COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The first week of this course introduces the students into
multiple techniques for jewelry design, making and repair.
During the weeks that follow, daily jewelry store tasks must be completed, from
repairing chains, making rings, ring sizing, soldering settings, setting stones,
replacing prongs, soldering pre made initials and as well as many designing
tasks.
Introduction to precious metals:
Platinum, Gold, and Silver.
Learn how to obtain the different Karats and colors of gold. FTC rules and regulations, Trading of precious metals. Units
of weight.
Soldering:
Preparation and cleaning of metals for soldering. Soldering
is immediately introduced into the program. Students
practice a wide variety of exercises hands-on.
Piercing, drilling
and filing:
explanation and practice for the making of nameplates.
Wires:
making of
bails and jump rings. Using round nose pliers and dowels.
Ring Sizing: Practice
of single and multiple ring sizing. Hardening and annealing
techniques explained and applied.
Testing of metals:
hands-on. Learn how to use acid testing techniques for
separating the different karats of metal. Metals and
oxidation.
Handling of shop sweeps, fillings and scraps for maximum
recovery.
Gold melting and milling:
explanation and adjustment of the torch. Use of mold for
making ingots. Use of the rolling mill for producing metal
wires and plates.
Chains:
Learn to
make chains starting from an idea. Practice on fixing
different types of chains.
Rings:
Create and assemble a solitaire ring. Making of a shank and
soldering a setting.
Making a coin bezel: students make a coin bezel by utilizing the sweat
soldering technique. This technique is also used for making
bezels for cabochon stones.
Identification plates, initials:
learn the proper techniques to apply designs
plate to plate. You will create a project in which you will
learn to properly prepare and solder identification
initials.
Diamond setting:
handling of simple diamond setting. Practice of setting
stones in different setting styles.
Explanation of
procedures:
Working with hollow jewelry, general
explanation of jewelry repairs. Findings, tools and other
supplies and suppliers. Repair friendly and unfriendly
stones. Finishes and Textures.
Finishing of
Castings:
Introduction and explanation of castings and
the most common tools used for finishing the pieces.
Rough castings will be
cleaned, sanded, pre finished and polished ready for final
delivery.
Bracelet with
Tennis Clasp:
Explanation of inner workings of clasps.
The student will learn the
inner workings of clasps. Making of hinges for bracelets.
Mechanics and placement of a figure 8. Final assembly and
high luster polishing for final presentation and delivery to
the customer.
Three Color Ring:
Making, sizing and different ways of assembling a three
colors of metal ring will be practiced in this exercise.
Different exercises will include assembling the ring
separately, sizing up and down, soldering side by side,
sizing separately and finishing for presentation and
delivery.
Designer Ring with
Pattern:
The student will learn how to handle the re
sizing of a designer ring with a pattern. Stretching and
reducing the ring several sizes will be demonstrated.
Sizing up by using a piece of metal and a design will be
added using burs and gravers. Antique finish.
Rings with multiple
stones:
Multiple exercises in rings: sizing rings up,
down and re-shank of finished jewelry. Setting and
tightening stones
Chains:
Repairs,
clasps and end caps of a variety of chains. Cable link, S
link, Bismark, Omega,
Rope styles.
Earrings:
Practice
for fixing, soldering and placing posts, creating a pair of
earrings.
Hollow jewelry:
Hollow bangle, different repairs to be performed: Fixing
dents, installing a safety chain. The student will learn how
to solder a jump ring unto a hollow ball. Different ways of
fixing a hollow bracelet or necklace will be practiced and a
box clasp will be installed
ID Bracelet:
This
bracelet will be constructed by making a plate, attaching it
to a chain using tubing and installing a hidden clasp and 2
figure 8’s. The student will then learn the best way to
solder initials on top of an identification plate.
Hollow Earrings:
Post and lever back systems have to be installed unto hollow
earrings.
Earring set with
stones in bezels:
This exercise
includes removing a stone and fixing the post of an earring.
The student will then convert the earring into a pendant. As
a final exercise the student will make a shank, solder the
same setting and two additional settings to complete the
exercise.
Handmade hollow
Earrings:
forming and shaping. Installation and making
of T-bars and posts.
Fashion earrings:
Convert existing bracelet into a pair of earrings.
Waxing and casting:
The wax and casting process will be explained and students
will practice injecting molds with wax making their own
patterns.
Watches:
Hands on watchbands and batteries replacement.
Plating:
Cleaning,
Electro stripping and plating with rhodium, copper, nickel
and/or gold, will be explained and demonstrated.
Engraving:
Use of a pantograph and an inside ring
engraver.
Semi precious stone
ring:
Different rings from heavy wide to thin
narrow will be made and semi precious stones will be set.
The student will then learn how to size rings with semi
precious stones without removing stones.
T-bar CZ studs:
T-bars will be soldered unto settings to create a pair of
studs and stones will be set in this exercise.
Oval Setting:
Solder bail onto a setting and set a semi precious stone.
Repair bail with stone in place.
Three Stone
Pendant:
Create a 3 stone pendant from a metal bar and
3 settings. Set all stones.
Prong replacement:
After soldering a loop and bail onto a pendant and setting
the stone the student will learn how to replace the prong.
Final finish:
Finishing and marking jewelry in preparation for polishing.
Polishing, with tripoli and rouge
Ultrasonic and steam pressure machine.
