Cooksongold | Royal Jewelry Blog

Otherwise known as dapping, doming is a technique used to create a dome shaped piece of metal for a pendant. In most cases, jeweller’s dome a circular disc, but it can be used on oval designs too. Looking to take this technique a step further? You can also solder two pieces of domed metal together to make a spherical jewellery design, but this does make the process slightly longer. So to get started, discover what tools you need for doming metal, how to dome metal from scratch (and a quicker alternative) and the steps involved in making your domes a sphere pendant. What tools you need for doming metal If you’re trying out doming metal for the first time, there are a few key pieces of kit you’ll need to pick up before you start. Sheet metal or blanks Dividers A flat file A hand torch A piercing saw or disc cutter Pickling powder Doming/dapping set Brass head mallet A steel block How to make a dome out of sheet metal: step by step Cut the discs. If you’re making your...

We all love them let’s be honest, but just what are the most popular, cuts, sizes and grades of diamonds? With so many to choose from I thought it would be interesting to find out. Cuts The cut of a diamond represents one of the famous four Cs on which they are assessed. Cut, Clarity, Carat and Colour. They each individually affect the quality and in turn, the value and cost of a stone, so each one needs due consideration when purchasing diamonds. The cut of a diamond is probably the thing which strikes us first, after all, it is integral to the overall design and most potential purchasers will have a preference towards the styles they prefer. Round, square or heart shaped, everyone has a favourite. However, the most popular cut of diamond, by a country mile, remains the round, Brilliant Cut which has dominated all sales since its development in 1919 by Marcel Tolkowsky. It was the first time that a cut had been mathematically calculated to achieve maximum sparkle and light disper...

Both Borax cones, or Borax bars, and dishes are brilliant soldering tools for building up your workshop, but what’s the best way to use them and how do you keep them clean? Discover our top tips on how to use a borax cone and dish to get started with the soldering process. What is Borax used for? Borax, also known as sodium tetraborate, is a powdery white mineral that is often used as a cleaning product. There are several uses for Borax around the house, including getting rid of stains, mould and mildew. But in jewellery making, it is used in the process of soldering metal. It helps the solder to flow while preventing the metal from oxidising and the risk of fire stains. Borax bars are made from compact, dried flux and are used with water to create a paste that is suitable for soldering precious and non-precious metals. While a Borax dish is made of unglazed ceramic to create a rough surface to grind the Borax on. How do you use a Borax cone and dish? Start by pouring a small ...

Rose Water Opal Shimmer, Pacific Opal Shimmer and Iris AB – New Swarovski Colours for S/S 2021 The new Swarovski Innovations range for Spring/Summer 2021 is all about capturing moments in time. It aims to look forward, embracing all that is new whilst also celebrating and incorporating the past. Confused…well don’t be. In simple terms, Swarovski create new cuts and colours which reflect the feelings and thoughts of people right now, which in turn, transcend into trends. They work ahead of time, anticipating and predicting the things that affect us most and dominate our lives on a daily basis to create collections which fulfil a need, reflect a mood or fill a void. This year we have a mixture of bright, opulent colours and quieter, calmer tones, many with luxurious, almost futuristic finishes and we have added three of these brand-new gorgeous Swarovski colourways to our range which are all pictured above; Iris AB – Lighter than Amethyst but darker than Light Amethyst. A moody...

  A reamer tool , or bead reamer, is a great tool to add to your collection. But if you’ve never heard of it, you may be wondering: “what is a reamer tool used for?”. We’ve outlined some of the basics on reamer tools and how they can be used to benefit your jewellery making project below. What is a reamer tool? A reamer is a tool that is used to widen the size of a pre-existing hole in metal by a small amount to leave smooth sides and edges – removing any burrs or rough edges. It’s a pointed round file with a tip that’s typically coated in diamond dust to create a hard, durable surface that’s great for filing. Reamer tools are ideal for those who are looking for a more precise hole, as they take the pre-drilled hole made by a drill bit and make it truly round and of an exact diameter size. What is the difference between drilling, boring and reaming? The three processes all follow the same purpose, but how do you differentiate them? The main differences between drilling, borin...

Beading requires quite a specific set of tools and accessories. None of them are particularly expensive thankfully, but there are many that you won’t want to be without once you have discovered them. Read on for my essential top picks. Bead Design Board Beadalon Bead Design Board – 998 424B Design boards have to be up there as one of the most useful beading accessories. In short, they allow you to plan and lay out your design prior to stringing. The grooves are where you place your beads and they allow you to experiment with colour and design whilst maintaining an overall shape and length. The measurements around the edge allow you to calculate the total length of a piece providing the beads are placed tightly together. And finally, the containers simply hold the beads whilst you work. All in all, a brilliant piece of kit. Storage Containers Set Of 25 Bead Storage Stack Jars in A Clear Box – 997 1113 and Clear Bead Storage Jar Set, 12 Large Jars in A Clear Box – 997 1114 ...

A go-to for many jewellers, stone setting is one of the most common techniques for jewellery makers. But what equipment do you need to do the job? From a pendant drill through to ring clamps, we’ll guide you through our top 5 essential tools needed for stone setting below. Your essential stone setting tool kit 1. A Dremel or pendant drill The first piece of equipment you’ll need in your stone setting tool kit is a pendant drill or Dremel multi tool . A pendant drill or Dremel is a rotary tool that can be used on a range of different materials, such as wood, glass, electronics plastics and of course, metal. This handy tool can be used with a wide variety of burrs, making the adjustment of stone setting depths a much faster and simpler process. To ensure you have the right sized seats for your stones, pick up a set of 11 stone setting burrs – available in a range of widths, from 3.5mm to 8mm. 2. Needle files Used to shape and finish metal, needle files are essential stone setting...

Fashion Week’s around the world have now been and gone but what were the key jewellery trends? We delved into the archives to find out! Chain Chain looks set to be big for 2020 in every sense of the word! Chain has always been an integral part of jewellery design, but this year it will enjoy the limelight incorporating oversized links into strong, statement pieces which are unapologetically bold. Bottega Veneta showcased this look perfectly at Milan Fashion Week Sterling Silver & Tiger Eye Earrings (top) and Gourmette Chain Necklace (middle) – both Bottega Veneta. Gold Colour Diamante Bracelet from River Island (bottom) High street stores are hot on the tails of this trend as you can see by the similarly styled chunky gold coloured bracelet pictured in the bottom image, retailing at only £12. If you look closely, the ripple effect of this particularly trend is already clearly visible with many people in the public eye opting for large chain necklaces. If bold pieces aren’...

The key to a really good Mother’s Day present is to make it personal. Don’t just go for the generic flowers or chocolates this year, think of the things that make your mum smile; her hobbies, her passions, perhaps the thing she only gets to do when all the jobs she does for everyone else are done… Anyone who loves gardening understands the importance of bees and the vital role they play in our environment and food chain. Our beautiful new honeycomb range celebrates the humble little bee and all it stands for and is bound to be well received by nature lovers and gardeners alike. You can keep it simple with a basic geometric stud or go more literal with the addition of delicately modelled little bees. We also have a matching pendant available  so there is something to suit all tastes. Sterling Silver Honeycomb Design Stud Earrings – XSS 2209 and Sterling Silver Bee and Honeycomb Design Stud Earrings – XSS 2203 If you feel like you are often playing second fiddle to the family ...