How They Are Made
Jewelry Design
How it is done.
Jewelry Design
I along with my brother that is a world class designer and artist have made jewelry for some of the finest jewelry stores in the country. Our concept was to design a line if Vikings jewelry based on the art of the Norsemen.
Jewelry Design
How it is done.
Jewelry Design
We wanted the pieces to look like they were authentic works of Norsemen Artists 3000 years ago. What might seem to be poor artwork and sculpture from some of the imperfections are intentionally put there to appear hand produced under primitive jewelry making techniques.
How it is done.
How it is done.
Lost Wax Casting
Most designs start with a picture, sketch or other visual model. In this case we are using a picture of the Norsemen which just happens to be the logo of the Minnesota Vikings. Then from a solid Block of wax a model is created.
Lost Wax Casting
The last of its kind!
Lost Wax Casting
The term Lost Wax Casting is used is because the wax design is put in a metal container and a special type of plaster is poured into the container and put into a kiln at a temperature of 1350 degrees thus vaporizing the wax, so it is Lost. Then molten metal is poured into the container and now you have a perfect copy of the wax created into metal.
The last of its kind!
The last of its kind!
The last of its kind!
Each piece of jewelry is "Hand Crafted" in the small town of Askov Minnesota
The Lost Wax Casting Method to make jewelry
The Wax Model
Pouring Molten Metal
Pouring Molten Metal
First step is sculpturing a wax model out of wax and making a special silicone mold to reproduce the original, because each wax is LOST or burned up as it is put into a special plaster like mold and heated to 1330 degrees. This leaves an empty space where the wax was, and now to be filled with molted metal.
Pouring Molten Metal
Pouring Molten Metal
Pouring Molten Metal
Bronze, Silver or Gold are heated in a crucible to 1800 Degrees. A specialized vacuum machine is turned on and the flask with the plaster mold are quickly taken from the oven and placed on a vacuum pad and the hot metal is quickly poured in. It is the thrust into cold water to reveal the exact copy of the original wax.
Hand Finishing
Pouring Molten Metal
Hand Finishing
Hand finishing requires cutting and several polishing processes to complete the final product.