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All the jewels imported from Mexico, are made in a craft way according to techniques taught by William Spratling in the 1930s.
There are various manners to make these jewels according to the artists, the material used, the object to be realized, the inlay or not of semiprecious stones … |
Manufacturing from a mould |
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For example, some artists are using a mould to be able to make perfectly similar jewels, in quantity or because the jewel to be realized has many details.
The artist starts by making a sketch and then will realize a prototype. |
Thus the mould can be made.
The prototype is placed in a tube in which is injected some wax. |
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The wax is contained in a specific cylinder which maintains it in a liquid state. |
| After that, the tube is placed in a machine called "vacuum cleaner". This one serves for distributing the wax properly, for removing air bubbles and will give a perfect shape in the mould. |
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When it's cool, the mould is removed and cut in two in the sense of thickness.
At the moment, the molten silver can be put into the mould.
The closed mould will be maintained to let the silver cool and solidify.
Once removed from the mould, an unrefined jewel will appear. It will then be necessary to work it, to polish it, to hit it and to give its definitive shape. |
Manufacturing without mould |
Other artists work without any mould.
The silver, if it is bought in granule, is melted and mixed with copper (2 %, 5 % or 7.5 %). |
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Then, the mixture is transformed into plate which will be cut, worked, sawed, welded, twisted to give it the wished shape. |
Semiprecious stones will be added when it will not there need any more to soften the piece in the blowtorch to work it.
The stones will be cut and polished before being inlaid and set. |
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The obtained piece will then be polished to give it a brilliant and clear aspect |
Hours are mostly needed to make a single jewel.
The conditions in which these craftsmen work are often very precarious: small rooms, dusty and dark.
These artists are most of the time not well paid for the fabulous work they realize.
That's why I was particularly anxious to write this chapter about the manufacturing of these jewels. |
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