions.
To learn more about the design process, enroll in a specialized Jewelry Design course. FIT’s Jewelry Design program has an established connection to industry, with a team of expert faculty who are well versed in today’s market and bring their firsthand experience to the classroom as mentors.
There are several different CAD environments that you can choose to work in when designing jewelry, depending on your personal workflow and preferred styles of sculpting. Solid or surface modelers like SolidWorks and Rhinoceros are best at creating geometric shapes and tightly controlled surfaces. Their parametric modeling means that a change to one feature will automatically update all other features, and they allow for detailed, numerical definition of component dimensions.
However, they don’t provide the smooth surface transitions and detailed ornamentation that are key to many jewelry designs. Polygonal or mesh modelers, on the other hand, offer more control over individual faces and vertices and can streamline the workflow towards organic forms but will not necessarily produce the fine detail required for accurate gem settings.
In some cases, the best approach is to combine these different sculpting methods. For example, the ring design below was created with a combination of mesh and solid modeling, with the mesh being used to capture fine details in the textured bands.
Styles
The right piece of jewelry can add the finishing touch to any outfit. Whether you prefer minimalist stud earrings and understated necklaces or bold cuffs and show-stopping cocktail rings, there are fresh jewelry trends to suit every style.
Jewelry can evoke culture and tradition, whether it’s the grandeur of Indian gold jewelry or the sophistication of Italian craftsmanship. Each culture brings its own unique style to the art of jewelry making, creating a diverse and exciting industry.
Whether you’re searching for the perfect gift or looking to treat yourself, it’s important to understand the differences between jewelry styles. Choosing the perfect jewelry is all about finding what speaks to you. Consider your personal style, and how you use jewelry on a daily basis. For example, if you have a hands-on job, you may want to choose durable pieces that can withstand everyday wear and tear. If you attend a lot of formal events, on the other hand, you might prefer more elegant styles.
Fashion jewelry is a stylish and trendy option that is typically less expensive than fine jewelry. It generally doesn’t hold much resale value and can include materials that irritate the skin. Fashion jewelry can also be mass-produced, which means it’s less likely to match your exact preferences.
Value
A piece of jewelry’s value is dependent on many factors. For one, the item’s raw materials and overall quality play a large role in its resale price. This includes the carat weight and quality of gemstones in jewelry pieces, as well as the purity and craftsmanship of the precious metals used.
Another important factor is rarity, as a rare or unusual piece is typically worth more than similar pieces. This can be due to the era in which it was made, its particular design or even the maker itself. The age of a piece also plays a role, with older pieces generally being more valuable than newer ones.
Hallmarks are another factor, as these can help identify the piece’s country of origin and its metal content. A hallmark may be visible on the piece or hidden under tarnish, so it’s a good idea to clean up any old jewelry you have before attempting to find any markings.
The brand of a piece is also important, as branded jewelry is often worth more than unmarked pieces from the same era. This is particularly true if the designer is a household name or their jewelry is highly sought after by consumers.
Lastly, the condition of a piece is also important in determining its resale value. Items that are worn or damaged are less desirable and will therefore be worth less than those that are in excellent or near-perfect condition. This is why it’s important to keep your jewelry in a safe location and treat it with care. If you are considering selling your jewelry, it’s a good idea to get an appraisal from a trusted jeweler or pawn shop to ensure that you are getting a fair price.
