The jeweler has a unique set of skills. First they need to know how to design so that elements in the piece of jewelry are integrated into a cohesive whole. Learning to design is sorely under rated, by the way, because our lives are enriched by the attention to detail. Always being in a hurry, rushing to a goal without “smelling the roses” along the way makes for a very dull life. The designer gets the opportunity to slow time way down and bring appreciation to the beauty all around us. It is a privilege to be an artist but it is also work. it takes the commitment of time and thought to understand relationships in good design.

The second aspect in a jewelers ”bag of tricks” is technical know-how. The fact of the matter is jewelry needs to stay on your body without falling off and breaking apart. The type of wear that rings and necklaces undergo is remarkable. That we still have jewelry from the antiquities is a testament to their durability, value, and the love of their wearers. Even though we inadvertently abuse our jewelry, we love it. As a reminder please visit your jeweler periodically to clean and check the wear and tear on your pieces because it would be a shame to loose something of such sentimental and practical value.

The video illustrates the twist in the clasp and the functioning of the hinge and spring action.

Designing the piece in CAD was challenging in it of itself. Curves don’t come as naturally as we would like, still it certainly made the task faster than carving it out of wax or building it by hand in some other fashion. The casting above was only the beginning. Besides cleaning up the casting so that the polish flowed nicely, trying to fit the spring in there and to get enough tension in it to open and close was hard. The clasp turned out nicely and if you contact Diana Vincent , who designs exquisite shapes, the necklace might be completed. As with any challenging piece it takes time to get it right and the end result is always satisfying.