PROCESS
The process behind each piece we make.
Sketches
Everything starts off as a scrappy sketch in my notebook. Similar to how I would doodle in my school books, I like the informality of just throwing ideas onto a page wherever they fit, watching the ink bleed and smudge onto my latest to-do list. None of them are neat, few of them are any good, but the idea is down and I can work from there.
Sculpt in Wax
Once I have the basis of an idea, I can start getting it sculpted into wax. The process is extremely satisfying and seeing an idea come together is always a great feeling. I could spend hours filing and smoothing the wax, but I like that you can see the marks I’ve made and get a sense of the process; it gives the piece a unique character.
Initial Cast
I send the wax model off to be cast in silver by a casting company. The process involves making a cast of the wax, then heating the cast until all the wax has melted out. This leaves a void in the shape of the original model. The cast is then entered into a vacuum chamber where molten metal is inserted into the cast which fills the void left by the wax model. This produces the initial cast.
Once cooled, a rubber mould is made of this initial cast so replicas can be made in wax, and the mould and initial cast is sent back to me.
Waxes to Order
I start making wax blanks of the rings and size them to the desired fit. This is done using a wax injector and then adding or removing wax where it is needed. This is then sent off to the casting company to get the rings cast.
Cleaning and Polishing
Once back from the casting company, the rings and pendants are dull and a bit messy. I remove the bits of sprue left on the pieces, then file and grind the rough areas. I oxidise the silver to add a patina (this is very satisfying) where it is needed and then start polishing. Again, I could spend hours getting out all of the blemishes and “imperfection”, but these are what give your pieces their unique character.
Assay and Sponsor’s Marks
Finally I send the pieces off to be hallmarked and have my sponsor’s mark (RAG) added. This is a legal requirement for pieces of silver over 7.78g and gold pieces over 1g as an assurance that you are getting the quality of metal that you have paid for.
