Edan and Camden joined Debby and me today for a visit to the insect exhibit at the Museum of Nature. It was a very impressive display! The exhibit ends next Sunday. Worth seeing!

An answer to one of the most frequently asked questions I get. Diamonds: To purchase online or have me source it for you?

This article pertains to natural (mined) diamonds. When I originally wrote this piece, lab diamonds were not yet commercially available. This is still the process I use when procuring a natural diamond for a client. 

I source and sell a lot diamonds. Every client that approaches me, always asks what the benefits are to purchasing a diamond through me versus buying it online. There are several reasons for this, but one very important factor is that I look for a specific diamond to suit the clients' needs and budget. I then get the diamond in, or when necessary, several diamonds, to show the client. They invariably enjoy the process of being able to see the unmounted stones and handle them with tweezers to inspect them . I get the opportunity to point out the subtle differences between the goods, and educate the client on the important factors when entering into the realm of purchasing a small object which comes with a price tag exactly the opposite. That is, big. There is never any obligation to buy any of the stones, as I return them to my dealer(s) if they are unsold. In this way, the client is able to see the subtle differences (of which there are many) in each stone and pick the one that appeals to them the most before committing to purchase. In almost every instance- one of the stones usually jumps out at a client. In a way I suppose, this can be likened to buying a puppy. It's a big commitment and one need to be drawn to a particular choice with all of it's own characteristics. 

Another key benefit of this process is that it allows the clients to see that even if several stones are all within a very narrow set of specifications, there are always subtleties to each stone which may affect one's performance against another. I have been in the diamond business for 30 years now. I personally select and inspect the diamonds I order in for viewing so as to gauge whether I  agree or disagree with the report which accompanies it. I don't care if the stone comes with a GIA report or otherwise.  If I don't agree with the grading, I return it. There are so many minute aspects which affect the pricing of a diamond. One thing I have learned over and over in this business is this: with diamonds (as with many other things in life), you get what you pay for. Sometimes two stones can carry practically the same grade, yet one outperforms the other. This is because grading is highly subjective and can vary from person to person when grading the diamond.  On the topic of grading, I will write a separate post. I will say this here though: the use of the word "certificate" is misleading when talking about what is actually known as a grading "report". There is no legislation governing the accuracy of a grading report, and it isn't possible to certify anything if one is able to give it to another grader who will give his opinion on the grades. Regardless of whether you are looking at a stone that carries a GIA report, or for example an EGL, IGI, AGS, or several other well known gemological laboratories. In this business, there are companies that are well known and reputed for over-grading diamonds, seeing as there are no specific laws in place to govern these practices. I refuse to acquire diamonds carrying reports by many well known companies, simply because I realize that they are reputed for over-grading. More to come in a following post on this specific topic. 

Since the inception of buying diamonds "online", the margins have almost disappeared. The days when jewellers used to make all of their money by selling diamonds has long gone due to the online competition. I can openly state however, that if you do decide to use me as a broker for you diamond, you will pay more. The reasoning for this is that I never sell anyone a diamond that I can't stand behind and be accountable for. To some, my experience is worth the marginal extra cost. Peace of mind and deferring to knowledge and experience is what my clients don't mind paying for. I don't "sell" you a diamond. I broker it. I educate you on your available choices. I source them to show you. I educate you on them individually and then if you decide to purchase one- it is you choice, based on my opinion. In most cases, clients will ask me, "which one would you choose." In most cases it isn't the most expensive one- based on all of the factors I would have explained when showing you the stones. 

My clients see the value in having me source the stone and educate them about their choice. This personal service and attention is not available when purchasing a diamond online. 

Made from Scratch

As someone who designs and manufactures one-of-a-kind jewellery and relies solely upon this skill and trade to make ends meet, I am often faced with a variety of challenges. Some of these challenges are of a physical nature, in terms of the practical aspect of creating a jewellery item. Other times they manifest as emotional challenges. More specifically, the challenge of maintaining high level of integrity and a strict code of ethics. For an example of the latter, I will use the example of selling a diamond to a client. It would be very wrong ethically to sell someone a cubic zirconia under the pretense that it is a diamond. Yes, indeed this would be illegal, not to mention really stupid. This is however an extreme example I am using to set the stage for the following insight.

Another morality based "challenge" presents itself rather frequently in this business. Those in the business will  identify and no-doubt agree with this issue. As much as we strive for the freedom to be able to create unique pieces all of the time, it is not always totally possible. Many of us would relish the freedom of being able to sit every day and create our own designs that are purely statements of our own tastes and expressions. However, as I work hard to ensure that I can pay the bills each month, I'm always at the mercy of how many people appear at my workshop door, to provide me with the opportunity to create the jewellery of their dreams, desires, and needs. More often than not a client will approach me with an idea, a concept, or pictures of designs that they have seen elsewhere. These days it is a lot simpler than even 10 years ago, where clients will "google" a certain aspect or aspects that they are looking for in a ring (as an example) and then email the pictures or links to the pictures. Others arrive with printed pictures. Others will come with a concept that they have come up with and have me help them to develop this concept and bring it into reality for them. This is a normal part of my job. As a designer goldsmith, I will offer opinions and suggestions to help create a piece that is robust, practical, feasible and unique, while maintaining all of the aspects that the client is looking for. This alone is a skill;  to be able to take the client's ideas and desires and then bring it to life. The analogy that springs to mind is a direct comparison to an architect and a structural engineer. The architect will design a conceptual structure. It will then in many cases be the task of the structural engineer to engineer the design to create the plan that will allow the design to come to life in a sound, structurally safe and practical way. In many cases I am the "structural engineer" in a way, because I will advise on the material choices, the differences in strength qualities, the different finishes that can be provided and most importantly, the most sound way of creating the piece so as to allow for longevity and low maintenance. A piece that the wearer can wear and enjoy without worrying that it will fall apart, distort under pressure or perhaps wear away in too short a time. This is takes foresight, grounded on insight, stemming from experience.  Yes, in many ways the business of creating a piece of jewellery is a lot more technical than many would think. I for one put a lot care and an extensive amount of thought into each and every piece that I create. It's not "easy", yet it is (as with any other trade), necessary and invaluable to put this thought into every project. Why? Because no matter how similar one piece may look to another, I can assure you that each and every piece that is "custom created" from start to finish is, in effect, unique. Similar looks, yes. However, unless specifically created to be exactly the same, each piece remains unique. I speak for myself and my operation here.

I used to feel as if I was morally corrupt by being a craftsman with a superior ability to recreate existing designs by simply looking at a photograph. This skill was honed in a period of my apprenticeship in South Africa which started 30 years ago. Part of my job was to be able to take, for example, an existing earring and hand make a replacement for the one that was missing for whatever reason. Other times over the years, it would be to recreate, as an example, rings that were lost or stolen. For sentimental reasons, the client wanted to have their exact ring replaced. Sometimes this would be a blurry photograph of a hand showing a ring that couldn't be zoomed in on, since these were the pre-digital, pre-google days. This is an acquired, practiced, skill. However some may see it as the same skill that a fraudster possesses to use in illegitimate ways for creating phony bank notes and documents. Illegal, yet highly skilled. In my case, my "pirating" skills  can be used for a good cause.

Over the years, I have been approached by many people that have come to me with a specific picture of a specific design that they have seen elsewhere. Seeing as I am eager to understand everything, coupled with my straightforward demeanor, I used to ask prospective clients why they would want me to re-create something that has already been produced and is available for purchase elsewhere. After asking many over the years, I boiled the responses down to a few common denominators. The most common answer was similarly to this: "She loves this design, but I want a custom made ring for her." If I wanted to go bankrupt, I could always say no, I don't perform such operations. The client would happily seek out someone else who would gladly oblige. That would be very counterproductive to paying my bills. So what I do actually do to make sure that I am happy and more importantly, that the client is happy is this: I endeavor to improve on the design. I recreate it to maintain the overall look of the original, but I add a lot of thought into small details that may not always be appreciated by the recipient, but the client who commissioned me to create the piece is left with a feeling that I took extra effort and care to create a truly custom piece, even if it was along the same lines as an existing design. This is one of the areas where I provide value for money when creating a one-of-a-kind item. Even if it is based on someone else's design. You may have already noticed if your were to search on line, for example, "halo diamond ring". There are literally hundreds of different takes on the same style. Some of them are exquisite. Some of them leave a lot to be desired. I always try to finish with a product in the former category.

This leads me to the another factor in the equation in terms of recreating an existing piece. The reality exists that certain clients come to me and ask me to create a piece of jewellery that they saw on my Facebook page or website. This is really flattering. I feel happy that someone would like something I created so much that they want one for themselves. However, the same dilemma exists. Firstly, I would hate to upset anyone that I've made a piece for previously by simply regurgitating an exact copy. I would feel like a cheat. But what if the client really wants me to produce said item. I suppose I could always say no. I suppose I could turn them away and lose that potential business. That would again be very counter productive. I suppose I could also close up shop and go get a job at MacDonalds. Unfortunately I don't entertain such thoughts, due to the fact that I love what I do and this is how I chose to make a living. I am one of very few lucky people that can honestly say that I love what I do and I have to drag myself away from work every day.  I also know that if I did turn the client away by declining this request, they would happily proceed to seeking out another craftsman that would happily attempt to recreate the piece for them. I have no control over this. I would be leaving them with no choice. This is what has been happening since humans started walking upright a zillion years ago. That is why copyrights and patents evolved. That is why I won't create a piece of jewellery where I would be infringing on trademark rights, patents or copyrights.

How do I deal with this eventuality? When someone wants a ring the same as I have already created, as an example? Well. As stated, I could refuse and eventually look at bankruptcy. Or, as I can and actually do, I can create a piece that is similar. Similar in style, yet dissimilar if looked at closely. I may add a diamond here or there, the curves may be more dramatic or softer, the height of the stones may differ, the thickness of the shank may differ. It may be very similar and aesthetically as beautiful as the former ring, but it will still be blatantly unique if compared.   The client is thoroughly pleased and I feel satisfied that I can sleep at night with a clear conscience, knowing that I have taken both my new client as well as my former client's feeling into account. Disclaimer: Of course, some might adopt the opposite argument. The one where all of the similarities are pointed out. I suppose this is akin to the "glass half full/glass half empty" state of being.

What happens though if a client comes to me with a concept. Let's call it his or her design. It happens very often. A lot of people like to be able to say that they designed the item. I totally understand this. I actually support it too. It speaks volumes about their personality that want to be perceived as the person who took extra effort and time to put a lot of thought into the piece. I think that this is a very endearing trait. I'm a bit of a sentimental traditionalist. I will work with the person to turn the design into what is practical and beautiful. This is another one of my skills. I am not usually as arrogant as to say this sort of thing- but I am proud of this ability and I am very good at it. This is why people choose to me in a lot of cases. Bare with me as I digress into a story of example which will tie in with this thought. I used to work with a person in Vancouver who decided that he wanted to become a jewellery designer. He commissioned me to be the guy that produces his designs. He could have chosen anyone, but I think he liked the flavour which I infuse into my work. If he had asked several different people to create the same concept, he would have received 5 extremely different finished products. Some would be poor in form and finish. Some would be okay. Some would be exquisite. However, they would all be unique renditions of the same idea. In this gentleman's case, the challenge I faced was that he has absolutely no concept of how jewellery, in particular, rings, are created. He also had no concept of how to sketch or draw. He would buy beautiful gems that he liked and then come up with a general layout and provide me with what I can only politely state as being "very rudimentary sketches" to accompany his textual list of ideas. He is not a designer. I took upon the task of creating pieces of jewellery which turned out above his expectations. Jewellery I could be proud of. As previously mentioned, another person's rendition would have turned out differently. Maybe beautiful, maybe not. I am not an elitist, but I was proud of my work and he was very happy. One day I mentioned that I showed a ring which I had just finished making for him to a friend of mine who is in the jewellery trade who was very impressed. All I was doing was trying to gauge an outside perspective of someone else's opinion. I thought he would be excited to hear this. More fool me. He exploded. I received a registered letter containing a document stating that if I am to further make any jewellery for him, I was to sign a non-disclosure agreement citing that nobody is allowed to see the design or product. Before I returned the blank unsigned agreement to him , I wrote a letter stating why I would not comply. The reasoning was simple. The designs were infused with my style and flair. If indeed I was to sign that agreement and then he later saw a ring that even remotely resembled one that I had produced for him, he would likely sue me. Give me an idea. Give me as much detail as possible. Sit with me for hours and discuss the details. Design the ring concept. I totally support your wish to be recognized as the designer. However, when I sit down as an experienced goldsmith to create the article, I infuse it with a lot of, well, let's just say a lot of "myself". I am passionate about what I do. Many would say, and have said, that it is evident. This is what makes me happy in life. That and a my children and special people in my life. I'm rather simple really. The irony of the situation is that this gentleman in Vancouver was listing these rings on his website from where he was selling them as his designs. Anyone could see them at any time for free. Anyone could take those ideas and copy them if they so wished. I told him I would continue to work for him if he wanted, but I will not sign any agreement of such nature. He was quiet for a while after that. Months later he approached me to start on a design for him. He also asked me if he could sent me a couple of rings that others had made in the meantime to see if I could "fix" or "modify" them as they were of such inferior quality and workmanship. Secretly I felt quite warm and fuzzy as if to say to myself quietly, "big surprise".  I declined to work further for him based on the fact that perhaps I am too proud.

The point of this digression is actually stated within the text. To summarize and clarify, I will say this: someone may have created the concept. Or let's say "designed" the piece. I will then produce the piece based on this conceptual guideline. It is therefore unique to what I personally have created.

I have many different styles. I'm eclectic. I like straight lines and angles. I like flowing organic lines. I like white gold. I like yellow gold. I like coloured gems. I like diamonds. If you were to ask me what I find the most fun to produce (even if it's not always about having fun, it's a business requiring a lot of patience and skill, every single time I make something) then I would have to say that I absolutely LOVE flowing, organic, free-flow concepts. As difficult as it is to produce straight lines and angles, I spend an inordinate amount of time and effort on the "organic" shapes. They aren't simply blobs of metal somewhat resembling gentle curves. They are curves and finessed surfaces that take a lot of time to get to the point where I am personally happy and satisfied. Only then do I proceed to polishing the finished product prior to photographing it and calling up my client or emailing them to come and see it.  I'm always exited to see the reaction.

Eventually I've arrived at the bottom line, which is this: The wheel was invented many years ago. Yet there are all different shapes and sizes of wheels. They all have one thing in common; they are all round. In the same way, jewellery has been around forever. It comes in various shapes and sizes. Many people create organic jewellery of angular jewellery. Each of my pieces is unique, even if it is only slightly different, unless it is required to be precisely the same as a previous one. Where necessary and possible I will do so. Everything I create is "made from scratch" which makes it custom and unique.

Does your setting need to be checked for stone safety?

When last did you have your engagement ring looked over? I always tell my clients before they leave with a new ring that I welcome them to return at any stage for me to check the claws, as well as to polish and thoroughly clean the ring.  I welcome anyone to come and see me for this quick and important assessment. I don't charge to check and clean the ring. It always pleases me to see the reaction of that marvel at how beautiful the item can look in a matter of minutes- while you wait.

The reason for checking the ring- in particular the setting work- is simple and important. Just as the dentists and doctors say, "prevention is better than cure". The prevention of what? The prevention of losing a stone, be it a diamond or any other stone. Precious metals wear down. Each blend has different hardness characteristics, so I won't get into a technical brief about each different karat of gold or different metal group. However, the one thing that they all have in common is that they will wear down after years. Some quicker than others. Even platinum is not immune- granted, it takes platinum a lot longer to wear down due to it's extremely dense nature.

Claw settings are the ones that wear down more rapidly, but other styles of setting will also disappear gradually over time. Don't be alarmed at this statement- most of the jewellery I am producing is employs claw settings, and they are safe and secure. But time will erode pretty much anything. This is why it is encouraged to have settings checked at least once a year.

The cost of replacing a diamond (for example) is exponentially higher than the cost of rebuilding the setting. in the trade, we refer to this process of rebuilding the tips of the claws "re-tipping". It is a much smaller price to pay than the alternative- a lost stone.

As the tips (or in some cases a larger surface area which has been used to set the stones) wear down to be very thin. The way stones are set, to put it basically, is that metal is hammered or in some cases pushed over the stone to secure it. When this wears down to a thickness that can be likened to the thickness of foil, you run the risk of snagging it on a thread (most likely unbeknownst to you) which will pull the tip right off. You may either lose the stone right then and there or not. But at this point you are at risk of losing it very easily.

What prompted me to write about this, is a lady who found me on google earlier this week. She came to me to have a stoned replaced. She was upset because it had sentimental value to her. After looking closely at the setting, I showed her under magnification to explain what I have described above. This was the first stone, the rest would follow soon. Since the metal wears relatively evenly, based on their position on the ring relative to how it is worn and the wear that it is subject to. I am supplying and replacing a stone, as well as re-tipping all of the claws.

A lot of people don't know come in and have a check done simply because nobody ever mentioned it to them. Being an analogy guy, this is what I often say: Claws and settings in general are like brake pads on a car.  If you own a car, you will eventually have to have the brake pads replaced. This may happen sooner or later depending on the individual, but it is known as "fair wear and tear" and is not covered by a warranty. Just the same as tires.

I perform many repairs here in my workshop each week, apart from the custom creations I am always busy working on. It's the most fundamental service performed by goldsmiths. Unlike a lot of other operations out there, I do like to educate my customers and explain why something needs to be done.

Feel free to contact me anytime to inquire about this and a broad spectrum of other services that I can offer.

This is a trick that was shared with me by a friend and client of mine- Barbara.

Designing a Custom Signet Style Ring

My First Press Release.

Repairing a Different Kind of Jewllery

Okay, perhaps I shouldn't refer to glasses frames as a kind of jewellery. But they are very important accessories to many people. Either for the simple reason of clear sight, or perhaps as a fashion statement. Whatever the reason, they do tend to get damaged and broken. Often.

In today's consumerist society, most people tend to discard and replace broken items. Drive around on any given weekend and you will find older TVs and equipment that works very well, but have been replaced by a newer model.

Glass are sometimes very expensive to replace. My son is turning 11 and has been wearing glasses since he was 3 and a bit. If I was to calculate how many pairs of glasses he has lost or broken or outgrown, I would be shocked. This is probably an exercise I will avoid :)

So having hands on experience in the realm of spectacle repair born out of frugality as well as my desire to fix things, I am now one of the go-to people in this city where you can have your glasses repaired to a very decent standard of esthetic cleanliness and durability. I use a laser welder which has had it's own learning curve to master. Each and every set of broken frames is a new breed of repair. Many glassed are made from different alloys of metal, and even different sub-categories or alloys and blends of titanium and steel being the most common. It therefore a new challenge each time to find the right temperature range and choice or blend of metals to use for building up the fracture. I use silver, gold, platinum and titanium and sometimes a blend of various of these.

Here is a set of pictures showing the steps to a simpler repair. This is the reduced pictorial.

Diary of a Ring Repair: 1

I used this client's ring to show you the process of refurbishing all of the claws holding the stones into this very old and sentimental ring. In some cases it would be better to remake the ring. In this case, the client had a lot of sentimental attachment to the ring, and therefore preferred that I keep the original ring and rebuild the top section. The shank is worn thing, and needs to be replaced. the claws are also very worn on the sides from rubbing up against a band for many years. 

This is how the ring looks after I have removed the stones which were still in the setting. One had fallen out already.

Step 1: cut the existing prongs (what's left of them) down to prepare them for the new ones which I am about to make. 

Now the claws (or prongs) are cut down to where they are a little thicker, giving me some metal to adhere the new claws to.

Step 2: After pulling down platinum wire to the desired gauge  I cut new claws for the ring. The original claws were made of white gold, but in this case I am going the extra mile and making new ones out of platinum. Platinum is more expensive material, but it is very durable.

Step 3: Solder the new claws and rectangular plates onto the existing "stubs".

Starting to look a little chaotic.

Step 4: I have now set the center stone, in this case a blue sapphire. 

Step 5:  Set the side diamonds.

Step 6: Clean up the claws and prepare the ring for polishing.

Although

 the ring is still worn and thin, the stones are now safe re-set. next will be the process of rebuilding the shank to give the ring some more substance while maintaining it's dainty feel. 

The Difference Between a Goldsmith and a Jeweller.

I would like to define the differences between jewellers or as they say in the US, jewelers, and us goldsmiths.  I say "us" goldsmiths because if you are one and you are reading this, you will agree with me. Please not: if you want to get the basic point of this post, then simply scroll down to the ***** to avoid all of the rambling and history associated with my tale.

Firstly, I shall clarify why I am able to refer to myself legitimately as a goldsmith. Firstly, I did an apprenticeship under a master goldsmith from Vienna Austria. I learned the type of handed-down knowledge that you can't pay for in any technical college. I'm talking about knowledge that was passed down over hundreds of years. In the same fashion that Bushman tribal fellows would pass down legends dating back to times most people never even stop to consider. I spent years working under a journeyman (journeyperson if we are to adhere to modern day political correctness standards) named Monica Tucek who taught me more than a few simple fundamentals. Her husband Fritz was a real stickler for quality, so I could not get away with even a single microscopic blemish from day one. Which was a good thing. It was more of a "cruel to be kind" motivation. And he didn't want to be selling second rate goods. And that is what made Vienna Jewellers in Pretoria, South Africa very successful.  I was taught about quality. Expert craftsmanship. I was often told to remake something or re-do something because I had made a slight miscalculation or something to that effect. these days if you tell a youngster to do something over, they will start to cry and leave because you are a "asshole boss". That is why after almost 20 years in this business I have resided myself to the fact that I will work alone. I do collaborate with other designers on projects, but when it comes down to the hands on work, I tend to have the inability to delegate. Oh well. However, I do have my eye on some accomplished goldsmiths internationally that want to come and work for me. I know they will be up for the challenge. But I will first have to slowly grow to the point that I can actually afford to pay them. Or pay my own bills quite frankly. Gone are the days where goldsmiths were second in the salary line only to stone masons, followed by knights.

I digress. Often.

So after working as an apprentice for a prescribed number of years under the controlling arm of the Department of Manpower and Training (no longer in existence) of South Africa, I qualified as a "Precious Metal Worker and Diamond Mounter" as is reads on my certification. I cried that day. But that is not big news because anyone that knows me will already be aware that I cry an awful lot. I once thought of having my tear ducts cauterized. A couple of years after this qualification, I decided that I wanted to go and experience life abroad. I had never flown on any form of aircraft before. I had never left South Africa. Unlike in North America where catching a flight to the Bahamas is like catching a bus. No big deal. Africa (particularly the southern most tip of it) is far away and expensive to escape for an international vacation.

It took me about two years to summon up the courage to leave Vienna Jewellers. And because I felt so guilty about leaving, I used a tactic I was unaware that I do until recently. I used a minor altercation the the workshop as an "excuse" to blow up at my former friend and colleague, who I still secretly really like. I left. I went to the hospital where my Dad was recovering from back surgery and announced in a very manic fashion (I was revved UP) that I had quit and I was leaving.

I got on the Virgin Atlantic flight in Johannesburg a few months later after organizing my work permit for the UK and said goodbye to a large group of friends and my family who came with to the airport to see me off. Later (many years later) I would discover that my Mom had bets on with my friends, saying that I would be back home in 6 months. Well, it's been 15 years now. And I didn't plan on leaving for good. I remember standing in my Ma's bedroom talking to her and I made a joke. I said "what happens if I meet a Peruvian princess on my travels and end up marrying her and settling in Peru?" She burst into tears and said "Ag no man! Don't talk shit!" And being me I actually felt bad. because I had no intention of leaving my parents. But as it happened I met a Canadian princess when I was living in London. And there remains another long and wonderful story to be told at a later date. If you're interested.

So living in London was absolutely shit. I mean I think back fondly. I made many friends. Drank many a good pint. Watched a few really good court side tennis matches at Wimbledon. Watched the Cricket World Cup 1999 through the stadium fences with my drunk antipodean mates (and my Cambridge University Phd student brother who was also blitzed) because we couldn't afford tickets. We were those guys you see sitting in the trees outside the stadium looking in. But seriously, apart from the really great times, it was hard. I worked in a pub and lived above it when I got my position at John Donald, Designer Silversmith and Goldsmith. I will elaborate on London times more if anyone wants me to at a later stage. I am really trying to keep to the point here. John Donald had opened shop on Cheapside in the London Business district near Goldsmiths Hall on Gutter Lane, closest tube station St. Pauls. Right near the London Stock Exchange. Hence lots of black suits and brollies. He had served the likes of Twiggie and members of the Royal Family for years. I was hired as..... you guessed it.... a goldsmith. I worked in the basement of his store from 8am until 5pm every day for about two years. At that stage I had moved to West Acton near Ealing Broadway and would travel on the tube to work in the dark. It would be dark when I left work. I worked in the basement of a highrise Lndon building, without windows. I would go for a week at a time, from Sunday afternoon after the sun set in the winter at 3:30pm, until I saw the daylight again the following Saturday. To work in the dark. Work in basement. Back to West Acton where I worked in a Thresher Wine Shop until 12pm and then went home to drink beer etc. with my delinquent and most loved housemates. And then wake up and do it all again.

Whilst I was at John Donald, a lot of stuff happened. I could totally go off on a tangent here, but I try not to. I had the opportunity of holding Paul McCartney's grandson Arthur. John's son was married to Mary McCartney, Stella's sister. I also worked on jewellery for the late Princess Margaret. And various other high profile names and organizations. I felt privileged even if I was earning 15 000 Pounds a year and having to work at a wine shop to feed myself, pay for transport and pay my rent.

I remember breaking down in tears because John Donald (about 75 years old at that stage, owner of a Chateau in France and a huge country estate in East Sussex ) called me in to his office and gave me a righteous bollocking. I was so upset. Tears were running down my face.  He told me that I should go out and work for myself because he is tired of me infusing his designs with my own flavour and flare. "I realize that you are very talented, but I have been creating these hallmark designs for 40 years and you come along and can't stick to the program and directions.) Then he sent me to Harley Street to visit with a Psychologist on one side of the road and a psychiatrist on the other side of the road to try and help me because he figured I was troubled. And he really did care about me. He was a super nice man. Truthfully I couldn't stand his "Hallmarked" aged and ancient designs so I always tweaked them. Which I admit was stupid and wrong because I have a world of respect for the man. I was just young and full of shit.

I then (part of another story) came to Ottawa. I got hired at Bob Thompson Jewellers. i worked my ass off there for a couple of years before I joined Goldform. I really liked Derek and Greg, Jeff, Jagath, Maria... But when I moved to Goldform, I really found myself and my friends. The guys at Goldform are family to me to this day. Yes, this is another story that I can tell. And will.

Long story short ***** Goldmiths are skilled craftsmen that take precious metal in it's purest form, then perform alchemy (really it's just a mathematical metallurgical calculations) to allow the metal down with a mixture of other metals to get to the desired karat, then we roll it down, draw it out, anneal it, beat it, bend it, solder it, file it, sand it, set the stones,  polish it and then viola! A piece of jewellery.

A jeweller is a person that will puchase premade components and stick them together any way possible. Perhaps using solder sometimes. They will then sell this as a piece of handmade jewellery. Now I don't want to come across as a snob, because there are people that are a lot better off financially than me and they perform this practice. But there is a huge difference in what I do, as compared to most people that call themselves goldsmiths. It is a title that is earned. I fortunately I am only now after about 20 years being bold enough to refer to myself as a Master Goldsmith.

Epilogue: This is the Wikipedia definition of a goldsmith:

A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Historically goldsmiths have also made silverware, platters, goblets, decorative and serviceable utensils, and ceremonial or religious items, but the rising prices of precious metals have curtailed the making of such items to a large degree.

Goldsmiths must be skilled in forming metal through filing, soldering, sawing, forging, casting, and polishing metal. Traditionally, these skills had been passed along through apprenticeships, however, more recently Jewelry Arts Schools specializing solely in teaching goldsmithing and a multitude of skills falling under the jewelry arts umbrella are available. Many universities and junior colleges also offer goldsmithing, silversmithing and metal arts fabrication as a part of their fine arts curriculum. But unfortunately they fall short of traditional hands on schooling, and basically suck.

To Be Featured in The Kitchissippi Times

I will be sharing my story and telling the readers of Kitchissippi Times more about myself and my business in the "Favourite Businesses " section of the upcoming May edition. 

This will be a great opportunity to enlighten the public in my area as to what it is I do here in my small yet fully equipped studio in Westboro. 

The publisher called me today and informed me that the photographer will be here at 11am on Wednesday and his name is Mark Holleron. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this name, seeing as I made his wedding bands about 7 years ago!

Good news

This is a graph which shows basic website visits in blue (current year) as compared to the same period during 2012. This traffic graph is positive news as it directly translates into how many people are viewing the site and of that a certain percentage will call or message me. 

Signs of increased interest in my website.

Google Analytics alert on www.pbrdesigns.com: Visit Increase was triggered on 13-04-11

This is a very expensive, hand made bracelet which I was called upon to repair. It is made of 18K fold, featuring natural rubies and very nice quality diamonds. Each row of beads is seated upon a central hand made, coiled spring which is made of gold, and has a white gold back-bone which holds it all together and gives it flexibility. 

 Step one is to remove the clasp end of the bracelet so as to allow me to feed the individual parts off. This is done by carefully heating up the box-end of the clasp so as to melt the gold solder and pull the component off. As seen in the picture below.

Below we see the bracelet with the end remove. The blackened pieces of the bracelet are oxidized as a result of the heat required to remove the clasp.

The following pictures show the extent of the damage as I reveal the broken spring (spine) of the bracelet. At this point I am starting to wonder what my best course of action will be to repair this mess. 

Here I am starting to re-coil the spring. I will have to try my best to coil it up and maintain the original shape.

Below is where I have managed to successfully coil the spring, and tack the piece together. Now it is time to laser weld what I can, and solder what I can so as to join the two halves whilst maintaining spring and keeping durability for wear.

Here is the result of the process of joining the two pieces. Now it's time to clean up and polish the various parts.

After putting all of the various parts back together in the right order it is time to fit the clasp end and make sure that the the clasp locates properly and securely as before. 

After several hours of meticulous tinkering  the bracelet finally comes together and is ready to be polished, and finally worn again. 

My Sentiments on Titanium Jewellery

As a qualified and experienced goldsmith, I get to see and deal with all kinds of jewellery on a daily basis. I was trained in the forging or precious metals, particularly 18K gold. As a goldsmith I am also able to forge other metals such as silver, platinum, palladium and various alloys of each of these metals. It is a skilled profession which takes years to master, for those who are able to do so. 

Every so often I get a request for a an estimate to make a titanium wedding band. Or perhaps a tungsten band. These rings started becoming popular and widely available in the 1990's. There are many different grades and alloys of titanium, depending on the industrial use of the metal. There are many "benefits" of titanium rings, one of the most important being cost. They are very cheap in comparison to traditional metals used in creating wedding bands. Personally, I am quite intrigued by the metal seeing as it is used in so many every day applications that our world would be a lot less convenient if it didn't exist. 

Unfortunately though, titanium is not a practical metal for use in hand forging and thus jewellers creation. Usually, these rings are cut from stock tube or blocks or sheet, by sophisticated computer driven milling machines. Certain grades of titanium are able to be filed with traditional files, but sizing is impossible. This is not a metal that we can solder on. In taking into account that a wedding ring is supposed to be worn for life, the inability to size these rings is a major drawback. Most people with need to have their wedding bands sized at least once during the course of marriage. This means getting a replacement ring. I have personally experienced this happening. 

Alternative metal jewellery certainly does have it's place in the market. It can be transformed in vibrant colours and many designs are possible. However, as a goldsmith, I am not able to create the type of sophisticated designs in titanium, as I am able to create using traditional precious metals. Furthermore, to hand create a ring using metal as cheap as titanium if it was possible(or silver for matter) would take the same amount of time and effort to create and clients would not want to pay for such a service. Most designs available out there are mass produced to make it economically viable. And these rings all made by machines. There are probably a handful of craftsmen that produce titanium rings, but their scope for design diversity is very limited. 

I have associates in the industry who allow me to supply titanium rings, but these rings always come with a higher price tag, as I have to design the ring on my CAD software, then submit it, have the ring machined, have it returned to me where I will adorn the ring with any precious metals or accents that are required. They also come with a warning that they can't be sized. 

Examples of a ring created using CAD

These are sample renderings of the CAD design I have created for a client of mine. It is a Portuguese cross which is very symbolic in their culture. In preparing a CAD design, the client is able to get a look at the design and decide if there are any modifications or changes that he may want. It is a lot easier to modify a design at this stage, than it is to remake a piece. In this way I am able to be more flexible with clients. The process also allows a mutual reassurance that the end product will be created correctly. 

The Completed Skull Ring

Here is the skull ring which is now complete. You may remember the previous post where I showed you a few of the steps involved in the creation of the ring.

With the helmet on, the ring weighs over 40 grams. In the first pictures you can see the ring as it looks without the "helmet". Excuse my chubby fingers, but I wanted you to see the scale of this monster. It is indeed a large solid ring. Some would call it a weapon. I see it more as a piece of art. Hand sculpted and manufactured. I admit, this is not my usual style of work. I had a lot of fun making it though.