GEMSTONES: precious, semi-precious, natural, pearls, man made and “other” types of stones. Diamonds, Cubic Zirconia, Swarovski Austrian Crystal, Crystal, rhinestones and glass are used by jewelry manufacturers throughout the world for both the retail and wholesale jewelry industry. As we have previously spoken, “it is vitally important to know as much as possible about the jewelry manufacturer of whatever type jewelry you are considering buying.

The current retail and wholesale jewelry business is a multi billion dollar industry worldwide. And in the past several hundred years the industry is not totally honest as once was the case dating all the way back to 2,000BC. Of all the precious stones (diamond, ruby, emerald sapphire, ad infinitum) clear, or white, diamonds are by far the most widely mined, cut, polished and prepared for the retail and wholesale jewelry industry. They also are the stones of choice to fill the marketplace with fraud. Diamonds are best known for being “under karated” – that is convincing the innocent, uninformed retail or wholesale buyer the diamond(s) is rated carries a much higher quality level as put forth by the world famous GIA – Gem Institute of America.

“Hiding” defects such as cracks and fissures by a process called “filling,” within the diamond is the second choice to perpetrate a costly fraud on the unsuspecting buyer. One could easily convey a great deal of vitally important information with several thousand words. My most sincere advice to you is to utilize the web and educate yourself BEFORE ever shopping for a diamond.

Now begins the preparation of the all the surfaces of the ring. Companies similar to the Shavonne Corporation realize each step is of the utmost importance to create the finest quality. The “sprew” is now very carefully removed as to leave no uneven areas on the shank of the ring. Utilizing all the methods chosen to maximize the finished beauty for this particular ring style is a many step process. Initially it may require the use of the “barrel tumbling” machine to remove rough areas of any kind. Then the rings are further machine polished in a large “vibratory” machine.

Both these machines will contain special solutions to utilize materials called “media.” Each of these processes are managed by carefully trained technicians. When the final machine inspection is completed successfully, the rings will pass to the hand polishers. That’s right, hand polishers. Even after all these years, the hand craftsperson still is vital for that incredibly beautiful ring eventually you will see. Next we will investigate electroplating, usually referred to simply as plating. This is the final key to success as you will see.

The next step in the fashion jewelry manufacturing process is the “hot lost wax” injection casting.  Let’s use a ladies ring for example.  The injection  person is given a “line” production order for this new ring style of 50 each of sizes 6,7,8,9,10 and 11.  This is the first indication this ring will be made for a wholesale jewelry buyer, for resale to the retail jewelry clientele.  This specialist will create 300 actual wax castings that will very carefully be affixed to the “limbs or arms” of a casting tree.

A special cylinder is then carefully fitted onto the base and a powdery type substance is poured into the cylinder through the open top.  The substance must cover every space within these walls to avoid defects.  A special fitted cover is then tightly sealed and this entire unit is placed into a very hot oven.  The heat will make the powdery material harden, and melt all the wax rings.  The wax exits from the cylinder – hence the name – Lost Wax Casting.   The cylinder is then filled with whatever liquefied metal the ring is to be made from such as  gold, silver, bronze, brass.  When the cylinder is opened up completely, all the rings will be carefully removed from the “arms” by cutting a thin rod called a “sprew” that has attached each ring to the cylinder.

Now begins the preparation of the all the surfaces of the ring.  Companies similar to the Shavonne Corporation realize each step is of the utmost importance to create the finest quality.  The “sprew” is now very carefully removed as to leave no uneven areas on the shank of the ring.  Utilizing all  the methods chosen to maximize the finished beauty for this particular ring style is a many step process.  Initially it may require the use of the “barrel tumbling” machine to remove rough areas of any kind.  Then the rings are further machine polished in a large “vibratory” machine.

Both these machines will contain special solutions to utilize materials called “media.”  Each of these processes are managed by carefully trained technicians.  When the final machine inspection is completed successfully, the rings will pass to the hand polishers.  That’s right, hand polishers.  Even after all these years, the hand craftsperson still is vital for that incredibly beautiful ring eventually you will see.  Next we will investigate electroplating, usually referred to simply as plating. This is the final key to success as you will see.

Major fashion and sterling silver manufacturers such as the Shavonne Corporation incorporate all the newest technology to create the finest jewelry possible for an affordable price.  The master model maker is ultra important and must create an actual physical model from the VR.  This requires incredibly tedious hand crafting skills.  The model maker usually is unaware if any specific jewelry piece is being developed for the retail or wholesale market.  The model maker realizes any imperfections allowed in the master model will then cause an imperfect mold.

The finished model is then used to create very special molds for casting.  Ofttimes a ring is manufactured for the wholesale jewelry buyer in 7 actual sizes. This requires the work of an equally talented master mold maker. If the model maker miscalculates even the smallest amounts, the size will not be exact.  Let’s say you are looking to purchase a size 7 ring as that size always fits just right, but you try on one you really like, and it is marked size 7, and it doesn’t fit properly.  Ask the salesperson to use a steel ring sizer to measure the ring for you.  If the mold maker made a mistake, it could result in slightly larger or smaller than a true size 7.

Archeologists have identified Incan methods, Egyptian methods, Native American methods, ad infinitum – dating to several thousand years.  Even going back to the very early times in America, jewelry manufacturing  was basically done by the talented village blacksmith.  This was the one craftsman used to working with heated metals, much as he created horseshoes.

Historically the oldest societies worked basically with their hands and rough hewn tools.  Until the adaptation of the modern computer in the 1970′s, surprisingly little had been done to “modernize” jewelry manufacturing.  All manufacturing began to change in a rather spectacular fashion with the new methods of creating fine and fashion jewelry made available by using a computer.

Much of the exquisite work of today is still initially designed by talented individual designers with paper and pencil.  The remainder of the most beautiful creations are created entirely in the computer.  Utilizing full 3-dimensional imagery has elevated so much of what we see today. Ring designers, for example, keep in mind what will be required for the manufacturer to exactly recreate their design.  The most modern manufacturers’ sample division can furnish the designer a virtually rendered (VR) image which is generated using some form of Computer Aided Design (CAD) software.  This VR shows a computer generated image of what the fashion jewelry item will look like prior to making a sample and has become invaluable to modern day creations for manufacturing.

Over the next 2 to 3 Fridays, I will go into detail about the fashion jewelry manufacturing process that fuels our retail and wholesale jewelry business.