Cooksongold | Royal Jewelry Blog

Starting out in jewellery making? Need to brush up on your pre-existing knowledge? Either way, you’ll need to know how to use a jeweller’s saw. And this can be pretty tricky if you’re learning it for the first time. So to help you on your way, we’ve listed everything you need to know for using a jeweller’s saw – from attaching the right blades, to the correct way to use them. Find out more below. What size jeweller’s saw blade to use First things first, you need to use the correct size blade. Depending on the thickness of the metal you’re using, your saw blade will need to match. For thinner metals, use a blade with more teeth and vice versa. If you’d like more detail on what size jeweller’s saw blade to use, check out our Jeweller’s Saw Blades Sizing Chart . How to put a blade in a jeweller’s saw Now you’ve sorted the right sized blade, next up is attaching it to the saw frame. First up, you’ll need to establish the direction of the teeth – they need to face downwards when in t...

Hi jewellery makers! I’ve put together a list of jewellery making books, that I feel would be ideal for those making their way into the world of jewellery making. I’ve selected only a handful, which has been difficult, as there are so many to choose from. The five that I have chosen focus on five different techniques, so I am sure there will be something in this list to get your creative jewellery making juices flowing. The Art of Metal Clay by Sherri Haab With Bonus DVD – 999 A120 I have spoken about this book on many occasions and that is because, in short, it’s fab! It explains the subject fully, is brilliantly written and is clear and easy to follow, what more could you want. In addition to this, it also contains some really inspiring projects which take Precious Metal Clay in directions I never thought possible. All in all, The Art of Metal Clay is an ideal book to introduce the subject as a whole to a beginner or in fact anyone wanting to tackle something new. The Art of So...

Whether you have a separate wholesale jewellery site or you’re looking to dip your toes into the wholesale market, let us guide you. When online sales are increasing, you’ll have to improve your own wholesale jewellery website for those bigger sales. Find out how to improve your wholesale jewellery site below. Here’s how to improve your wholesale jewellery website for sales Focus Determine the focus of your site. Is it mainly a platform for selling e-commerce? Or is it more informative for potential wholesalers to find out more about your jewellery? Either way, this needs to be established early on so that you can plan out the rest of your website strategy. Preparation Selling your jewellery in bulk means you’ll need to be prepared in advance. Clarify and establish a system whereby you know exactly how you’ll produce your jewellery and exactly how you’ll sell it. Breaking this down further, you’ll have to sort everything from finding reliable suppliers to calculating the cost of y...

I am old school…I admit it, some would go so far as to say I have Luddite tendencies; As despite huge advancements in technology and the way we both receive and view information, I am still a firm believer in looking and gathering visual material first hand wherever possible. I think it’s fair to say that as artists we view the world differently. Our skill is often to see beyond the obvious and to pause and to question and in turn, invite others to do the same. Often inspiration can be just as much an emotional response as it is visual and it is our job to convey that through metal, or clay or whichever medium we choose to work in. For me, personally, I find an emotional response difficult to come by, via a screen. I realise I am in a minority. Younger generations are hard wired to function almost incessantly alongside screens and there is nothing wrong with this, it is the future and the way the world is headed. But, just for a change, I implore you to look up, breath in, smell, ta...

New to making polymer clay? Already given it a go and it didn’t work out how you wanted? Either way, we can guide you in the right direction. We’ll talk you through the polymer clay tools you’ll need, the right workspace set up and many more polymer clay tips to get you started. Find out more below. Polymer clay tools and equipment Whether you’re new to this medium or not, you’ll need to get stocked up with the right equipment. Take a look at the polymer clay tools we recommend for making jewellery: Polymer clay – we’d recommend you use Fimo polymer clay for soft and simple use. A ceramic tile – so your clay doesn’t get damaged. A clay or pasta machine – use a clay machine for conditioning your clay. An acrylic roller – acrylic rollers are key for preparing your clay before you start on your design. Clay cutters – these Fimo cutters allow you to cut your clay without squashing or dragging it. A clay kit – and preferably one with a double ended shaper , drill and smoo...

Whether you’re new to metal stamping or you’d just like to brush up on your knowledge, we can help. In our metal stamping guide, we’ll talk you through the ins and outs of the process and the basics of metal stamping to get you started. So to begin your metal stamping journey, read on and watch our quick YouTube video for a visual guide. What is metal stamping? If you’re completely new to this, you might be wondering, what is metal stamping? To put it simply, metal stamping is a form of jewellery making, and is mainly used for pendants. It can be used to imprint letters, patterns and texture to your design. Your metal stamping kit Before you start learning how to stamp metal, it’s worth stocking up on a few key pieces of equipment. Here’s what to include in your metal stamping kit: Metal stamps – these could be letter stamps , number stamps or design stamps . A stamping hammer – purchase a stamping hammer so you can create the desired effect with ease. A stamping block – o...

It is now 2020. We have not only welcomed a new year but a new decade too. So we wonder, what trends could we expect to see in the world of jewellery this year? What will be the Jewellery Trends of 2020? (Image from Nathan-co.co.uk) The UK hallmarking date letters change annually on January 1 st each year. The font, case and shield shape change in a continuous cycle. This is so that each variation can only indicate one specific year, which is vital for identification purposes. Punches are destroyed at the year end and although not a compulsory mark, a date letter is really something rather special that will never be repeated so it’s always nice to use it if space permits. 2020 will be marked with a lowercase ‘v’ contained in a square with cut corners, so look out for it as we move through the year. As ever, a New Year brings forth a whole new plethora of fresh colours which will explode onto our high street once all remnants of Christmas have been cleared away. 2020 is to be ...

Jewellery maker Derek Prescott keeps coming back to jewellery making, as his passion for it is so strong. His work is experimental, inspired by nature and easy to wear. View some of his work, read about where he gets his inspiration from and more in this month’s Designer of the Month interview. Let us know a bit about yourself, detailing your background, study and training in the jewellery making industry. My introduction to jewellery making came in 1969/70 when I made the transition from engineering to training as a Physical Education teacher. That might sound a little strange, but as my qualifications to enter the college were engineering based I was “encouraged” to study metalwork, as well as P.E. I had no intention of teaching metalwork, but I was eventually influenced by a new tutor at the beginning of my second year at college. He was a silversmith and his first project was to make a punch to produce shapes which would be made into a necklace. From then on I was completely hook...

Out of our enormous range, have you ever wondered which tools outsell all the others? Here’s a little insight into the top 5 stars of the show and a few thoughts as to why. In reverse order, the number 5 slot is currently occupied by the humble flux brush. No.5 Flux Brush – 946 010 An item which every jeweller and silversmith in the land owns and uses on a daily basis, the flux brush is an essential tool in practically all workshops. Flux is a vital part of soldering and without it, joins are simply not successful. A fine brush gets the flux precisely where you want the solder to run and keeps joints neat and tidy. It is an item which I suspect most of us don’t give a second thought to but without it, we would be in quite a pickle. No.4 Borax Dish – 999 AAI Perhaps not surprisingly, our no.4 slot just happens to be the perfect partner to our no.5 product and they are often sold alongside one another. The borax dish is again, one of those items which can be found in most jew...