Keith's Korner

Friendly suggestions and advice on caring for your precious jewelry.

Technology and the Jewelry Industry

Almost fifty years ago I started my career as a silversmith / goldsmith. I learned to make teapots, coffee pots, trays, and all forms of hollow ware and flatware, using the tools and techniques the earlier silversmiths like Paul Revere had employed for centuries. I learned to work in gold and make all forms of jewelry using the same methods goldsmiths have used since classical times. This gave me a wonderful background that has allowed me to create any thing I can imagine.

The past fifty years have seen unbelievable new technological advances that allow the goldsmith to do tasks once thought to be impossible. About a year ago we purchased a computer design system that allows us to create a large variety of one of a kind rings and pendants. We are able to use your stones or ours in any size, with any precious metal. Customers have been afraid that this takes away from the design process that makes a piece special; however this is just another tool which allows us to use our creativity to its fullest. Once a piece is designed the information is fed into a three dimensional printer and the design become a reality in wax. The wax is used to cast a finished piece using the lost wax process that has been used for centuries. We take the finished casting and set the stones, polish, and take all necessary steps to make a fine wearable piece of jewelry, unlike anyone else’s. While we can still do the same thing by hand in the traditional manner this is often more reasonably priced and still of high quality.

This year we purchased a laser welder of the latest design and with all the newest features. This allows us to make and repair pieces in precious metals with no seams whatsoever. It also allows us to do repairs on antique jewelry that before the use of the laser would be impossible. I can weld right next to stones that take no heat, chains with fine wires can be repaired one link at a time with the same metal the piece is made from and no solder. It is the only quality way to repair platinum jewelry, and many times the only possible way to restore some pieces. It is incredible space age technology available today at select jewelers, and it allows us to do our job better than ever.
From this point on the technology will continue to transform the way we perform our trade and we look forward to each new advance that is made available. We are excited with the future and the change it is making in our profession and hope you will stop by and let us show you what is available.