{ "products": [ { "available": true, "title": "Adding Gold to Metal Clay", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners beading", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners Metal Clay", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners Silver Jewellery Bundle 1/2/3", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners Silver Jewellery I", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners Silver Jewellery II", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Beginners Silver Jewellery III", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Botanical Jewellery in Silver Metal Clay", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Castle Setting: Eternity Ring: Stone Setting", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Chain Making in Silver", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Claw Setting: Stone Setting (Round)", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Claw Setting: Stone Setting (Shaped Stones)", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Diploma in Silver Jewellery (1 Year)", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Diploma in Silver Jewellery (summer intensive)", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Enamelling Level 1", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Enamelling Level 2", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Ethical Jewellery Day", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Exploring Cabochon Settings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Exploring Flush Settings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Granulation in Silver", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Hand Stamped Silver Jewellery", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Introduction to Beading", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Jewellery Design", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Jewellery Photography", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Make a Silver Bar Necklace or Bracelet", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Make a Silver Ring", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Make Cocktail Rings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Make Silver Hoop Earrings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Make Silver Stud Earrings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Pavé Setting: Stone Setting", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy BrightonP" }, { "available": true, "title": "Pearl knotting", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Perspex Jewellery", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Polishing and Finishing Masterclass", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Recycling Silver Jewellery", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Resin Jewellery", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Sand Casting", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Sea Glass Jewellery", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Silver Jewellery Evening Class", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Silver Jewellery Intensive Level 1", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Silver Metal Clay Taster Class", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Smartphone Photography Course", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Soldering and Stone Setting Evening Class", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Soldering Masterclass", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": false, "title": "Stacked Silver Rings", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Star Setting & Grain Setting: Stone Setting", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Start a Jewellery Business Day", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Sterling Silver Trinket Box (2 Days)", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Stone Setting in Metal Clay", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" }, { "available": true, "title": "Stone Setting in Silver (2 Days)", "vendor": "London Jewellery School" }, { "available": true, "title": "Stone Setting Intensive (5 Days)", "vendor": "Jewellers Academy Brighton" } ] }
Contact
jewellersacademybrighton@gmail.com
Store info

Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm

Directions

33 New Road

Brighton

BN1 1UG

33 New Road

Brighton

BN1 1UG

Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm

· · · Comments

New technique challenge – a metal clay specialist tries wax carved jewellery making

· · · Comments

London Jewellery School tutor Anna Campbell works a lot in precious metal clay but recently she decided to try a class in wax carvingwhich required her to think about jewellery making in a different way.

As I have alluded to before, I love trying out new jewellery making techniques (see my keep learning blog post). I find that with every different method I try I add more to my designing and making armoury.This summer I had a bit more space and time to myself and I signed up for the beginners wax carving class at the London Jewellery School.

 The process of wax carving

With wax carving (also know as lost wax casting) you start out with a lump of wax which you cut, carve, file and sand down until it is the shape you want. Once this is complete, the wax piece is sent to a caster. You choose the metal you would like the piece to be made into (for example brass, sterling silver, gold). The wax piece is attached to a wax tree, along with several others, so that many pieces can be cast at once.

The tree is then encased in a plaster-like substance called investment. Once this has hardened the wax is burnt out leaving a cavity in the mould. Molten metal is then poured into the mould. Once the metal has cooled and hardened the jewellery pieces are cut from the ‘tree’. When you receive your piece back it will still need a bit of work to polish up. It will have a sprue, a bit of additional metal where the piece of jewellery had been attached to the tree. This just needs to be filed off.

 Have a look at this excellent video showing the whole process when jewellery making is done on a more industrial scale. Forward to 50 seconds to see how the wax tree is made and cast.

 

In the class we started out by creating a technical drawing of our design, complete with measurements. This is a drawing, usually on graph paper, showing all angles of the piece. This means the front, side and top profile.

I found this challenging. In my metal clay work I tend to work with a basic sketch and the piece evolves. With wax you need to be a bit more disciplined and have a good idea of how it will look in the end.

wax carving class at the London Jewellery School

The drawings and a piece of wax ready to start.

 

I decided to have a go at making a ring (although you can make what you want. Others in the class made earrings, pendants etc). Once I had the beginnings of a sketched idea I cut myself a block of wax. Then there is a lot of sawing, filing and sanding to make the piece. A lot!

This again is different from the way other jewellery makers tend to work. We usually work by adding to rather than removing so it is a little more like sculpting in that respect. Using wax is a really interesting and forgiving way of making jewellery. If it breaks you can melt the wax to fix it. If you take off too much wax you can always melt and add more.

 

was carved jewellery

The finished wax piece

A few days after the class I took the wax carved piece to a caster. The casters used by the London Jewellery School are

  • Just Castings 18 St Cross Street, Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8UN
  • West One casting, 24 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8BQ

 If you live outside of London you can take your wax piece to a caster closer to home or you can send your piece to one of the above and have the final jewellery delivered to you (the cost of casting isn’t included in the course fee).

 I took mine to Just Castings and had it cast in sterling silver. I was very impressed with the quality of the casting and I thought the price was very reasonable as my ring is quite a large piece.

wax carved jewellery

My finished ring (Copyright Anna Campbell 2014)

 

I am really pleased with my first attempt at wax carving. It does take some time and patience to get right but it is a great way to make a piece in silver that could not be made in the traditional way. You don’t need a lot of tools at home to work with wax and the wax itself is inexpensive. I will definitely be trying it again in the future.

 Interested in trying it yourself? We have two levels of wax carving class at the London Jewellery School

Beginners wax carving (1 day) the class that I attended

Intermediate wax carving (1 day) where you look at more complex design work, layering of wax etc. You should have attended the beginners course before attempting the intermediate.