Journal · 980 notes
Notes from the bench
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.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Garnet Gemstone Guide: Varieties, Colors & Hardness
Garnet isn't just January's deep red birthstone. Explore pyrope, almandine, tsavorite, demantoid, and which varieties hold their value.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
Diaspore: The Color-Change Gem From the Turkish Mountains
Diaspore, sold as Zultanite, shifts from green to champagne to pink depending on light. Learn its properties, price and jewelry use.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Bulk Jewelry Production Lead Time: From Wax to Carton
Bulk jewelry production lead time by department: modeling, casting, setting, polishing, plating, QC. Where orders slip and how to compress it.
Making & process · Sep 2026
Rubber Molds and Wax Injection: How Casting Patterns Are Made
Hand wax carving and 3D printing are not the only ways to make a casting pattern. Here is how rubber molds and wax injection produce repeatable pieces.
Making & process · Sep 2026
How a Jeweler Sets a Stone: Prong, Bezel, and Channel Work Explained
Walk through prong, bezel, and channel setting mechanics, tooling, tolerances, and what to ask your manufacturer before production.
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.
Buying guides · Sep 2026
Ring CAD Model Revision Rounds: How Many Drafts Before Production
How many CAD revisions a custom ring actually needs, which rounds are free, which changes cost, and the approval gate before wax is printed.
Buying guides · Sep 2026
Three-Stone Engagement Rings: Meaning, Styles, and How to Budget
Past, present, and future in one setting. We cover the most popular three-stone layouts, metal choices, and how to spend across three stones.
Care & after-sales · Sep 2026
Prong Checks: The Signs Your Ring Needs a Bench Visit Before It Loses a Stone
A jeweler explains how to inspect your ring prongs at home, what loose or worn prongs look like, and why a five-minute check saves you from losing a stone.
Stones & grading · Sep 2026
How Moissanite Is Made: From Silicon Carbide Boule to Faceted Gem
Inside the synthesis process: silicon carbide growth, boule selection, cutting, grading, and certification before moissanite reaches wholesale.
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.
