Manny – MKM Jewelry, Inc.

The Best Setting for Your Jewelry

Manny — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 17:31:16 +0000

Stone Setting Types

When you’re designing jewelry, it’s all about the details, and choosing the right stone setting type is paramount to showcasing the gems you work with and creating the ideal piece. There are many factors to consider when determining the best jewelry setting type for your stone, including the color and cut of the stone, and the style of your piece. Read on for some advice from the jewelry design and manufacturing experts at MKM Jewelry that’ll help you bring your piece to life.

Best Settings for Gem Colors

When you’re trying to decide on a jewelry setting type, first consider the hue of your gemstone and select a metal that will complement its coloring. Even diamonds come in varying tints of white and yellow that should be considered before choosing a metal.

Diamonds

If you are using diamonds in your stone setting type, pay attention to the grade of diamond you have. The most valuable diamonds are graded D through F, and are colorless. These perfectly white diamonds are striking when set against yellow gold, which contrasts beautifully with the bright white stone. However, the yellow gold can also cast a yellow tint on these high-grade diamonds. If you want to highlight the colorless brilliance of these stones, setting them in white gold or platinum is often a better choice. Diamonds graded K or lower have a noticeably yellow tint. When working with these yellower stones, it is best to pair them with a yellow gold, as this hides the lower quality of the gem. Avoid platinum or white gold because these will cause yellow diamonds to appear dingy and dark.

Other Colorful Gems

When you’re working with other precious gems, keep some basic color theory in the back of your mind. Cool toned gems, like sapphires and emeralds, tend to look best with cool toned metals like silver, platinum, or rhodium. Pair warm hued gems, such as rubies or garnet, with yellow or rose gold to bring out the warmth and richness of the stone. While these are basic guidelines, rules are made to be broken. An amethyst or sapphire can be very striking when paired with gold since purple/blue and gold are complementary colors. The contrast between the two hues makes each color look brighter and more vibrant, which can make for a particularly dazzling piece of jewelry.

Best Setting for Each Stone Cut

Selecting the best stone setting type for your jewelry is largely dependent on the cut of your gemstone. Whether it’s a round, square, or oval stone changes the ideal setting.

Round Cuts

The most common cut for a gemstone is the Round Brilliant cut. Round cut gems look great with a traditional prong setting. Most designs use either four or six prongs to secure the stone. With fewer prongs, more light can hit the side of the stone, which increases its brilliance. However, fewer prongs also make for a less secure stone. Many designers opt for a six prong setting, so that if one prong is damaged, the stone is still safely secured. Another great jewelry setting type for round stones is a bezel setting. In a bezel setting, a gemstone is set within a ring of metal that wraps over the top edge of the stone. Bezel settings offer a clean, seamless design, but can also make the stone look smaller, as the top and sides are covered by metal. Bezel settings are also very secure, and help protect the stone from chipping or scratching.

Square Cuts

Square cuts encompass princess and cushion cuts among their number. When choosing a stone setting type for a square cut gem, usually a simple, four prong setting is preferred to emphasize the shape of the stone and allow for maximum sparkle. For a more dynamic style, consider rotating any square cut stone so that it is angled like a rhombus. Square shaped diamonds make for stunning solitaire engagement rings, and can also be beautiful as stud earrings.

Oblong Cuts

Oblong shaped stones — such as oval cut and emerald cut gems — usually look most dramatic when set in four prongs, which exaggerates the stone’s size and regal shape. These dramatic stone setting types make a center stone in a ring look stunning, and is enhanced even more when flanked by smaller stones or baguette diamonds.

Unusual Cuts

When using stone cuts that feature sharp points and dramatic angles, such as pear shaped, heart shaped, and marquise cut gems, you may want to consider a stone setting type that protects the point from chipping and other damage. A V-shaped prong should secure the point of the stone, or the entire gem can be bezel set for extra protection. A more modern take on unusual cuts, the tension setting is a sleek, contemporary jewelry setting type. In a tension setting, the stone appears to float between two rods, allowing the stone to be seen from all angles, and creating a magical levitation effect.

Best Setting for Embellishment Stones

After you have settled on the ideal stone setting type for your center stone, there are many ways to embellish your piece. Any small stones that you choose to place along the shoulders or band of a ring, or framing the center stone, have to be set as well.

Channel Setting

The channel setting is particularly popular on rings that want to showcase gems along the entire band. A deep cut is molded into the band and small stones are embedded within it. This stone setting type holds the stones in place with grooves on both inner walls of the metal.

Pavé Setting

One particularly dazzling jewelry setting type is the pavé setting. In this setting, tiny gems are set side by side to create the impression that the piece is paved with diamonds or other precious stones. The effect is an unbroken sea of gemstones that creates an unparalleled level of sparkle. Pavé settings are stunning as the base of a ring, and can also be used to cover shaped surfaces for dramatic drop earrings or necklace designs.

Halo Setting

For a traditional, regal design, consider halo setting your center stone. In this stone setting type, the center stone is surrounded by a ring of smaller accent stones. The accent stones can match the center stone, or add a touch of contrasting color. Consider a cushion cut diamond encircled by tiny sapphires, or an oval cut emerald ringed by small diamonds. A halo setting makes the center stone appear larger, and increases overall sparkle for your design.

Working with MKM Jewelry

There is an endless selection of ways you could set stones into your jewelry design, but finding the one that illuminates your gem and ensures that the colors of metal and stone enhance each other is more difficult. Work with the experts at MKM Jewelry today to find the design help you need.

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Metals at a Glance

Manny — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 17:08:09 +0000

MKM Jewelry has experience using a number of precious and semi-precious metals to create jewelry, statues, and art. Read on to get an overview of each metal we use and discover the best metal for you!

Eco Brass

Eco Brass is a lead free brass alloy that is suitable for jewelry. This particular Eco Brass alloy can be machined easily, has excellent forgeabilty, and is as strong as stainless steel — making it a great choice for custom jewelry manufacturing. Brass is not considered a precious metal. Eco Brass’s fluidity makes it an ideal choice for jewelry casting. Eco brass is specifically formulated to be more corrosion resistant than traditional brass alloys. Brass tarnishes easily, which can create beautiful patinas. However, maintaining its original metallic yellow hue will require regular cleaning and polishing.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is a silver alloy that’s 92.5% pure silver, and 7.5% other metals. Pure silver is often too soft to be used in functional objects, so other alloys, such as copper are added to give it strength while maintaining its ductile nature and beautiful coloring. Sterling silver is popular in the jewelry manufacturing process due to its hypoallergenic properties — although sterling silver that uses nickel as an alloy may irritate those with nickel sensitivities. At MKM Jewelry, we never use nickel in our products. Silver is a valuable precious metal, though less rare than gold and rhodium. Pure silver does not tarnish, but the alloys added to create sterling silver will cause it to tarnish over time. Sterling silver must be polished periodically to maintain its bright, shiny appearance. To help you maintain your jewelry, MKM Jewelry adds in a non tarnish alloy to extend the life of your silver and prevent it from tarnishing.

Rhodium

Rhodium is the rarest and most valuable metal in the world, with a price six times that of gold. It is distinctive for its silver tone, and shiny reflective properties. Rhodium has a very high melting point, making it incredibly durable. It is also known for its resistance to corrosion. Rhodium plating is sometimes used in custom jewelry manufacturing for its lustrous mirror-like appearance, and to add durability to pieces made of softer precious metals, such as gold.

Yellow Gold

Gold has been one of the most valuable metals throughout history, and remains popular to this day. Gold is a soft metal; pure gold is pliable to the touch, leading many in the past to test its authenticity by biting it. The gold used in custom jewelry manufacturing is mixed with stronger alloys such as nickel or zinc to add surface strength. Lower karat gold has less gold in it, but is more durable than higher karat gold. Gold’s conductivity also makes it a great option for electronic manufacturing. Pure gold is hypoallergenic, but those with sensitive metal allergies may react to the alloys mixed into 14 and 18 karat gold.

Rose Gold

The beautiful blush tone of rose gold comes from adding copper alloys to gold. Rose gold was known as Russian Gold for a time, due to its rise of popularity in nineteenth century Russia. Gold jewelry is heirloom quality, maintaining value and luster for generations.

Learn More with MKM Jewelry

MKM Jewelry has spent decades perfecting our craft for custom jewelry and art manufacturing. Learn more about how we can use these metals to bring your pieces to life when you reach out to us today!

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Anatomy of a Ring: Beginners Work in CAD

Manny — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:52:01 +0000

A ring may seem like a simple circle of metal, but in reality, it is so much more complicated. It is important to know all the parts that make up a ring when making jewelry in order for designs to be fabricated properly. Read on to learn about the anatomy of a ring from MKM Jewelry.

The Mounting

The most basic part of the anatomy of a ring is called the mounting. The mounting is the seamless circle of metal that the other parts of the ring extend from. It also includes the shank which is the part of the band on either side of the center stone. The mounting can be made from a variety of metals including gold, sterling silver, bronze, and brass. This base can be plain, textured, or inlaid with small stones.

The Head

For a ring that features set stones, such as a diamond engagement band, the largest, central setting holding the main stone in place is referred to as the head. The head holds the diamond or other gem in place with a number of prongs, the quantity of which will depend on the size and cut of the stone. The head has a peg on the bottom that secures it to the mounting.

The Gallery

When speaking in terms of ring anatomy, the gallery of the ring is generally a hollow area on the underside of the ring that fits over the top of a finger It allows more room for fingers or gemstones. Large, domed rings are the ones that benefit most from having a gallery.

The Prongs

In basic ring anatomy, the prongs are short metal rods that reach from the mounting up and around the stone. The top part of the prongs, called the tips, wrap over the top edge of the diamond to keep the gem in place. Prong Count A four prong head ensures most of the stone is visible from the side and allows more light hit the gem, making the stone sparkle more. However, a four prong head can also make diamonds look more square-shaped, and are less secure than six-prong heads. A six prong head adds extra security, because if a prong is damaged, the stone will remain in place with the other five prongs. Types of Prongs Prongs can be both functional and decorative. V-tipped prongs are great for accenting and protecting the pointed tips of princess cut, pear shaped, and Marquise cut gemstones. Tulip heads feature ornamental cutouts that can add an art deco edge to an engagement ring. A buttercup head is an ornate head design that features gorgeous curved prongs to showcase the cut stone. Damage and Repair In terms of the anatomy of the ring, prongs are the most easily damaged part of the ring, as they are frequently bumped and rubbed, leading to damage to the ring. For a ring that faces daily wear, such as a wedding ring, jewelers recommend the prongs be replaced every 7-10 years in order to keep the ring in prime condition.

The Shoulder

Most rings with a head will also have a shoulder, which is the top two sides of the ring. The shoulder rises up above the mounting to protect the setting of the head. It can also be quite decorative; featuring pave set stones, channels or other adornments. When working in CAD for jewelry design, tweaking a ring can be as easy as copying a file and using the digital tools to widen the band, change the shape of the shoulders, or adjust the scale.

The Gemstone

The next step in mastering the anatomy of the ring is learning the different types of gemstone cuts. The shape of the stone is dependent on the way it is cut and faceted. One of the key factors in the cut of a gem is the depth of the cut. Stones that are cut too shallow or too deep will refract light less well than gems cut to the ideal depth, resulting in less sparkle and shine. The Table In regards to the anatomy of the stone itself, the flat plane at the top is referred to as the table. The table is cut into an octagonal shape and allows you to see the brilliance at the core of the diamond. The Girdle, Crown, and Culet The diamond is split into a top and bottom section by the girdle, which marks the change in cut direction. The top part of the diamond above the girdle is referred to as the crown. The crown should be cut at an angle of 33.7-35.8% in order to bounce the light throughout the diamond. The lower part below the girdle is called the pavilion. The tip at the base of the diamond is known as the culet. Diamond Cuts The most common diamond cut is the round brilliant cut, but other popular styles include the radiant cut (which is cut into long rectangular shape), the cushion cut (which looks like a rounded square), the oval cut, and the emerald cut. Pear shape cut diamonds, also referred to as tear drop cuts, and square princess cut diamonds are also used in many ring designs.

The Embellishments

In the anatomy of the ring, big, complex, multi faceted gems are generally used for the head, acting as a majestic glittery centerpiece in the design. For accent and trim work, designers tend to use smaller stones, such as single cut diamonds, or small rectangular cut stones known as baguettes, in order to add some additional sparkle to the overall design. Because single cut diamonds and straight baguettes have fewer facets, they lack the clarity and depth of more complex stones, and are mainly used as accents.

Setting Styles

Tiny accents stones can be used in numerous ways in jewelry design. One of the most dazzling uses is a pave setting, where tiny gems are set side by side to create a sparkling field of cut stones. Jewelry designers can also flush set diamonds by drilling small holes into the ring and snapping the diamonds in place so that the stones lay flat into the band of the ring. Designers looking for a smooth, seamless look might consider bezel setting their gemstones. In a bezel setting, the stone is set within a rim of metal that wraps around the top edge of the diamond. A bezel setting gives a clean, seamless look, and is more secure than a traditional prong setting. However, because the sides and outer edge of the stone is covered in a bezel setting, the gemstone may appear smaller than when it is prong set.

The Hallmark

To complete our glossary of ring anatomy, we end with the hallmark. A hallmark is a mark or series of marks made on the inside of the mounting that identifies and certifies the content of precious and semi-precious metals. Some of the more commonly used hallmarks include 925 to indicate sterling silver, 585 or 14K and 750 or 18K for gold, and 950 for platinum.

Why Use CAD?

Jewelry designers looking to manufacturing a larger line of rings may want to consider using CAD jewelry design software to design their wares. CAD for jewelry design allows jewelers to create beautiful, intricate pieces, and work at a level of detail impossible to achieve with traditional techniques. The CAD models can then be 3D printed into wax for use in the lost wax casting method. Some popular CAD programs for jewelry design include JWEEL, Autodesk, and Rhino. At MKM Jewelry, we’re experts with all of these programs and can help you design your jewelry from start to finish!

Work with Us!

At MKM jewelry, we can bring your CAD jewelry designs to life. We fabricate a variety of jewelry out of high quality materials such as gold, silver, bronze, and brass. Our manufacturing facility can also set gemstones, engrave, enamel, and finish your pieces. As the premiere jewelry fabricator in the greater Los Angeles area, we help the top jewelry designers in Southern California turn their CAD jewelry designs into heirloom quality pieces. Reach out to us today to learn more!

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Popular Styles for Men’s Rings

Manny — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 17:06:05 +0000

Marriage is forever, and a wedding band needs to be equally timeless. There is a seemingly infinite array of wedding rings on the market, one for every groom. Below, we’ve recapped some of the most popular styles of men’s wedding bands from a fine jewelry manufacturer’s, so read on for MKM Jewlery’s take on some of these timeless designs.

A Forged Band

Simple doesn’t need to mean boring. A classic silver band can be updated with a beautiful forged texture. Forged metal has been gently hammered to create a delicate, dappled surface. This forged texture looks best with a matte finish. The end result is a minimalist, masculine piece, with a subtle flair. This style looks great in a 6mm or 7mm width.

Chrome Ring

For men who aren’t too into bling, a black chrome band is currently a popular men’s ring style. This matte black finish is a striking choice for a groom who wants to make a statement without adding any gemstones. A cobalt chrome trim can give a modern edge to this style. We love a black chrome band in 7mm.

A Wide Domed Band

A domed band is a classic for a reason. Clean, simple, and timeless, a high shine finish gives this style a luxe look. The domed style has been a popular men’s ring for generations, and adding a reflective finish looks especially nice in platinum, white gold, palladium, or cobalt.

Ultra Wide Brushed Finish Ring

Another popular men’s ring is an extra wide band with a brushed finish. An 8mm or 9mm band makes a bold statement on a man’s finger. The matte brushed finish keeps the piece from being too flashy, while polished edges give this minimalistic ring a bit of visual interest. The simplicity of this ring makes it a bold, but modern choice.

Satin Finish Comfort Fit Band

A recent reworking of the classic ring shape, comfort fit bands feature a slightly domed inner band, which gives the ring a light, gentle fit above the finger. The ergonomic design makes the jewelry unobtrusive, and men can wear it around the clock without any discomfort. The satin finish of this design gives this band a delicate, understated design. The simplicity of the style and improved comfort of the ring make this band one of the most popular men’s ring styles.

Satin Finished Milgrain Band

Fine jewelry manufacturers report that this more traditional wedding band remains as popular as ever. Milgrain edging adds a bit of visual interest and a traditional vibe, while the satin finish keeps the wedding band sleek and modern. A milgrain detail is ideal for a groom looking for a slightly more ornate design, without being too ostentatious.

Working with the Experts

As you design this season’s line of wedding bands, keep in mind these popular men’s ring styles. If you’re looking for more expert advice from the industry’s top fine jewelry manufacturers, reach out to us at MKM Jewelry today for assistance with CAD and CAM, as well as our other services.

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Metal Plating Basics | Rhodium, Silver, and Gold

Manny — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 17:01:38 +0000

Artisans have been creating precious metal surfaces using metal plating for centuries. Today, metal plating is used for both decorative and functional purposes. Read on to learn more about the history and process of metal plating and how artists, engineers, and designers have used throughout the years.

The History of Metal Plating

Metal plating evolved from earlier processes such as fire gilding and gold leafing, which used small amounts of gold to cover large surface areas. In gold leafing, paper thin sheets of gold are affixed to a surface such as wood or metal with a tacky glue, and are burnished onto the object, to create a lustrous gold appearance. In fire gilding, thin plates or fine grains of gold are thrown onto hot mercury, which when stirred with an iron rod, are absorbed. The mixture is squeezed through a sheepskin to separate the heavier gold from the mercury, resulting in a buttery amalgam that can be spread onto the surface of a mercury-coated object. When heat is applied, the mercury burns away, resulting in a beautiful gold coating.

The Discovery of Electroplating

Similar to other ancient processes, metal plating deposits a thin layer of a precious metal across the surface of another metal. Today’s metal plating uses an electromagnetic or chemical process to fuse a precious metal to another, less expensive metal, most commonly silver, zinc, chrome, or brass. This technique is used to create electronic parts, as well as fine jewelry and other art objects. Luigi Brugnatelli, an Italian chemist, first achieved modern electroplating in 1805. However, his successful attempt at plating silver with gold was kept secret by the French Academy of Sciences, and the technique remained unknown until it was rediscovered by independent Russian and English scientists decades later. Electroplating later became industrialized in the 1940s, resulting in the mass production of silver plated utensils, brushes, teapots, and more. Although modern electroplating techniques were not developed until the 19th century, there is evidence that pre-Colombian metalsmiths working in ancient Peru gilded metal using electrochemical processes. A variety of sophisticated gilded relics were found in Sipán, which date back to 50 AD. These earliest examples of metal plating are attributed to the Moche people.

Metal Plating Process

Prepping

Before metal is plated, it is first cleaned in a chemical bath, and sandblasted so that the metal plating can adhere to the rougher surface. The metal object is then hung on a copper wire support frame, which functions as an electrical current.

The Bath

A vat is prepped for the object with electrically conductive water and chemicals, and lined with balls or bags of the plating metal. The plated object is connected to a positive electric terminal, while the copper support frame it rests on is connected to the negative terminal. As approximately six volts of electricity flow through the tank, the plating metal dissolves, and the metal ions travel through the tank to adhere to the surface of the negatively charged metal object.

Completion

Now the object is covered in a thin layer of the plating metal. Plating can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the thickness you wish to achieve. The plated object is finally soaked in another chemical bath and rinsed with hot water to remove residue and prevent rust. At MKM Jewelry, your premier silver, rhodium, and gold plating service in Los Angeles, our highly trained technicians have years of training with these processes.

An Alternate Process

Metal plating can also be achieved through an autocatalytic process, known as electroless plating or conversion coating plating. The plating process is set up similarly, but instead of using an external energy source, the metal’s reaction is triggered by a reducing agent, such as sodium hypophosphite. The trigger releases hydrogen, creating an electrical charge. This method does not require an electrical current but is more difficult to control.

Tools Used in Metal Plating

Metal plating requires an array of chemicals, which vary depending on the base metal and the plating metal. Since the metal plating process occurs within a vat that can be charged with an electrical current, additional vats are often needed for the chemical and water baths following the plating process. At home metal plating kits are available, although the complexity of the process and the toxicity of the required chemicals make DIY metal plating a daunting task. When it comes to plating metal, it is best to leave it to the professionals, like MKM Jewelry. We offer gold plating services in Los Angeles for jewelry designers looking to cut costs and save money when testing new designs or creating fashion jewelry.

Types of Plating Styles

Metal plating can be performed in a variety of ways. Metal can be plated by hand in small batches by a trained technician, or can be done in a fully automated factory setting. Other types of metal plating include barrel plating, which is primarily used for small parts that do not require great precision. In barrel plating, the plating process is performed within a large barrel, which accommodates high rinse and pull out rates. Many fabricators may also choose to use the rack plating technique, in which the metal to be plated is hung on a rack, helping the craftsmen control the time flow of the metal plating process.

Common Plating Metals and Uses

Numerous types of metals can be used in metal plating, including chromium, cadmium, silver, gold, rhodium, brass, bronze, and zinc. Metal plating is used for both artistic and industrial purposes. In fine jewelry, gold, rhodium, and silver plating are most commonly used to create genuine precious metal surfaces without the cost of producing items that are made entirely of solid gold or silver. In the electronic parts industry, gold is also frequently used and highly valued for its corrosion resistant and conductive properties. Gold plated copper parts are frequently used in circuit boards and microchips. Electroplating is even used by NASA to gold plate thermally controlled spacecraft instruments due to the fact that gold reflects 99% of infrared wavelengths.

Corrosion Testing

One of the most useful applications of metal plating is preventing corrosion. By plating corrosive metals with a more stable metal, such as gold, you can increase the longevity and durability of an object. Plated metals are tested for their ability to defy corrosion with a variety of environmental corrosion tests, which simulate the passing of time.

Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test

Specific environmental corrosion tests include the Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test, where metals are misted with an acetic acid to accelerate corrosion. The same test can also be performed with additional copper salts added.

Corrodkote Test

In the Corrodkote Test, electroplated pieces are coated with kaolin, which contains aluminum chloride, copper nitrate, and ferric chloride, and then placed in a humidity chamber.

Electrochemical Corrosion Test

Technicians can also simulate corrosion in mere minutes with an electrochemical corrosion test, where an anodic material is placed in an electrolyte. Sulfur dioxide is also used to test for metal’s defense against corrosion.

Potential Tarnishing Issues

When gold is plated onto silver, the silver ions and gold ions leach together over time, resulting in a faded, tarnished surface. To prevent this, silver is usually plated first in nickel, before being plated in gold, to create a barrier between the gold and silver ions. Copper and gold atoms are also liable for diffusion, so most copper electronic parts also use nickel as a barrier metal between the copper and gold. When you electroplate in this way, you can create a flawless, high quality metal plated surface.

Working with the Best

Metal plating is a fascinating process that produces beautiful effects with a myriad of uses — ranging from practical to aesthetic. MKM Jewelry offers professional gold plating services in Los Angeles to help you bring your jewelry and industrial designs to life. MKM Jewelry offers silver, gold, rose gold, and rhodium plating, so bring your pieces in for plating today.

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All About Brass

Manny — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 02:05:06 +0000

Brass is a metal alloy composed of zinc and copper, known for its warm golden hue and numerous unique properties. It has a rich history and many modern applications including jewelry, sculpture, coinage, instruments, and machinery. Read on for MKM Jewelry’s breakdown of brass metal properties.

A Brief History of Brass

Earliest Examples in Asia

The earliest examples of brass date back to the 5^th century BC in China. The brass artifacts that have been found are only 5% to 15% zinc, which indicates that they might be made from “natural alloys” and could have been created unintentionally. Most likely these metals were smelted from a zinc rich copper ore, resulting in an unintentional brass-like metal. Some relics however, are known to be deliberately manufactured and have the golden coloring distinctive to brass.

Examples of other copper-zinc alloys began appearing across the Middle East and Asia in the 3^rd century BC. Brass from this time period has been found in the United Arab Emirates, West India, Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, and Iraq. Through trade with the Middle East, brass usage began to spread across the world, from Britain and Spain to India.

Brass Production in the Roman Empire

Archaeologists have discovered evidence that the Greeks and Romans were intentionally making brass alloy by the 1st century BC. The Romans created calamine brass through a process known as cementation, where copper and calamine, a zinc rich ore, are heated together until the zinc becomes a vapor, which reacts with copper to create a brass alloy. Brass was used by the Romans to make coins and other artifacts.

Soon after these advances in brass production by the Romans, Turkey began to make currency from brass as well. Brass began to spread across the Roman Empire, all the way up through Northern Europe. Before silver and gold became available from North and South America, brass was considered a precious metal and was used for ornamental purposes in churches and tombs.

Speltering in India

Brass also began to appear in India in the 1st century BC. Unlike Roman calamine brass, Indians did not use cementation to produce brass, but rather a process called speltering. Speltering gives brass producers greater control over the zinc content of the brass, and thus adjust the brass metal properties.

Brass in Africa

In Africa, brass was used in much of the art in the region. Although frequently referred to as bronzes, many of the Nigerian lost wax castings, including the famous Head of Queen Idia, are actually cast in brass. Brass was frequently used in African sculpture, as it was considered to be more valuable there then it was in Europe.

Brass’s Growing Presence

After the Industrial Revolution, the number of brass uses began to multiply. In America, brass was increasingly popular for buttons on military uniforms, and the market expanded to include brass lamps and clockwork.

Brass metal’s properties as a corrosion resistant, non-magnetic, and low friction material made it the ideal choice for metal ammunition cartridges in France in 1846. Two of the most common rifle bullets used in the American Civil war were made from brass as well.

But What Is Brass?

As a zinc-copper alloy, there are many different types of brass, dependent on the concentration of the different metals in the alloy. There are 60 different types of brass ranging from Abyssinian gold, which is 90% copper, to Delta Metal, which only has a concentration of 55% copper.

The varying concentrations of zinc and copper give the different types of brass a wide color variation and an array of brass metal properties. Brass with higher copper proportion are a reddish brown color, while brass with a higher zinc concentration take on a lighter silvery yellow hue. Some types of brass also have low percentages of other elements added, including silicon, aluminum, manganese, and nickel.

The chemical composition of brass will cause it to tarnish over time when exposed to the air. This particular property of brass metal can be utilized to create beautiful patinas, which are thin layers of color that protect the metal and give it a rich, antique look. The original golden surface of brass can be maintained through regular polishing.

The Three Classes

There are three basic crystal structures for brass, which lead to the three main classes:

Alpha Brass

Alpha brasses have a copper concentration of over 65%. They have a face-centered cubic crystal structure, and can be worked cold. This makes alpha brasses ideal for pressing and forging. Alpha brasses are also the most golden of the different brasses, due to their high proportion of copper.

Alpha-Beta Brass

Alpha-beta brasses are alloys that are between 55-65% copper and 35-45% zinc. The higher concentration of zinc gives these brass metals bright, shiny properties. They contain both face-centered cubic crystals, and body centered cubic crystals. This makes Alpha-beta brasses stronger than Alpha brasses, and they are usually worked hot.

Beta Brass

Beta brasses are alloys that are between 50-55% copper and 45-55% zinc. They are the hardest, strongest brasses, and must be worked hot. Beta brass is ideal for casting. Because of its high zinc content, and low proportion of copper, beta brass is the least golden of the three classes of brass.

Properties of Brass Metal

Brass is a more malleable material than either bronze or zinc, making it easy to manipulate. One of the most notable brass metal properties is its relatively low melting point, at 900-940° Celsius. Its low melting point and strong flow makes it an easy metal for casting. Brass is known for its machinability, because it can be easily worked and shaped while maintaining its strength.

In terms of physical properties, brass is a good conductor for both heat and electricity. One of the most special brass metal properties is its antimicrobial nature, making it a good choice for bathroom fixtures and fixtures in healthcare facilities.

Production

Nearly 90% of today’s brass alloys are recycled. Brass is not ferromagnetic, so brass scrap can be separated from ferrous scrap using a powerful magnet. This brass scrap can be melted and cast into billets to be recycled.

New brass is produced from copper scrap and zinc ingots. Copper’s boiling point is lower than zinc’s, so the copper is melted first, and zinc is added to the already molten metal afterwards. Some of the zinc is lost to vaporization, but the remaining zinc reacts with the copper to create a brass alloy. Any other additions, such as lead, aluminum, tin, or silicon, are added to the mixture at this time.

The molten alloy is poured into slabs or billets, which can be extruded into tubes and wires, or rolled into sheets. A thin layer of raw material is trimmed off by a milling machine, to remove imperfections from casting and oxide. The brass is then heated, gas treated, and rolled again, in a process known as annealing. Brass is then cold rolled repeatedly, which increases the brass metal properties of strength and hardness by deforming the inner grain structure of the metal.

Finally, the new brass is soaked in a chemical bath of hydrochloric and sulfuric acid in order to remove tarnish and oxidation.

Current Uses

Today, brass is considered a versatile metal with many different uses, including jewelry, sculpture, musical instruments, as well as a variety of industrial applications.

Jewelry and Art

Many jewelers enjoy working with brass for its aesthetic qualities and relative affordability. An easy metal to cast, brass is often chosen for intricate lost wax castings. Brass’s attractive golden hue makes for striking jewelry, at a much lower price point than gold.

In art, both historic and modern artists have used brass to cast sculptures. Besides casting, brass can be worked both hot and cold, making it a favorite for metalsmiths to sculpt with.

Music

Perhaps the most famous brass use is its role in the making of musical instruments. The brass instrument family includes trumpets, tubas, trombones, French horns, and more. Because brass is very malleable, it is easy to make the long narrow tubing, which is used in horn instruments. In addition, brass metal’s properties of resistance to corrosion and strong acoustic qualities, as well as its economic price point, makes it an attractive choice for manufacturing instruments.

Besides traditional brass instruments, woodwind instruments such as saxophones are also frequently made of brass, for similar reasons. Brass is used for the production of percussion instruments such as cymbals, gongs, and hand bells as well.

Industrial

In an industrial context, free cutting brass is commonly used for screw machine stock. Brass metal’s properties as a corrosive resistant alloy, with a smooth finish makes it ideal for machining. Free cutting brass is used in nuts, bolts, threaded parts, plumbing fitting, adapters, jets, taps, and more.

Naval brass has a composition that is 59% copper, 40% zinc, 1% tin, and also contains traces of lead. The resulting alloy is has great machinability, and is very resistant to corrosion, making it ideal for marine hardware.

Brass Finishes for Jewelry and Art

There are many brass uses in different styles of art and jewelry. Matte brass has a soft, frosted effect for a muted, understated finish. Brushed brass has a similarly soft finish, with a bright, warm tone, and an interesting brushed textural surface. Stone finish brass has an earthy rugged finish for a touch of bold texture. For those seeking the ultimate shine factor, look for high polish brass, which has a sparkling, golden finish.

MKM Jewelry offers a number of different finishes for brass including:

Raw Eco Brass
Matte Brass
Brushed Brass
Stone Finished Brass
High Polished Brass

MKM Jewelry Creations

At MKM Jewelry, we can help you produce a run of jewelry or a special custom piece that showcases both the beauty of your design, and richness of brass. Our team of industry professionals are here to help you bring your creative vision to life. From high-tech CAD and CAM services and mold making to experienced casting and engraving, MKM Jewelry has worked brass into jewelry, art, and more! MKM Jewelry can also add gold, silver, or rhodium plating to your brass base piece for a stunning effect.

Brass is a beautiful, versatile metal, with many properties that make it a great choice for jewelry production. Partner with MKM Jewelry to manufacture your next design and learn how brass metal properties can benefit you!

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All About Sterling Silver

Manny — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 01:23:11 +0000

At MKM Jewelry, one of the four primary metals we work with is sterling silver. It’s a popular metal all over the world for jewelry, art, electronics, and medicine. To learn more about silver, and how we use it at MKM Jewelry, read on for information about its origins and uses.

A Brief History

Silver was first mined as far back as 3000 B.C. in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), and it was integral in the development of early civilizations in the Near East, Crete, and Greece. Around 1200 B.C., the majority of silver production shifted to the Laurium mines in Greece, continuing to help the empire grow. This later gave way to the dominance of Spain’s silver mines in 100 A.D., as they supplied a significant amount of silver to the Roman Empire, which was then traded along Asian spice routes.

A Drastic Change

Although silver was important in early trade, it was the discovery of the New World in 1492 that really made history for the element. The silver lodes in the Americas led to a drastic increase in mining and trade. In Colonial America, silver was used for both currency and general goods. During this era, silversmiths knew all about working sterling silver, and they produced everything from belt buckles to ornate, artistic pieces. They used many of the methods for working silver that were developed in Europe, include sterling silver casting and cold working.

Essential Tableware

From 1840 to 1940, a fashionable dining room table in Europe or America was not complete without sterling silver flatware. For many colonials it was all about sterling silver pieces, and at the peak of their popularity, these silverware sets could contain up to 100 intricate pieces. During World War II, a shortage of copper meant that silver saw a surge in industrial applications, and it was used in aircraft parts, electronics, reflectors, and soldering.

Mining Locations

After the Spanish conquest of the New World, silver mining flourished in the new colonies. From 1500 to 1800, Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico accounted for 85% of silver production and trade. After 1800, silver mining began to expand to other countries. In the United States, the discovery of the Cornstock Lode in Nevada allowed them to contribute significantly to the silver trade. By the 1870s, silver production had doubled from 40 to 80 million troy ounces worldwide.

Present Day Mining Operations

Present-day silver mining takes place mainly in Mexico, Peru, the United States, Canada, Poland, Chile, and Australia. In the United States, silver is mined in 16 different states, with Nevada, Idaho, and Arizona accounting for two-thirds of all silver mined in the country. Today, almost 671 million troy ounces are mined every year. The price of silver is prone to fluctuation, rising when demand increases and dropping when silver deposits are discovered. Since most silver-rich ore has already been mined, most of today’s silver comes from ores with trace amounts of the metal. Through a process called electrolysis, these tiny amounts of silver are extracted.

Interesting Silver Facts

To learn all about sterling silver, we have to consider its properties outside of just sterling silver casting for jewelry. Silver is considered the best conductor of electricity and heat compared with any other element. Since it is the best reflector of visible light, silver is often used to make mirrors. It’s the most ductile and malleable metal, which means it can be formed into thin wires and hammered into thin sheets without breaking. Like gold, silver forms from star explosions called supernovas. The explosion of smaller stars produce silver, while the explosion of larger stars creates gold.

Current Uses of Silver

While we may think all about sterling silver jewelry and silverware, silver actually has a variety of artistic, scientific, and medical uses.

In Photography

In 1871, Richard Leach Maddox invented a new, important use for silver in photography through the gelatin silver process. In the gelatin silver process, silver ions suspended in gelatin are used to coat photographic film. Exposure to light causes the silver ions to darken, and other developing agents, like photographic fixer and a water bath are used to produce the final result. Even with the widespread use of today’s digital camera, silver remains integral to artists working with traditional film.

In Power

Silver is used to manufacture solar photovoltaic panels, which are used to collect solar energy. Plasmonic solar cells, which convert light into electricity, are also made using silver. Since silver is the most reflective element, scientists have used large curved sheets of the metal to create concentrated solar power collectors. By 2015, 100 million ounces of silver had been used for solar energy purposes.

In Electronics

Due to its superior electrical conductivity, silver is commonly used in electronics. It’s used in printed circuit boards that are central to everything from mobile phones to computers. Silver-based inks and films are applied to composite boards to create electrical pathways, and silver-based inks produce RFID (radio frequency identification) tags that are used to both prevent theft and make inventory control easy.

In Medicine

Perhaps one of the most surprising uses for silver is its applications in medicine. Silver has antibacterial properties, and it has been used in wound dressings since World War I. Today, burn patients benefit from silver-antibiotic creams and silver wound dressings to help prevent infection and promote healing. With the rise of the so-called superbug MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), hospitals have taken to using silver-embedded equipment to prevent the spread of the infection.

In Jewelry

Silver is, of course, also used to make jewelry and art. Throughout American history, the most notable producers of silver jewelry included the Native Americans of the Southwestern regions including the Zuni and Navajo tribes. At MKM Jewelry, we also create a multitude of silver pieces through sterling silver casting.

What Is Sterling Silver?

The idea that silver jewelry isn’t pure silver may be jarring at first, but learning all about sterling silver makes it clear that it’s the best material for the job. In its pure form, silver is too soft for things like jewelry. In order to help it keep its shape and increase its hardness, silver is mixed with other materials to imbue it with more strength. Traditional sterling silver is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of other metals, usually copper. Alternatives to copper include germanium, zinc, and platinum, and additional materials like silicon and boron are sometimes added. To denote sterling silver was used for a piece, the numbers 925 are often carved into the finished product.

Silver Finishes for Jewelry and Art

After silver is worked into shape for jewelry or art, it can be finished in different ways for a variety looks. At MKM Jewelry, we know all about sterling silver finishes including matte, oxidized, highly polished, stone finished, brushed, and raw.

A Matte Finish

A matte finish diffuses light for a subtle sheen. With matte finishes, there are several textures that can be achieved such as stone finished and brushed. For a brushed matte finish, a small, lined tool dulls the surface of the silver, leaving small patterned lines. For more texture, a stone finish offers a more rugged finish reminiscent of actual rocks.

An Oxidized Finish

To provide an oxidized finish, sterling silver is deliberately exposed to air that contains sulfur. The resulting silver sulfide compound creates blackened patches for an aged, vintage look — like those often found in Native American pieces.

A Highly Polished Finish

A highly-polished mirror finish takes the most work to achieve. To make the jewelry reflect light in a dazzling way, the silver is worked until all imperfections are removed. The silver is then polished until it has a bright, shiny finish.

A Raw Finish

For a raw finish, the metal is cleaned and pickled, but the skin remains intact. This results in a dull outer layer that does not reflect much light. Many artists who wish to convey a masculine feeling in their jewelry choose this style.

MKM Jewelry and Silver

At MKM Jewelry, we have learned all about using sterling silver in a multitude of different jewelry-making techniques. We use the metal primarily in lost wax casting, plating, and engraving.

Sterling Silver Casting

Lost wax casting is a type of casting whereby molten silver is poured into a mold. The mold is created using wax, which is then melted and drained out. Lost wax casting has been around for thousands of years, and there are different methods of wax casting depending on the type of metal used. For a soft metal like sterling silver, the material is cast at a relatively low temperature (1500-2000° F). At MKM Jewelry, we use a gypsum-bonded investment for this process.

Engraving

We offer two types of engraving: laser engraving and hand engraving. If you want a design that requires a lot of precision, or you want an engraving consistent on many pieces of jewelry, that’s what laser engraving is all about. Sterling silver jewelry can be laser engraved using the precision of the computer for sharp, smooth lines. This type of engraving is perfect for specific fonts, blackening techniques, and even images. Hand engraving may be a more favorable option if you’re seeking to engrave just one or a few pieces of jewelry. Our skilled artisans know all about engraving sterling silver jewelry with masterful technique and a quick turnaround time. Hand engraving is an excellent way to add character to your existing pieces of jewelry.

Plating

If you’re not all about sterling silver’s color, we offer plating services after the jewelry is made. Plating is available in gold, rose gold/silver, and rhodium. With plating, we can work with sterling silver as the base metal and then add a unique, customized touch at the end.

Working with the Best

The professionals at MKM Jewelry have over 15 years of experience working with sterling silver. All our knowledge about sterling silver means that we’re equipped to help you create the piece you’ve been imagining. Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind piece or a run of over a thousand, let MKM Jewelry help you make your jewelry come to life.

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How To Get Into The Design & Manufacturing Industry

Manny — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 02:00:00 +0000

Digital technology is bringing change to jewelry manufacturing companies across the world, making it easier for them to produce beautiful, intricate jewelry. Through sophisticated technological advances and innovative design techniques, the industry currently provides an exciting and lucrative environment from which to build a career. If you’re looking to get into the jewelry design and manufacturing industry, read on to discover actionable ways to launch your career and find success in jewelry design.

Training and Education

One of the many benefits of the jewelry industry is that it requires little to no training to get started. Many times, a formal education can strangle your creativity, something that’s crucial and highly valued in jewelry design. Foregoing years of schooling for hands-on experience will save you money that you can use to launch your business, as education can cost thousands of dollars. If you’re someone who still prefers to be as prepared as possible, you can attend manufacturing classes at a trade school or study with a local jewelery manufacturing company under an apprenticeship. While you may forego an education in jewelry, learning marketing techniques and best business practices may be useful as you build your manufacturing business. It would be wise to conduct plenty of research on these topics, as it may prove beneficial in nearly any business venture you delve into.

Identify Your Personal Style

One of the first things you should do as you embark on your jewelery manufacturing career is identify your personal style. You should understand what style of jewelry you're drawn to and which style best speaks to your creativity. Do you like earthy pieces, classic and timeless pieces, or unique costume jewelry? Your answer to these questions will help you determine what type of jewelry to specialize in. After you’ve identified your favorite designs, you can find jewelry design companies who share similar tastes and seek their guidance. Always remember to conduct as much research as possible beforehand, in order to be well versed in the qualities that make your chosen style unique.

Build Your Brand

Networking among jewelry manufacturing companies in this industry is very important, as it is the vehicle through which you will build a strong clientele. You should make it your goal to nurture relationships with several jewelry manufacturing companies to ensure you have associates to turn to should you need to partner on a project or find new clientele in the future.

Marketing and Advertising

Many jewelry manufacturing and design companies today build relationships by attending trade shows and fairs. This marketing technique attracts new clients and musters interest in a product. Use this same strategy once you have your own designs and showcase them at different shows and fairs to help build your brand. You also need to effectively communicate your passion and your reasons for getting into this business once you start talking to prospective clients. Your passion will inspire theirs and ensure you connect with people who want to work with you for the right reasons. Always remember to take plenty of business cards, so that people know where and how to reach you

Your Media Presence

Building a social media presence and email marketing list is crucial to businesses today, as many people prefer to conduct much of their shopping online. Both techniques will help grow your following and build trust in your skill. Numerous marketing professionals, jewelry manufacturing and, design companies have stated that an email list is your best tool for making sales, so you should aim to build an email list as soon as you launch your career. Send your email subscribers weekly newsletters with informative content that will provide value to them in some way.

Budget Your Startup Costs

Building a business comes with many startups costs. In the jewelry design and manufacturing industry, you’ll need an assortment of materials and tools to get started. You’ll need to decide which materials you want to work with, as well as your creation process. Will you be working with precious or semiprecious metals and gemstones? Will you need the help of jewelry manufacturing companies or are you creating all pieces by hand? Your budget will help determine which materials you can afford, how much inventory to create, and what prices to set for your designs. You must also keep in mind overhead costs, such as water and power, rent, and employee salaries. Will you be running a brick-and-mortar store where clients can walk in and view your products or will you be operating an online store? Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and both require different levels of effort and expense. Consider every angle of your business to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of your expenses.

Best Practices and Mistakes to Avoid

As with other industries, there are a few mistakes you should avoid as you hone your craft and build your reputation in this business. Avoiding these mistakes will lessen your chances of experiencing dilemmas and professional emergencies. Below are some of the most important things to consider as you embark on your career:

Keep personal and business accounts separate.
Identify exactly who your target market is, and cater to them in every aspect of your business.
Keep your branding consistent across all platforms and marketing efforts.
Price your product appropriately (consider labor, time, and cost of materials).
Always conduct yourself professionally and respectfully with everyone you encounter.

Set Achievable Goals Setting goals should be a priority—you will have a better chance at succeeding if you write them down. Your short and long term goals are what keep you dedicated to your business when times get difficult or when you feel overwhelmed by your tasks. Set weekly, monthly, and yearly goals that will inspire you to complete tasks within a certain timeframe. Remember to be reasonable with the goals you set for yourself, and make sure they are attainable, yet big enough to warrant feelings of pride once completed.

Working with Industry Experts

Now that you’ve learned a little bit more about this industry, you can begin to decipher whether it’s a business you see yourself in. While it takes a lot of creativity and passion, it is also a business that requires proper marketing, start up capital, and constant networking. Conduct plenty of research, connect with experienced jewelry manufacturing companies, sharpen your skills, and stay connected to your passion.

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How Does 3D Model Making Benefit a Jeweler?

Manny — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:36:10 +0000

Three-dimensional design is an evolving process that is highly dependent on current technology. Though model making is an ancient jewelry and sculpting technique, it’s still used today due to its reliability and convenience. With the advent of new technology, such as 3D jewelry printing, model making has developed into an even more beneficial method for jewelers and sculptors to use.

The Process

To create a three-dimensional model with a 3D printer, first a virtual design is required. Often, jewelry makers prefer to create a design on their own, working with computer aided design (CAD) programs specifically for jewelry. Some jewelers may entrust their vision to a manufacturer and allow them to interpret their designs.

Once a design has been approved, a manufacturer or jeweler sends the file to a printer for 3D jewelry printing. From there, the printer lays down layer after layer to fabricate the model in wax. The wax model is then perfected by the jeweler, and struts are added to brace the piece as it is prepared for molding. Intricate portions of the printed model may need to be recarved or detailed before it’s ready to create the mold.

Once the model is perfected, the lost wax process begins. A powder investment is mixed to create a cream that is poured around the wax model. The wax is then melted out over several hours in an oven. The empty space left by the wax is filled with precious metal to create the final piece. Subsequently, the struts are removed from the casting and the piece is finished and polished.

When an artist intends to create just one piece, sometimes cutting out the wax process and printing the jewelry directly in metal is a more efficient, though slightly more expensive choice.

The Benefits of Modern and Ancient Methods

Part of the reason 3D jewelry printing—also known as a computer aided manufacturing process—is making such an impact on the jewelry industry is its ability to integrate with modern techniques to ease the process of jewelry making. Printing wax models is especially significant, as the lost wax casting method is one of the most popular among jewelry makers.

Create Faster

When you print a model through 3D jewelry printing, as opposed to carving it by hand, the process can be considerably accelerated. In this way, jewelers can stay ahead of their competition and keep up with customer demands for popular pieces.

Designing on a computer also allows you to immediately observe any potential issues with the piece and modify it, reducing the trial and error process and decreasing the production time from several months to just a few days. These printers and programs are available to individual artists, as well as large businesses, leveling the field for independent artisans.

Cutting Costs

Creating prototypes by hand is undoubtedly expensive. Model tools and production runs are investments that consume both capital and precious time. When mistakes are made or the client doesn’t like the end result, it can be more costly to recreate the piece in several different sample runs.

3D jewelry printing allows for a far more streamlined process. Beyond the opportunity to see and modify a digital manifestation of the piece before printing, the 3D jewelry printing process allows parts and pieces to be made at a lower cost than traditional model and mold making.

Intricate Detail

While wax modelling by hand allows an artist complete creative control, modelling a piece in a 3D jewelry printing program enables many more options that simply aren’t possible when working by hand. A jeweler can execute delicate and intricate styles without posing any risks to the model.

For example, if an artist were to build a piece with intricate details intertwined or carved within the piece, they would be forced to solder multiple models together. With a 3D program and printer, these spliced designs are printed directly in wax without any soldering required.

A 3D computer aided design program even allows a jewelry maker to create a trial example of engraving or enameling.

Making Risk-Free Changes

It’s nearly impossible to build a new piece of jewelry without making a few changes. By 3D jewelry printing a model, a jeweler can verify their design before investing in an expensive process. It’s far more affordable to print a test prototype and redesign in CAD than to alter an existing mold.

Jewelers, Manufacturers, & Clients

Describing or drawing a piece of jewelry you plan on creating can often be misinterpreted by the clients or manufacturers. A jeweler always risks errors in manufacturing every time they design a new piece.

With a design fabricated in a computer-aided design program, there is no way to mistake the artist’s vision. Not only does a CAD program create a clear blueprint for the manufacturer, it can also render a conceptual picture that is more elaborate and clear than a drawing or description. In fact, with the low cost of printing an initial model, a client or artist can hold a physical prototype that is a close representation of the finished product.

Virtual Inventory

The cost of nearly every product and material can fluctuate according to global market demands. This creates a risk for any artisan who maintains a physical inventory, as shifts in the price of precious metals and gems can devalue inventory in minutes.

With the speed and affordability permitted by 3D jewelry printing, a jeweler can create a virtual inventory with a lead time of several days. Furthermore, an artist has more flexibility to display different variations of the same piece rendered in a CAD program, and the client can see several options before committing.

The Human Touch

While some may believe that 3D printers and CAD programs jeopardize the human touch of jewelry making techniques, personal inspiration and an artistic vision still play a dominant role in using CAD for jewelry making.

Artists supply the inspiration, design, and style behind every model created on the computer, and their talent to transform ideas into a reality is irreplaceable. Although manual labor is present during all stages, especially post-processing, it is essential to set stones or correct any irregularities left behind by the 3D jewelry printing.

MKM Jewelry’s Role

At MKM Jewelry, we supply an affordable platform for model and mold creation, allowing artists to streamline their processes. For those who are still unfamiliar with modern model making, MKM Jewelry has the professional skill sets necessary to recognize your vision and supply your business with the highest quality jewelry pieces. Contact us today to learn how we stay up-to-date on the newest jewelry making methods and techniques.

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CAD: How It Can Help Jewelers

Manny — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 22:27:23 +0000

The evolution of jewelry design and jewelry manufacturing is never complete, but in today’s world, we have reached a level of achievement so far beyond the humble beginnings of jewelry, it’s difficult not to marvel at where technology has brought us. Jewelers have gone from designing on paper and carving models by hand, to designing three dimensionally in a computer and 3D printing jewelry.

In recent years, one of the biggest developments jewelry manufacturing has been CAD, computer aided design. CAD has been used by architects, engineers, landscapers, and automotive designers. Today, we are seeing a growing trend of CAD for jewelry design. There are many different CAD programs and a variety of waysÂ to design in them, so here is an overview of what computer aided design actually is and how it can help your business thrive.

What is CAD?

Prior to any kind of CAD for jewelry design software, the development of jewelry manufacturing prototypes was done manually. Tedious, time consuming, and expensive, designs were often laden with imperfections and had to be consistently redesigned through trial and error.

Computer aided design software eliminates most creation errors, as it is used to draft, modify, and optimize a specific design on the computer before printing a tangible model. There are specific CAD for jewelry design programs with certain design elements already implemented within them, such as setting designs, total weights, and gemstone shapes. With a CAD program you can design a jewelry prototype in two or three dimensions and then use the resultant file to 3D print a piece.

CAD in 2D

While there are 2D design softwares, like Photoshop, these are different from 2D CAD softwares. Designing in two dimensions, both for CAD and other, simpler design platforms, is like a virtual drawing board. You’re using palettes and writing tools to design in the same way you would draw an image. The main difference between the two is that CAD offers flexibility through manipulation elements.

In a CAD program, lines aren’t fixedâ€”they can be adjusted, moved, twisted, and scaled. Better yet, no matter how you readjust the scale of a piece, everything will always be redrawn in perfect resolution. Most efficient, the files created by 2D CAD for jewelry design are also directly compatible with other applications, such as laser engraving and industrial cutting tools. This makes jewelry manufacturing much cheaper and easier.

CAD in 3D

Conceptually, 3D CAD is the digital equivalent of fabricating tools and a wax carving kit. Instead of simply making designs on the screen, you’re actually building a piece to your exact specifications. The end result of a CAD-made piece can be made into a photorealistic image, also called a rendering, or it can be used to produce a physical model prototype, usually through 3D printing.

The biggest advantages of using 3D CAD for jewelry design and manufacturing include a conceptual design, viewable from every angle, exacting measurements and dimensions, and a modifiable digital prototype that can be rebuilt or manipulated to show any color, size, or material.

While all 3D CAD for jewelry design programs are capable of the same basic creations, such as eternity bands, solitaire wedding rings, and pendant designs, there are some that specialize in certain aspects of jewelry making. Focusing on speed, precision, organic modeling, or relief sculpting, all necessitates a different design program. While there is no 3D CAD software that is good at everything, it is possible to combine the strengths of two different programs. As with 2D CAD files, 3D CAD files are also compatible with several different softwares, so a file can be created in one program and modified in another.

What CAD Can Do For You

Jewelry design and jewelry manufacturing has always been an exacting craft, yet now, you can create pieces that would otherwise be impossible using conventional manufacturing methods. From intricate latticework and minute details to jewelry that can be formed to the body, precision is the new standard.

Computer aided design also allows for complete customization to fit the needs of a jeweler’s client. Involving a client in the design is easier than ever, as now, a client can sit with a jeweler as they design a piece in real time.

Using CAD for jewelry design as a medium for creating more precise, custom pieces is becoming the trend everywhere as customers raise their expectations. Let MKM Jewelry elevate your jewelry design to excellence with 3D CAD software.

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