Glossary

Casting - the process of duplicating jewellery components or finished pieces e.g. rings.  A mold is made of the original and then filled with molten metal.  This process allows complicated pieces of jewellery to be made in a fraction of the time taken to handmake a piece.  Because items can be made quickly they can be sold at a much keener price.

Lost wax casting - another way to duplicate an original design, however in this instance the design is carved from wax, before a mold is made.  It is called the lost wax method as the original carved wax piece is burnt away during the mould making.  Because the original is "lost" this technique isoften used to make one off pieces of heavy or complicated jewellery.

Granulation - the ancient technique of fusing tiny gold or silver balls to the surface of a piece of jewellery without using solder.

Fusing - the technique of joining metals by melting them together

Findings - the term used to describe readymade clasps, catches, pins, ear posts and fixings used in jewellery making.

Reticulation - A surface treatment where controlled heating of the metal results in a rippled, molten effect, most commonly used on gold and silver.

Piercing - the technique of sawing patterns and shapes from pieces of metal.

Hallmarking - Hallmarking is an ancient method of safeguarding consumers, and the word itself, stemming from 'marking goods at the (Goldsmiths) Hall' has its origins far back in time.
Hallmarking involves testing articles made of precious metal and marking them to indicate that they are of a minimum standard of purity.  Gold, Silver and Platinum must be hallmarked with 3 compulsory marks: that of the Assay Office, the mark of the maker or sponsor and the mark that indicates fineness e.g 925, 375 etc.  Click here to visit the website of the Edinburgh Assay Office, or here to visit the site of the British Hallmarking Council.