Journal · 542 notes
Making & process
Written for buyers rather than for search engines: what a specification actually means, where an order usually goes wrong, and what to ask before you pay a deposit.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Jewelry Polishing Compounds Explained: Tripoli, Rouge, and the Mop Sequence
Tripoli cuts, rouge colors, white diamond finishes. Here is how polishing compounds, grit sequence, and mop choice produce a clean jewelry shine.
Making & process · Sep 2026
What Is a Girdle? Why Bench Jewelers Obsess Over It
The girdle is the edge of a faceted stone. It decides how the stone sits in its setting, how it wears, and how it looks. Here is why.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Bulk Jewelry Casting Service: Lost-Wax Production for Brands
How bulk lost-wax casting works for jewelry brands, what porosity and shrinkage rates to expect, and how to compare a casting house before you commit.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Hand Engraving vs Laser Engraving: Which One Belongs on Your Line
Hand engraving and laser engraving serve different jobs. Compare cost, permanence, texture, and best use cases before you write either into a spec sheet.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Vacuum Casting vs Centrifugal Casting: When Each Method Wins
Porosity rates, flask size, and alloy fit. Vacuum-pressure casting beats centrifugal on density; centrifugal wins on heavy trees and platinum.
Making & process · Sep 2026
How Fine Chains Are Made: Wire, Links, and Clasps
From drawn wire to finished cable, curb, and rope chains. How jewelry chains are manufactured, why thin chains break, and what to look for when you buy.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Sprue Design Tips for a Clean Jewelry Casting Tree
Sprue diameter, 45-degree angle, tier balance, and vent placement: the sprue rules that stop short-fed and finned castings.
Making & process · Sep 2026
3D Printing Wax: Resolution and Fit Notes for Jewelry
SLA wax printer layer height, support marks, and shrinkage math that decide whether a casting fits on first sample.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Bulk Jewelry Production Capacity: Monthly Output Explained
What bulk jewelry production capacity really means, how monthly output is calculated, and how to plan a 5,000-piece order.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Engraving Machines vs Hand Tools: What Each Does Well on the Bench
Pantograph, rotary diamond-drag, and hand gravers: what each engraving method does best on production jewelry and what it cannot do.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Ring Resizing Explained: What Happens at the Bench
Ring resizing ranges from a simple stretch to a careful cut-and-solder. Learn how the bench decides, what can go wrong, and which rings cannot be sized.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Oxidizing Sterling Silver: How We Add Patina at the Bench
Black oxide isn't damage—it's a controlled finish. We walk through liver of sulfur, how it darkens recesses, and why it wears off over time.