Metal Studio Jewelry Blog

19 Mar 2020

Sprue clearly visible these account for some loss

Explaining Gold "Loss" in jewellery production

One of the most common questions I get asked is about gold 'loss' during the process of making a piece out of gold. Typically when making a custom piece from gold we will charge a fee for 'loss'. This is dependant on the project and how much finishing work will be needed to complete the project but is commonly in the 15% range.

So for example if you order a ring that comes to a total of 10g of gold it is industry standard that the final charge would be written up as around 11.5g of gold used.

So why is this?

When working with gold there are a number of reasons that a professional jeweller would experience loss and have to charge for this loss accordingly.

1. Gold Mix

Every gold project that we do at Metal Studio Jewellery starts life as a solid 24k gold bar. We custom mix all gold to match the order. Whether we are working in 22k gold, 20k gold, 18k gold, white gold or rose gold. During the process of mixing the alloy there are two places where some gold loss might occur. One is as fine micro particles that attach to the heating plates and tools and the other is in the actual mix. When we custom mix gold we always mix on the side of caution having a bit higher gold content in the final product is more acceptable than having a lower gold content. So while this gold is not actually lost it can account for some of the weight differential.

2. Casting Sprue

Many of the custom gold jewellery pieces we do are carved into wax (because it is softer an easier to work with) then cast from gold. When casting with gold a negative mould must be made and there must be a way to pour the gold into the mould so that it fully fills out the mould. These channels cut into the mould are called sprue and can depending on the piece can use a lot of additional gold. Small pieces can use up to double the amount of gold as the final piece.

See the picture of sprue visible in the process of making a custom 22k gold dragon bangle

Most of the sprue can be simply cut off and recuperated but the small knubs that are left behind after casing must be smoothed down by filing and sanding. Tiny dust from the gold becomes captured in sand paper and files and under desks and on tables. While effort is made to recuperate as much of these filings a possible they are not easily recovered and generally left to accumulate over time so they can be recovered in larger amounts rather than recovered from individual projects.

3. Polishing filing and finishing

As the final custom gold jewellery takes shape there is much finishing that needs to be done. The first step is to file away excess material. Once this is done multiple increasingly fine polishing is done to the piece to bring it up to a mirrored shine or a lovely textured finish. The finer the finish the smaller the gold dust that is created. Some of this escapes into the air and is truly lost. Some of this ends up stuck in tools and can slowly build up until it reaches an amount that is work the effort of recovering it.

Large gold factories have sealed workshops and special vents traps and filters to capture this gold dust. Workers wear specialty suites that are vacuumed at the end of each day to recuperate this gold because of its high value. Unfortunately as a custom hand crafted studio jewelry shop we don't have the means or the need to invest in these expensive and hard to maintain filters and procedures so we are forced to account for a bit more loss than factory made jewellery.

While we are eventually able to recover some of this 'lost' gold we are not able to do it on an ongoing basis for individual projects so in order to be able to complete the project we have to charge a small amount to account for this 'loss'. This is an industry standard practice. We try to keep the loss to a minimum and to compensate for some of the loss by adjusting the artisan fee accordingly but charging for loss is the only way we can produce custom projects without being out of pocket for gold that could be tied up in dust for a year or more.

4. Loss from wear

While not part of the production process there is a forth place where gold can be lost on a final product. This is gold loss from wear and tear and can contribute to a surprisingly large amount gold loss over time. This is especially prominent in gold necklaces and bracelets that have chain parts that rub against each other. This rubbing process creates very fine gold dust that is washed away. The more a piece is worn and the more metal on metal rubbing there is the more potential loss there can be. Rings are also especially prone to wear even though they don't have metal on metal rubbing because of their location on the finger they experience large amounts of wear and tear over time all leading to gold loss. To prevent this I suggest wearing large 'investment gold' pieces as little as possible. Or using a harder (lower k value gold) as the harder metal is less prone to wear over time.

If you have questions or concerns about gold loss or would like to talk about a custom jewellery project please feel free to contact me.

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29 Feb 2020

Simple garnet earrings one of our most popular gifts for January birthdays

A Guide to Birthstones and Choosing the Right Gemstone for your Jewelry

One of the most common questions we are asked is about choosing the right gemstone for a piece of jewelry especially when the piece is for a gift. There are a number of ways to go about selecting a great gift or picking a great heirloom jewelry piece for yourself. You could start with a favourite colour combination and we can make suggestions from there. For example if you already wear a lot of blue and know it is a colour that works for you we might suggest a sapphire.

Another option is to simply pick a piece of jewelry that stands out to you. We find that people naturally tend to be drawn to certain gemstones. Most clients we talk to say they have a favourite gemstone and they tend to own multiple pieces with their favourite gemstone.

Probably the most popular options though is a piece of jewelry that features the recipients birthstone. This is especially the case if you are giving the gift for a birthday or to celebrate an anniversary.

While the origin of birthstones is biblical the modern-day use of birthstones does not necessarily carry any religious symbology.

29 Feb 2020

Garnet necklace with a sterling silver chain

1. January ~ Garnet

Garnet is typically known as a deep red gemstone with a very clear internal structure. While the majority of garnet is deep red in colour it can be found in colours ranging from orange into the green spectrum. Garnets can be found in deposits all over the world. Garnet is overall one our most popular gemstones because of its stunning beauty and because of its highly accessible price when compared to ruby.

--> Click here to shop some of our most popular garnet jewelry

29 Feb 2020

Purple amethyst sterling silver skeleton ring

2. February ~ Amethyst or Pearl

Amethyst is a variety of quartz crystal that comes in various shades from light to dark purple. It is a crystal that is found in abundance in South America. One of the most interesting characteristics about amethyst is the way that it is formed and found naturally. Amethyst crystals form inside geodes which are hollow rocks that have crystal structures growing inside them. The outside looks just like a regular rock but break the rock open and there are stunning crystals growing inside of the hollow rock.

--> Click here to visit our collection of Amethyst jewelry

6 Mar 2020

dainty silver bracelet with aquamarine beads

3. March ~ Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a variant of Beryl with also includes morganite and emerald. The light blue coloration of aquamarine comes from iron present in the gemstone during formation. Aquamarine is typically a very light blue in color but ranges in colour from clear to darker blues. One of Metal Studio Jewlery's most common uses for aquamarine is in beads that accent other pieces but we also do bead work that use colour graded gemstones to create a gradient of colour in the jewelry similar to the bracelet pictured at right.

--> Click here to visit all of Metal Studio Jewelry's Aquamarine pieces.

6 Mar 2020

Australian opal engagement ring with 22k gold band

4. April ~ Diamond

Due to careful marketing on the part of the diamond industry diamond is often referred to as the only April birthstone. However the high price of diamond often puts off customers looking for more affordable birthday gifts. While Metal Studio Jewlery does have some diamonds in the collection we often prefer to make diamond jewelry by customer order rather than stock pieces.

A secondary option for people wanting a piece of diamond jewelry but not looking for the high prices of cut diamonds are rough diamonds. Rough diamonds are how all diamonds come from the earth before they are cut and polished. Rough diamonds have simply not been cut prior to setting giving them a rough look. Rough diamonds are becoming increasingly popular especially as wedding or engagement jewelry

--> Click here to visit diamond jewelry on the Metal Studio Jewlery website.

Another very good option for April jewelry gifts is Opal which is the other lesser known birthstone of April. Opals are one of Boom's favourite gemstones and we have a large selection of opals. Opals are stunning gemstones usually found either in Australia or Ethiopia however the look of Australian and Ethiopian opals is very different.

Australian opals tend to be found in very thin slices and are often bonded with a substrate to form larger flat pieces with stunning blue and green colouration. Australian opals tend to have very vibrant fire and a lot of movement that moves through the gemstone as it passes through different light sources.

Ethiopian opals are usually found in larger deposits and because of this are often cut into solid pieces and not backed with a substrate. They typically have more red and orange colouration and a white to creamy yellow medium.

--> Click here to visit our collection of opal jewelry.

6 Mar 2020

Simple Emerald ring in gold plate silver twist design

5. May ~ Emerald

The gemstone of May is one of the most rare and valuable gemstones. Emerald is a deep green variant of Beryl. The stunning green colour has made these gemstone highly sought after and their rarity makes them highly valuable. Excellent quality specimens with few inclusions are more valuable than a similarly sized diamond.

--> Click here to visit our collection fo Emerald jewelry

6 Mar 2020

Alexandrite ring in gold band with side set gemstones

6. June ~ Pearl / Alexanderite

Alexandrite is one of the most recent additions to the list of birthstones. While most gemstones on this list have been used as decoration throughout history, Alexandrite was only discovered in 1830 in the Ural mountains of Russia. Alexandrite is a fascinating gemstone because of its fascinating property of changing colour depending on the light source. While in mixed or bright daytime light Alexandrite appears to be deep purple, in fading light or by candle light it changes to a vivid yellow or orange. The change is very dramatic with not just a flash of yellows coming through the gemstone but the entire gemstone changing colour.

Alexandrite is incredibly rare and valuable. While we don't currently stock alexandrite we are able to obtain pieces on a one off basis for custom orders.

Pearl is the other more common birthstone of June. While not technically a gemstone because of the way it is formed pearl is nonetheless valuable and highly sought after. Pearls are often farmed inside of oysters. A small particle of sand or other foreign body is placed inside of a live oyster. In response to the invasion the oyster will coat the inclusion in a layer of calcium. The longer the inclusion is allowed to grow inside of the oyster the bigger it will become. While pearl is quite common larger pearls or uniquely coloured pearls, especially ones that are perfectly round are very valuable.

--> Click here to visit the Metal Studio Jewelry collection of pearl jewelry

6 Mar 2020

Faceted ruby ring in 18k rose gold band

7. July ~ Ruby

Ruby is a pink to deep red variant of the mineral corundum. It is common through India and Burma with the Indian version being more pink in coloration with more inclusions. The Burmese variant is especially valuable and sought after. The Burmese rubies are a deep red in colour and very clear.

The value of ruby is tied into the coloration and how free of inclusions it is and of course the carat weight with the deep red or 'pigeon blood' variation being the most sought after. These stunning gemstones are additionally valuable and prized in Thailand because of the long history of use in Thai and Southeast Asian jewelry.

Rubies are also incredibly hard with only a diamond and moissanite being harder.

---> Click here to visit Metal Studio Jewelry's collection of Ruby jewelry

6 Mar 2020

peridot earrings in sterling silver setting

8. August ~ Peridot / Spinel

Peridot, one of the shared birthstones of August is one of the few gemstones that comes in only one colour, green. Various shades of green can be found in the peridot family depending on the amount of iron in the crystal structure. Peridot is a fairly common and affordable gemstone but the deep olive green colour makes it a very pretty gem that really stands out when placed in jewelry. It also makes a very cost effective alternative to the more rare and valuable emerald.

--> Click here to visit the Peridot jewelry section of Metal Studio Jewelry

Spinel is a stunning gemstone that typically has a very clear internal structure. Spinel comes in a huge range of colours form pinks, purples, blues, to black and even nearly translucent specimens.

An interesting bit of history of spinel gemstones is that they have been around for a long time however before scientific testing of the internal mineral structure was possible they were classified as ruby. This was especially true of pink or even deep red spinel which can look virtually identical to ruby to the naked eye.

--> Click here to visit out collection of Spinel Jewelry

6 Mar 2020

round silver pendant with free cut sapphire

9. September ~ Sapphire

Sapphire is another gemstone that is deeply ingrained in Thai traditions and traditional jewelry designs. Its internal structure is very closely related to ruby and is part of the corundum family of gemstones. Sapphire is most commonly a deep blue in coloration but can also be found in pinks, greens, yellow, purple and orange. While many of the best rubies in the world come from Northern Thailand and Burma. Sapphires come from central Thailand on the border to Cambodia. The Chantaburi sapphire markets are world renowned for mining and trade of gemstones.

--> Click here to visit Metal Studio Jewelry's collection of Sapphire jewelry

6 Mar 2020

silver ring with faceted pink tourmaline gemstone

10. October ~ Tourmaline / Opal

Tourmaline is another gemstone that is very similar to spinel in that it comes in a huge variety of colours. Often tourmaline has a graduation of colours within a single gemstone. Of these gemstones watermelon tourmaline, so called because of the gradient that changes from green to yellow and then to pinkish red, is a hugely popular and stunning gemstone for use in jewelry. Typically these watermelon tourmalines are cut into flat pieces that display the gradient. Tourmaline beads that have a range of colours are also another very popular option for tourmaline jewelry designs.

Tourmaline is classified as a semi precious gemstones and because of this can be used to create affordable pieces of jewelry with large very high quality gemstones.

--> Click here to visit the tourmaline jewelry collection

*See April birthstones for a more full write up of opals and their use in jewelry

--> Click here to visit our collection of opal jewelry.

6 Mar 2020

citrine pendant in sterling silver prong setting and chain

11. November ~ Citrine / Topaz

Citrine is a variety of quartz that produced a brilliant yellow gemstone that can range from very light in colour to yellow that has a nearly dark brown colouration. Most Citrine comes from Brazil and South America and makes a very unique gemstone to use in jewelry because of a lack of other gemstones that have a similar colouration. Citrine and Amethyst are very similar and can often be found together in a single crystal. If you were to cut the citrine and amethyst together to have a yellow to purple gradient in the gemstone it would be known as ametrine.

--> Click here to visit the citrine jewelry section of our shop.

While all topaz can be used for jewelry the traditional birthstone of November is the more rare orange topaz. Typically topaz comes in a light blue colouration but can be found in a gambit of colours including a very dark blue (known as London Blue Topaz) oranges, pinks and purples. Topaz is closely related to citrine and there is often misidentification between the two gemstones.

--> Click here to view the topaz jewelry collection

6 Mar 2020

Silver pendant with bezel set green turquoise gemstone

12. December ~ Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise

While Metal Studio Jewelry does not typically have zircon one tanzanite jewelry in stock we do have some loose gemstones and if you have your heart set on a piece of zircon or tanzanite jewelry we would be happy to talk to you about a custom design.

--> Click here to contact us in regards to creating a one off piece of bespoke jewelry

We do however have a large selection of turquoise gemstones and jewelry. Turquoise is a gemstone that has been used for jewelry and decoration for thousands of year. Its unique deep blue to green hue makes it very easy to identify. Turquoise is often associated with the deposits in the American South and was commonly used as a gemstone and decoration prior to Spanish arrival. It continues to be popular in the American South West today. However Turquoise is not limited to American deposits and is also found in abundance in Tibet and is commonly used in Tibetan and high Himalayan cultures and traditions. In recent years closures of many of the most prolific American Turquoise mines have caused the price of American Turquoise to skyrocket.

--> Click here to visit the turquoise section of Metal Studio Jewelry

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