Anastasia Young is a designer, a jeweler, and an artist whose work has been exhibited around the world. She is the author of Jewelry Techniques: The Essential Guide to Choosing and Using Materials, Stones, and Settings and teaches at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London.

This comprehensive and ambitious workshop reference for jewelers brings together a vast range of skills, techniques, and technical data into one volume. Offering detailed explanations and step-by-step photography to demonstrate procedures, this handbook includes a complete reference section featuring tool shapes, an index of gems, a glossary, standard sizes and measurements, conversion tables, and an extensive list of resources. Additionally, the manual offers a directory of tools and materials—including a key to identifying tools for a “beginner’s kit”—a historical introduction to jewelry, and suggestions for photographing and promoting completed pieces. Remarkable cutting-edge pieces by jewelry makers and designers from around the world are used to illustrate the various processes involved in creating exceptional jewelry. Covering everything from traditional metalsmithing skills and using alternative materials, such as plastics and resin, to discussing issues involved with outsourcing work to specialist external suppliers, this is an indispensable and essential resource for both students and professionals.

About this book

Health and safety

Jewelry making: a brief history

 by Melanie Eddy

CHAPTER I:

Work space, tools and materials

Work space and tools

 Setting up a small workshop

 Cutting and filing

 Marking and measuring

 Hammers and mallets

 Forming: stakes, formers and

  marking punches

 Forming: pliers

 Hand drills, bits and burrs

 Soldering tools

 Abrasives and polishing materials

 Tools for precious metal clay

 Wax and wax carving tools

 Stone-setting and engraving tools

 Stringing tools

 Enamelling equipment

 Chemicals

 Machinery and bench tools

 Health and safety equipment

Materials

 Precious metals: silver

 Precious metals: gold .

 Precious metals: platinum, palladium

  and rhodium

 Base metals

 Refractory metals

 Ferrous metals

 Synthetic materials

 Natural materials

 Gemstones

CHAPTER 2:

Techniques

Core techniques

 Cutting and piercing

 Drilling

 Filing

 Annealing

 Soldering

 Pickling

 Bending metal

 Cleaning up

 Polishing

Construction

 Folding and scoring metals

 Fusing

 Riveting

 Screw threads

Forming techniques

 Wirework

 Doming and swaging