How to Make Gold Jewelry
Serious enthusiasts can learn to make gold jewelry at home with wax molds and other jewelry equipment. Gold jewelry is more expensive and time-consuming to make than other types of jewelry, but the rewards of selling your own jewelry or giving treasured handmade gifts can more than make up for the difficulty involved.
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Things You'll Need
- Aluminum mold frames (at least 2)
- Jeweler's mold
- Jeweler's wax
- Wax file
- Razor or sharp utility knife
- Gold sheet
- Hand torch or heated press
- Gold polish and cloth
- Any beads, stones or gems you want for your finished piece
- Protective eyeglasses
Instructions
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Use Molds to Make Gold Jewelry
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1
Gather your supplies and safety equipment. Tie back your hair and remove any dangling jewelry to avoid accidents while you are working.
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2
Slice your wax in half width-wise to create identical halves.
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3
Use a wax file to create an even surface on your wax halves. Set one of the halves aside.
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4
Carve out a pattern in your wax with a razor or utility knife to form a mold for the piece of jewelry you want to create. The pattern should be equal to the length, width and depth you want for your finished jewelry. Alternatively, you can use another mold (if available) or a copy of the jewelry you want to make and press it down into your (softened) wax to make an impression.
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5
Melt the gold with your hand torch or heated press. When using a hand torch, be sure to place the gold into a container that can withstand high heat.
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6
Pour the molten gold into your wax mold, being certain to fill it in fully. Pour slowly enough to avoid being burned, but quickly enough to ensure that the gold remains molten.
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Let the wax mold sit until the gold hardens, usually between 45 minutes to an hour. Place the mold in a press or clamp or under a heavy object to keep both halves tightly pressed together.
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8
Open the mold and remove the jewelry.
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9
Polish the gold jewelry using gold polish and a soft, clean cloth.
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Add any beads, stones or gems needed to finish your piece.
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Attach a clasp to the ends of a necklace, bracelet or anklet to complete it.
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Tips & Warnings
Familiarize yourself with your tools before you begin to make your piece.
Practice under the instruction of a goldsmith or experienced jeweler, if possible.
Never touch heated surfaces with your bare skin.
Always wear protective eyeglasses when handling torches.
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Comments
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jeanettecaines
Jan 24, 2011
I'm afraid I agree with the comments above. Although different alloys will melt in very different ways, the advice from this article would lead many students to failure of the piece, waste of their time and money and possibly injury. If you have never done this kind of work yourself, you must get expert instruction. I teach at Jewelry Arts Institute and we offer several wax carving classes that teach proper technique and safety. There are many other excellent schools that teach wax carving and casting as well, so please attend a class if you aspire to this kind of work. Jewelry making is both art and science. I think it's great to have places like this to spread information but it cannot be confused with the expert instruction needed to accomplish complex, dangerous tasks. Especially if authors are writing about topics they clearly little understand. Jeanette Caines Jewelry Arts... -
phartman
Nov 19, 2007
This article has incorrect info. Not only wrong, but potentially dangerous. First, investment must be poured over the wax pattern, and then the was is melted out in a burn out oven. The gold is then introduced into the space left by the burned out wax. This is called "lost wax casting." The article says to heat "gold" (without specifying what kind of gold, 14k, gold filled, plated, pot metal, etc.) and when it is liquid, pour it into a mold. In the first place, metal doesn't melt into a liquid to be poured. It balls up and must be forced using pressure or a centrifuge into the mold. I don't think the author has a clue what he/she is talking about. Also, once forced into the mold, the metal will harden quickly. The investment is then broken to reveal the gold object. As a final comment, gold shot is usually melted, rather than sheet. The sheet, being fabricated, will cost much more.
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phartman
Nov 19, 2007
This article has incorrect info. Not only wrong, but potentially dangerous. First, investment must be poured over the wax pattern, and then the was is melted out in a burn out oven. The gold is then introduced into the space left by the burned out wax. This is called "lost wax casting." The article says to heat "gold" (without specifying what kind of gold, 14k, gold filled, plated, pot metal, etc.) and when it is liquid, pour it into a mold. In the first place, metal doesn't melt into a liquid to be poured. It balls up and must be forced using pressure or a centrifuge into the mold. I don't think the author has a clue what he/she is talking about. Also, once forced into the mold, the metal will harden quickly. The investment is then broken to reveal the gold object. As a final comment, gold shot is usually melted, rather than sheet. The sheet, being fabricated, will cost much more.
