Nearly ten years in preparation and production, Jewelry Concepts and Technology is the definitive guide and handbook for jewelry makers on all levels of ability. It is also a unique reference source for those not directly active in the field but who wish an understanding of what lies behind the jewelry-making mystique. All traditional as well as innovative contem porary techniques are thoroughly described, making this the most comprehensive book available on the subject. The more than 900 photos in color and black and white illustrate work of all degrees of complexity and show the incredible range of concepts which jewelers in all times, including today, incorporate in their work.

v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

xv INTRODUCTION

1 THE MESSAGES OF JEWELRY: Why We Wear Ornaments

1 The Origins o/Jewelry: Satisfying psychic and physical needs

2 The uses and values placed on jewelry

8 The jewel and the jeweler

13 Jewelry Forms in Relation to the Body: Design

and construction conditioned by anatomy

13 Basic forms

14 Functional considerations in jewelry concepts

17 Common jewel-supporting systems

20 THE MEANS TO CREATION: Working

 Environment, Facilities, and Implements

20 The Workshop: Organizing the working areas

22 The basic work areas

24 General workshop requirements

26 Tools: Instruments of technique

26 The hand: Provider of guidance and power

27 Tool categories according to conceptual work principles

30 METAL, THE JEWEL'S RAW MATERIAL:

Its Origin, Quality Control, and Variety

30 Metal: Characteristics and classifications

31 Gold Mining: Disgorging one of Earth's treasures

35 Quality Control of Precious Metals: Insurance

 against fraud

35 Making an ingot of precious metal

38 Lowering or raising gold and silver quality

43 The hallmark: British quality control of precious metals

46 The touchstone: Approximating quality

48 Cupellation: A method of purifying and assayin precious metals

48 Titration for silver content

49 Recovery and refinement of precious metal

50 Precipitation and recovery of silver from spent

 acid solutions

51 Purchasing precious metals

51  Nonferrous Metals Used in Jewelry Making

51 Copper

53 Nickel

54 Tin

55 Zinc

55 Lead

55 Refractory Metals Used in Jewelry

56 Titanium

58 Tantalum and niobium (columbium) : Their

 new use in jewelry

59 Ferrous Metals Used in Jewelry

59 Iron

60  Stainless steel

61 BASIC TECHNIQUES: Processing Sheet Metal

 Without Deformation

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