DaDa Soiree: An Absurd Art Show Opening

I am very pleased to announce that 2 of my sculptures were accepted into the "DaDa Soiree: An Absurd Art Show", held at C3 Lab, a co-working, artist, and maker-space here in Charlotte, NC. The exhibition, created and organized by artists April Marten and Amanda Medina, will feature the work of 60 artists, including visual artists, installation-based works, and performance art, all in the spirit of the DaDa art movement and the Avant-Garde.

The opening night and reception is this Friday, September 2nd, from 7:00-10:30PM. The exhibition runs through September 16th, during normal Gallery C3 hours, which are 9:00AM - 5:00PM weekdays, and weekends by appointment. 

The Gallery is located at 2525 Distribution Street, Charlotte, NC, 28203 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1016502728403880/

Edwardian Brooch Repair

During the course of my daily work as a bench jeweler and goldsmith, I do a lot of basic repairs such as ring sizing, clasp replacement, earring modification, and general refinishing and refurbishment. I tend to work on a lot of basic, mass-produced jewelry and common everyday jewelry pieces, which is uninspiring and not mentally stimulating, but is good for keeping my hand skills and problem-solving capabilities well honed and sharp.

Every once in a while, however, a piece comes across my bench that is absolutely world-class and stunning, either due to its value, the materials it is made from, who made it, or the time-period from which it originates. These are the pieces worth taking the time to stop and appreciate, study their construction, and marvel at the technical and design challenges the original maker or makers had to overcome to create such a beautiful work of artistry. Then, of course, comes the challenging and rewarding task of completing the requested repair work or modification with a high enough degree of precision and skill to preserve the piece structurally and aesthetically, regardless of how simple or basic the required task may be.

This piece is an Edwardian gold brooch with 1 4.35mm Old European-Cut diamond,  82 1.1-2mm OEC diamonds, blue transparent leaded-enamel, and 14 2mm pearls, with an approximate declared value of $13,000. The Edwardian period spans from 1901-1915, and is defined by the reign of the king of England, Edward VII (1901-1910), and was the final jewelry period to be defined by a British monarch. Jewelers who rejected the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts styles took their inspiration from traditional 18th-century jewelry, often using the guirlande form, or decorative hanging ornament such as a wreathe or bouquet of flowers. It was purchased in England as an estate piece, but the client never wore it due to it being a heavy brooch and very delicate. The client brought in a gold fashion chain that she owned and requested that the pin-stem and catch be removed and the brooch converted into a pendant that could be removed from the chain so that the chain could be worn by itself if the client so desired.

 Edwardian Brooch (Front)

Edwardian Brooch (Back)

This is a very straightforward and easy repair, being that the shop I work in has a laser welder, which is perfect for welding on 2 14k yellow gold necklace slide bars onto the back of the brooch. The pin stem was carefully removed and the resulting rough areas were smoothed out and lightly polished by hand to blend in with the rest of the brooch. Attachment points for the bars were chosen based on the strongest points on the brooch based on how it was constructed and the size needed to allow the widest portion of the necklace and the thicker clasp ends to pass through. Once this was determined, the bars were made from 16 gauge wire and welded into place, the joints were burnished and shined up with a fine wire wheel, and the piece was cleaned lightly, with no ultrasonic or steamer being used to protect the fragile enamel, which was already broken and cracked in several places.

Chain Slide Bars Installed

Brooch on Chain

The completed Repair

Metalwork For Craftsmen

"The constructive use of leisure time is a necessary balance for a life of work, and planning for leisure hours is fast becoming a fundamental factor in our educational practices. To contrive a quiet place in heart and mind, to widen a life until it spreads beyond all human fear and fever, that is to touch the source of eternal peace." 

 

- Excerpt from the Preface to "Metalwork for Craftsmen"

The first jewelry or metalsmithing book I ever purchased was a 1972 Dover Publications reprint of Emil F Kronquist's book "Art Metalwork" originally published in 1942. I was probably in 4th or 5th grade, and found it in the clearance section of Barnes and Noble. While some of the information, in particular the sections on soldering and brazing, were outdated and relied on tools and technology no longer in use, it was still a solid introduction to basic metalworking processes. I particularly enjoy the simplicity of the illustrated panels, as they convey the processes beautifully without text or extraneous details.

Anatomy of a Repair: Part II

At this point in the repair process, the customer has been made aware of the extent of the damage and wear on their ring, and the necessary repairs were discussed and agreed upon. We will remove the new shank and two broken and cracked settings from either shoulder of the ring and install new platinum low-base heads that will be much more structurally sound, reattach the ring shank, and reset the side diamonds. Simple enough, right?

Not exactly. For all the planning and research that one can do prior to beginning a jewelry repair, there are always little details and minor logistical realities that can occur and turn a straightforward repair into a complicated, expensive undertaking.

Since the side low-base platinum 4-prong settings on the ring were already broken, it was an easy procedure to cut and grind off the remaining metal on the center head portion and smooth everything out with a fine grit rubber wheel. The more pre-polishing you can do prior to assembling heads and parts, the less difficulty you will have later on after everything is assembled. Often, the assembled parts will be arranged such that they block or restrict access to a particular area or inside corner for polishing, so pre-polishing parts will lead to only needing to touch up the solder seams with a fine wire wheel and then a bristle-brush wheel charged with polishing compound.

The new shank that had been previously installed was in good shape, and only needed to have the old laser-welded ends of the V-shank reground to remove all the old weld area. This is done mainly because one has no way of knowing if the correct welding wire was used previously, and if one welds over it without removing it, you are potentially changing the alloy of the metals you are welding together right at the weakest point of the structure, which can lead to weld failure.

At this point, all the original parts were prepped and pre-polished, and I was ready to order my new platinum low-base heads. This is where I hit my first major road block. The main supplier we use, Stuller, did not carry a platinum low-base head in the size that I needed, approximately 1.7-1.8mm. This was a surprise, as it is a very common style of head and has always been in stock in the past.

Ok, how about ordering a platinum tube bezel with a pre-cut bearing and carving the scallops by hand with a krause bur and a rubber wheel?  Nope, Stuller only carries platinum tube bezels down to 3mm. Why wouldn't they?

Gold and silver are far easier to manufacture and work with for a findings supplier, and so one will often run into issues finding the right part in platinum. Many parts are die-struck as opposed to being cast, and some styles of finding and some manufacturers have physical limitations on what metal they can make certain parts in based on their machinery parameters.

At this point, I might have tried finding the parts from other manufacturers and suppliers, but Stuller's selection is pretty comprehensive, and we already have an account with them and place orders daily. Also, a due date was already promised to the customer for the completed repair, and spending more time sourcing the parts from an unknown supplier had the potential to introduce even more variables and delays into the process.

Another issue with using pre-made low-base heads and tube bezels, assuming that I could have even found them in platinum in the right size, is that they are usually die-struck from relatively thin metal. This yields a light and strong setting that is also affordable because the manufacturer has reduced the metal weight to cut costs. However, in this particular case, the original heads that were in the ring had a very deep scallop on the sides, which gave the settings a very sculptural and delicate look. Normal low-base heads are fairly plain and simple, so I would have had to lower the scallop and add a bevel running down the side of the setting with a cylinder bur and rubber wheels to achieve the same effect. The issue with this is that in doing so I would drastically weaken the structure of the already lightweight setting, leaving it no stronger than the broken settings the ring already had.

The next best option to ordering the correct settings or making dangerous modifications to a pre-existing part was to fabricate them myself from heavy wall platinum tubing. This would allow me to exactly match the style of the original settings without compromising the structural integrity of the ring and without delaying the completion of the ring while I search for the right parts.

Guess what? Stuller does not carry heavy-wall platinum tubing in the size I need. Perfect.

After going through the process of hunting down every possible pre-made solution for the repair, my only option left was to order 12-gauge platinum wire and drill and carve the settings by hand. While time-consuming and more challenging than working with a part that already had a hole for the stones or pre-cut seats to fit the diamonds, the resulting settings are far stronger than anything I could have ordered from a supplier.

Once I had the platinum wire, I filed the end flat, drilled a pilot hole in the end with a small drill bit, cut the seat for the diamond with a setting bur, and carved the sides of the setting to match the curved scallops of the of the original rings undergallery design. Once completed, I polished the setting while it was still on the end of the wire, as it is much easier than trying to hold a tiny part against a buffing wheel and risk losing it entirely. I cut the setting off the wire at the appropriate length with a jewelrs saw and made a matching setting in the same manner.

The parts were then tacked in place with a laser-welder and soldered with 20k white gold solder. Platinum solder was not really an option due to the proximity to the diamonds and the risk of unsoldering previous repair or assembly joints in the vintage top plate.

The ring was cleaned, the diamonds were set, everything was given a final polish, and another repair on a vintage piece of estate jewelry was completed.

 The original head plate, shank, side diamond, and raw platinum wire.

 Test-fitting the diamond into the hand-carved setting in the end of the solid platinum wire

 The two completed settings, cut off the wire stock and pre-polished, ready for installation.

 Soldering the settings in place between the shank ends and the central plate 

with 20k white gold solder.

 The completed repair. Note the scalloped design on the side of the central plate 

is echoed in either side accent diamond's setting.

Side view of the hand-made platinum settings installed with the 

original shank and vintage top plate.

Anatomy of a Repair: Part I

Repair work is rarely as simple and straightforward as it initially seems upon taking in a job. Careful inspection, asking the right questions, and taking the time to do some planning and groundwork while the client is still in front of you can go a long way to avoiding issues and complications down the road. The following post is a typical example of the types of repairs I do daily as a full-time bench jeweler. Equally as important as the actual physical repair is the interaction between the customer who brought in the ring, the salesperson who took in the repair, and the jeweler (me) who was responsible for solving the problem.

Initial Take-in:

A customer brings in a vintage platinum and diamond ring that is missing a diamond in the shoulder of the ring. The ring has a square top-plate with a decent-sized center diamond held by 4 prongs, with 8 diamonds around the outer edges of the square set with split prongs and a U-shaped wire under-gallery. On either side of the top plate is a low-base style 4-prong setting for a round accent diamond, to which is attached the tapered platinum shank. There is general wear on the ring consistent with its age, as it appears to be from the 1930's-40's. The sales associate noted the missing diamond and the size of the remaining diamond, and asked a jeweler what it would cost to replace the diamond, and a price (under $100) was given. The repair was taken in, and the customer left.

My Initial Inspection:

When I received the job envelope, I read the description of the item and the repair, and took a quick look at the ring through the clear plastic bag. I could see immediately that there was a substantial problem with the job: the reason there was a missing diamond on one side of the shank was because the low-base head (think of a 4-prong tapered crown with very low scoops or scallops between the prongs for a dramatic and delicate look) was cracked completely through side to side. Not only was the shank integrity compromised, but the setting itself was split down the middle, not at a solder seam or joint. I then slid the ring out of the bag to take a closer look, and the act of doing so and the ring dropping into my waiting hand caused the ring to deform slightly. It turns out the other 4-prong low base head on the other side was also almost completely cracked through and about to snap off entirely.

This is a pretty serious issue when it comes to repair work, as one of the key steps of the intake process that protects the shop from liability and maintains the integrity of our work and reputation is the item description. This is supposed to be a detailed written description of the item being taken in and it's condition, any signs of wear, damage, or previous repair. A microscope is available to every sales associate along with a diamond scratch tester to ensure that a customer is made aware of any potential issues and repair work needed while they are still in the store and can inspect their item personally.

I spoke with the sales associate who took in the repair, and the store was very busy at the time of the repair intake and he or she was relatively new at taking in repair jobs. No problem, it happens.

Customer Interaction:

There is always more to the story. Always.

I called the customer, and informed them of the situation regarding their ring and the extensive damage I found. I explained that it was a vintage piece and had evidence of previous repair work, and asked if it had been in the family a long time or if it was a recent estate purchase. This may seem trivial, but it helps ascertain a number of influential factors that affect how I approach the repair: What type of abuse the ring has endured (Has it spent 20 years in a jewelry box? Was it worn for 30 years by an elderly person? Did they swim everyday or sit in a hot-tub frequently with their jewelry on?).  How many times has it changed hands within a family? (How many different jewelers have sized it or worked on it?) It turns out it was an estate purchase within the past 5 years from a local jewelry store.

I learn that the customer had recently had the ring re-shanked by the jewelry store where they initially purchased the ring, as the vintage shank became too thin for everyday modern wear. The store put on a new platinum shank, however the customer was unhappy with the work because they said they felt the shank was too thick for the ring and they wanted it to look delicate and light like it did when they bought it.

This is unfortunately an all too common scenario in repair work: The customer has become accustomed to the look of their piece, and reacts negatively to repair work that changes the look of the piece, even if it is done correctly and is necessary to protect the stones and the integrity of the structure. Rebuilt prongs are called ugly and too bulky, and the customer wants them made smaller so all they see is their diamonds with as little metal covering the stones as possible, despite the fact that the piece initially had practically nonexistent prongs that were so worn-out from decades of wear that the stones were about to fall out. This can be a tough balance to strike with a customer that is very particular about the look and feel of their jewelry.

It turns out the customer took their re-shanked ring back to their jeweler and insisted that the shank be shaved down to make it thinner. The jeweler complied with the request, but informed the customer that doing so would void the stores warranty of the repair work as it was going against the recommendation of the jeweler who did the work. The customer insisted, stating that they did not care about their warranty, they wanted their wife to be happy with her ring. The shank was shaved down and made thinner.

All would seem to be right in the world, until the day the side low-base head broke and the customer lost their diamond. To be fair to the other jeweler who put on the half shank, this was not his or her fault, but rather a common issue one runs into when working on vintage and estate pieces. Often, the repair, solder-joint, or new component or finding is actually stronger than the original structure of the piece, which can inadvertently cause further damage to a piece of jewelry even if the repair done by the jeweler was done perfectly. A simple example of this would be the jump-ring on a spring ring clasp is often not soldered or laser-welded closed on delicate chains because if the necklace were to catch on something, it is preferable that the spring ring open and the chain fall off as opposed to the chain breaking. Some chains are extremely difficult to repair successfully or in a way that is not noticeable, either leaving a bulky area or a stiff spot in an otherwise smooth and supple chain. A customer brings a "broken" chain in and asks to have it fixed. The person taking in the repair charges they $22 for a simple solder, and has a jeweler permanently attach the spring ring's jump ring. The next time the necklace breaks, the jeweler would have to tell the customer that they cannot fix their chain, to which the customer will angrily reply "But you fixed it before. You were the last person to work on it, what did you do to it? This is your fault, I'd like to speak to a manager".

After explaining the nature of the damage and condition of the ring to the client, I recommended that we remove the new shank and two broken and cracked settings from either shoulder of the ring and install new platinum low-base heads that will be much more structurally sound, reattach the ring shank, and reset the side diamonds. A quote for the needed materials and labor was generated, the customer agreed to the work, and a due date was set.

Problem solved, right?

In the case of this particular repair, the intake, assessment, and customer interaction was only half the battle. Stay tuned for Part II of this blog post, Anatomy of a Repair, which will dive into the complexities and logistical challenges of the actual repair with step-by step photographs of the process.

Excerpt from "Jewelry Making as an Art Expression"

 

Adult jewelry making class, Westchester Workshop, New York, circa 1950's.

While going through some old jewelry books that had been given to me and deciding what to add to my collection and what to pass on to others, I came upon a pale blue cloth-bound book with well-worn edges, slick glossy pages, and an unexpected amount of insight into the nature of society, the creative pursuits, and the impact of technology on our health and daily lives. The following quote is taken from D. Kenneth Winebrenner's 1953 text on metalsmithing and jewelry - "Jewelry Making As an Art Expression", International Textbook Company, Scranton, PA.

Preamble
Finding a Way to Be an Individual

"Life has become so highly mechanized and standardized in our industrial society that the individual finds it increasingly difficult to be an individual. The calm monotony of his stereotyped existence gives way alternatively to feelings of unrest, fear, and frustration as he faces the confusion, uncertainty, and nervous tensions of our times. He searches for peace and security, and purchases it at the price of conflict and insecurity. Striving so hard to be a person, he fears a future which may bring more regimentation and less individuality.

The machine has made the individual almost dispensable. The thrill of personal achievement in his work is lost in a streamlined maze of buttons, levers, gauges, and dials. He searches for relief from this humdrum workaday world, only to confront other mechanical devices to occupy his leisure time. He may turn a button and hear halfheartedly the strains from a distant whirling disc, interspersed with frequent reminders of our commercial heritage, or he may view images of fictitious characters projected from another machine. If he finds boredom in this he may drive aimlessly and dangerously about in another mechanical contraption, or he may seek relief at last by dulling his awareness of the present. In short, the only solution offered him by the mechanical age is a more mechanical use of his free time, more canned entertainment, more of the stereotyped. And yet he would not go back to the days before the Industrial Revolution, for mass production and urban life have brought man a standard of living which he wants to retain. He has more things - to worry about. And more time - to get himself into trouble.

The inborn manual and aesthetic impulses of man are threatened by a creeping paralysis in this new age. Yet he is so constituted, physically and psychologically, that he must find release for his ideas and creative impulses if he is to live a healthy, happy existence. The creative arts are the natural activities for maintaining or restoring the necessary equilibrium. Lately, however, man has come to look to others as the creators, his innate abilities receive little exercise, and his creative capacities become like flabby muscles, impotent from inactivity. He speaks of talent as if it were some supernatural gift, or a quality transmitted by biological genes, only to be active in a given person if the right combination comes up like a row of similar fruit in a slot machine."

Children's jewelry class at the Walden School, New York, circa 1950's.

Bench Repair, Custom Design, and Stone-Setting

As a full-time bench jeweler, I have had the opportunity to learn new skills and work with different techniques over the past few years. While not the same as my personal creative works, the repairs, stone-settings, and custom designs shown in these pictures are equally challenging and have forced me to be a better jeweler and designer. Some of the custom designs are fabricated from scratch, some use pre-made heads and settings, while others were designed, 3D printed, and cast. Please excuse the poor photography, these were taken at the bench with my phone on the rare occasions that I wasn't so busy and focused on getting jobs completed and delivered to customers that I forgot to document my work. (I suggest clicking on the photos to enter a slideshow for a larger, clearer view of the details.)

Custom Design / Production

 

 

 Stone-Setting / Repair