Five Jewelry Store Workshops You May Be Interested In
Posted on: 14 November 2018
Do you have a penchant for baubles and bling? Do you have a creative side and need a new hobby? If so, you may want to participate in a jewelry workshop. These classes are popping up in jewelry stores across America and are a great opportunity to learn how jewelry is made and how to make your own artisan pieces. Here is a look at some of the jewelry store workshops offered.
Repurposing Workshops
Every jewelry lover has outdated pieces that they no longer love anymore cluttering up their jewelry box. Sometimes, they but they are reluctant to pawn these pieces, knowing they won't get what they're worth. Why not melt it down and get it ready to be refashioned into something new? In the classes, master jewelers show students how to test the metal for its purity content and determine how many karats it is, and then safely melt it down into a gold or silver ingot. You can make it into a simple bar, pour it into a decorative mold, or save it for another class for future jewelry.
Understanding Metal Hardness
Most people think of diamonds and other gemstones when they think of the Mohs scale, but it is also used by jewelers to determine the hardness of metals. This scale allows artisans to decide which sheet and wire metals will be best for use in each individual project, especially if the piece will also be made with gemstones. Having this information will prevent budding artisans from creating a piece that will scratch. It will also guide the production processes they use, such as soldering or cold working procedures.
Metal Fabrication and Soldering
In order to make jewelry, budding artisans need to know the different techniques to shape and form metal. Students practice bending, cutting, twisting, and shaping different metals and wires so they can better understand the metal properties and how to achieve specific results. They also learn techniques like metal piercing, setting stones, piecework, filing, and finishing.
Metal Fasteners
To make most pieces of jewelry, you will need to create various clasps, hinges, pins, screws, and mechanisms. This class teaches the student to use a tap and die and other tools to make these important jewelry components.
Ring Making
Creating rings or other hollow objects may sound like it would be easy, but it can actually be quite difficult to create a piece of jewelry that is circular or hollowed out rather than solid metal. This class will teach you the techniques you need to make rings as well as other hollow things.
If you just love jewelry but aren't interested in taking classes to make your own, no worries. You can still visit the jewelry store workshops to peruse the different artisans' creations.
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