Cooksongold | Royal Jewelry Blog

Stone setting provides a wealth of opportunities to build on your jewellery making skill set. From the classic prong setting to the more elaborate pavé setting, there is a technique for every level. Today however, we will be focusing on the tension setting. In this guide, we’ll talk you through how to make a tension ring step by step, as well as further information on what the setting is and the different sorts of tools you’ll have to collect. Ready to get started? Discover everything you need to know about tension setting rings, below. What is a Tension Setting? So, what is a tension setting? Before we delve into the method of making a tension set diamond ring, let’s go through what makes this technique unique. The main feature to note is the fact that it is not held in by prongs or a bezel, but pressure. This means that only a select few types of stone can be used, including diamonds, rubies, moissante and sapphires. With two pieces of metal running along either side of the stone...

You’ve got the jewellery, but what comes next? Whether you’re planning your next craft fair or upgrading your in-store display on a budget, we’ve got some DIY jewellery display stand ideas for you to try. From how to make a jewellery stand out of wood and dowels, to how to make cardboard necklace displays, find out how to make jewellery display stands today. How to make Jewellery Display Stand out of Wood This design is simple and only requires three pieces of wood. Suitable for both necklaces and bracelets, you can choose your measurements to suit your needs. When learning how to make a necklace display stand out of wood, you will need: One thick piece of dowel (dowel A) One smaller piece dowel (dowel B) A rectangular piece of wood for the base Hand drill A hole saw or Forstner bit (the size of your smaller dowel) Wood glue Ruler Pen Finishing tools The size of your dowels and wood will depend on how big or small you need your jewellery stand to be. If you’re looking to...

Sheet metal is one of the most versatile materials in jewellery making. Whether you’re making bangles, forming your own rings or designing pendants, sheet metal is great for all of types of jewellery. But with so many different options to choose from, how can you tell which one is right for your project? Do you get it fully annealed? And which thickness is best? Don’t worry. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about how to work with sheet metal for your jewellery making projects. Essential Sheet Metal Tools Let’s start simple. What sheet metal tools do you need to pick up ahead of your project? We’ve listed all the essential pieces of equipment for working with metal sheets below: Smooth jaw pliers Flush cutters Calipers Repousse hammer Rawhide mallet Mandrel set Bench block Needle files Jeweller’s saw frame and blades Sanding pads Centre punch Dremel tool Drill bits Finishing wax Bench peg How to work with Sheet Metal to Create Designs Ways of w...

Our Summer Sale is jam packed full of bargains! We have offers across our product range with discounts galore, so why not check out some of our favourites before they sell out. Tools Workbench Toolkit (997 1003) and Durston Agile F130 Flat Rolling Mill ( 999 HACB ) Our workbench toolkit is great value for money at the best of times so when it goes into the sale it becomes an absolute steal! Containing 21 hand tools including a bench peg and anvil, it is the ideal set to get you started on your jewellery making journey. Durston rolling mills need no introduction suffice to say, if you have been considering buying one and the F130 Flat fits the bill, do not delay! Precision engineering for a superb quality tool every time. Left to right: Soldering Block (999 968) , Sawblades (972 060S) , Flat file (999 458) and Parallel Pliers (999 PR13) Don’t make the mistake of assuming that our sale is only full of high price points. We also have plenty of best sellers and workshop stapl...

Falling on the 21 st of June this year, Father’s Day is fast approaching once again. Men in general can be notoriously tricky to please and often call for gift buying that is just a little left of centre to strike the right note. The Cooksongold website makes the perfect hunting ground for those searching for a practical gift, so I have rounded up a selection of little gems that might just fit the bill. ‘Digital Crafts’ by Ann Marie Shillito – (999 A176), £32.99 Having had a design-based career, using CAD in the latter stages, I know my dad would be interested in a book focussing on industrial technologies being utilised by designer makers. Perhaps not for everyone, but I’m willing to bet that many of you who use this website also have creative parents with more than a passing interest in modern technology. Covering 2D and 3D digital designing and modelling, 3D printing, reverse engineering, CNC machining and waterjet and laser cutting, this book is packed with fascinating example...

Inspired by my reading of ‘Beading for the Absolute Beginner’ by Liz Thornton and Jean Power (999 A160) , this month I have decided to make a rainbow bead necklace in honour of our wonderful NHS. In true lockdown style, I used the materials I had to hand, so similarly tailor your design accordingly and adapt and change where necessary. You will need: silver wire approx.0.7 – 0.8mm (I used HSA 080, around 100cm) jump rings 5mm and 6mm (I used NVH H50 and NVH H60 ) strong silver clasp (I used NVF L11) iridescent glass beads 6mm plastic rainbow coloured beads 8mm wire cutters parallel pliers flat nosed pliers round nosed pliers snipe nosed pliers if possible small needle file This project uses a series of double ended, wrapped loops which are joined together to create a necklace. Obviously, the necklace can be any length you choose, just add or takeaway components to achieve the look you want. My necklace is choker length and uses a total of 12 double wrapped loops, but re...

  ‘What used to take years to learn, can now be picked up in days’ GRS are an American based manufacturer who have been producing premium quality engraving and setting tools since the mid 1960s. Their aim has always been to make these two highly skilled techniques easier and more attainable by way of improved technology and product innovation and today they boast a 700 strong product range which is shipped to 120 countries worldwide, achieving precisely that. Many believe that engraving in particular is a dyeing art whose heyday has long since passed. By way of complete contrast GRS believe that craftsmanship is at an all-time high right now, thanks in part to the availability of superior quality tools which in short, make the technique easier. What does GRS produce? GRS Gravermax G8 For Intermediate Pneumatic Engraving and Setting with Foot Control – 998 G239 The GRS range is extensive, but one of the products they are best known for producing is their pneumatic Graversm...

Whether you’re looking to smarten up some pre-existing jewellery or you want to expand your service offering – silver plating jewellery is a great place to start. There are a number of techniques you can use when learning how to silver plate jewellery, but we’ll start with the most basic. For this technique, you’ll need to know how to make a silver plating solution. But don’t worry, we’ll talk you through each step. Want to find out more? Discover everything you need to know about silver plating jewellery, from the necessary tools and equipment to what the process involves below. Tools and equipment for silver plating jewellery Jewellery of choice. Whether you’re looking to transform some costume jewellery or give your old silver pieces a new lease of life, this silver plating solution for jewellery can work on brass, copper, bronze or nickel metals. Protective gloves . This is mainly to prevent the solution from staining your hands and fingers a pretty unpleasant yellow hue. Tw...

June’s Designer of the Month is Emma Roy. She is a designer who fell in love with jewellery making after taking a jewellery making course, who likes to work with silver clay and likes her pieces to have elements of nature and magic. Learn more about her, her background, what inspires her and what she thinks will be the next trend to take off with jewellery makers in this month’s Designer of the Month. Let us know a bit about yourself, detailing your background, study and training in the jewellery making industry. I have always had a love for jewellery and have been nicknamed the little magpie by my family and friends for as long as I can remember, for my attraction to all things sparkly! In the Autumn of 2017, I started my journey into jewellery making, after the birth of my third child I decided I wanted to learn a new skill, so I went on a keepsake jewellery course. On this very course I discovered and fell in love with silver clay. I began making keepsake jewellery for family a...