Update #1 Custom Flat Byzantine Bracelet
This project involves making a bracelet from 14k Yellow Gold Wire using the Flat Byzantine pattern. The customer has sent old gold as a trade-in against the total cost of the project.
Here is a photo of the pieces he sent after the Diamonds have been removed. There are four nice Diamonds and one small onebeing reserved for a future project,
posted on Jan 09th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #2 More Gold
Collecting more Gold for the Bracelet. In the lost wax casting processes, the amount of Gold needed is roughly double the finished weight of the item being created. I use old gold bands and rings, trying to avoid jewelry that has been sized or repaired due to the solder content.
The Gold in the photo below weighs 98 grams, or a little over 3 Troy ounces of Gold.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #3 Silver Models
Creation of a group of Core Links that will go into build the bracelet. These are used to estimate number of groups to cast to make a 9" bracelet. Note that the center "Rondell" link is one wide piece instead of two thinner pieces. This is for efficiency and consistency in replicating numberous identical pieces. The original working models were created in Sterling Silver, with at least three different sets being made, until the correct ratios were developed. Below is one of the first Silver workings sets.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #4 Waxes
These waxes are the final link designs being used. Molds were made of the Silver Masters and then injected with wax to ensure consistency for all links.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #5 Cast Links
The attached photos show the efficiency of the Lost Wax Casting method where multiple links can be cast in one flask. When the casting comes out of the dunking bucket, the gold looks nothing like what one would expect.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #6 Cut, Cleaned and Laid Out
The links have been cut off the center sprue (channel by which the molten gold reaches the links being cast). They have been pickled (put in an acid bath) and run through their first machine polishing.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #7 Together
Starting to look like a bracelet............
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #8 A Custom Clasp
The clasp for this bracelet had to be strong and hold the two sides in place. No commercial clasp had the weight required to compliment the bracelet. The only option was to create a custom clasp. It was also important that the design be integrated into the bracelet rather than look like it was just stuck on the ends.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
Update #9 Finished
The Bracelet is finished. The finished weight is 102 grams, it is 9.75 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. It has been polished for hours in a Stainless Steel polishing machine, then hand polished three times. The custom clasp is well integrated into the design of the bracelet and is very strong.
posted on Sep 20th 2012 by Patricia Riley Metalsmith
