Monday, 23 June 2014

Technical Drawings

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Technical Drawings

Technical drawings are a means to communicate fine, detailed information about a piece of designed jewelry which helps in its construction. It is the link between the designer and the craftsman. With the help of technical drawing a craftsman is able to determine how the piece will turn out to be and what methods of manufacturing he has to apply in order to attain the desired result.

There are two basic categories of technical drawing:
Orthographic Representation
Perspective Drawing

In this post of Jewel Affair only orthographic representation will be covered.
Importance of Technical Drawings:
When one looks at the basic front view of a design it can be interpreted in different ways. For example if one looks at a circle drawn on paper it can be either interpreted to be a sphere or a flat disc. But if one provides the same circle with a technical view, it communicates exactly what has been thought of and hence, it avoids unnecessary confusion.

IMPORTANCE OF TECHNICAL DRAWINGS


Orthographic Representation:
It is a way of representing a three dimensional object in two dimensions. This is achieved by creating different views of an object. These views are:-
Top view: this view can be defined as the face of an object or how the product appears when viewed from top.
Front view: the elevation of the product is referred to as the front view.
Side view: this view usually shows the left or the right side of an object.

This helps in replicating the product with precision and accuracy. To create the orthographic representation actual dimensions of an object are used.

Construction of an Orthographic View:
CONSTRUCTION OF ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEW

Material required- pair of set squares, ruler, pencil, eraser and a drawing sheet.
With the help of your set squares draw the ‘x’ and ‘y’ axis. Mark 30 mm on all four quadrants. And then join the marked points to create a square. What we achieve here is a big square with four small squares inside. These small squares are called quadrants.
The outlines created are called the projectors and they are perpendicular to the faces of the object and parallel to each other.

The quadrants are marked with numbers.

RULE:
Never draw inside the quadrants. Drawing has to be done on the extended lines of quadrants 2, 3, and 4.
In quadrant 1 we draw an angle of 45° and extend the line outside the big square. Top view is represented by extension of quadrant 2. Front view by quadrant 3 and side view by quadrant 4.
Always take the measurements in millimeters and show the measurements always in the front and side views.
This is the basic guideline of an orthographic view.

Further illustrated here is the view of a flat band.
 
ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEW OF A FLAT BAND
Construction: Material required- pair of set squares, ruler, pencil, eraser, a drawing sheet and a compass.
Draw the basic guideline as explained above.
Measure the ring size or the finger size, the thickness of the shank the width of the band and outer size (ring size + thickness of the shank)
Extend the lines of quadrant 2 horizontally and vertically. Mark the width of the band on the ‘y’ axis (vertical) and the outer size on the ‘x’ axis (horizontal). Now, with the help of the set squares draw a rectangle with these measurements. This is the top view of the band.

Extend the lines of quadrant 2 corresponding to the outer size vertically downwards to quadrant 3. Mark the outer size on ‘x’ and ‘y’ axis and draw a square of this size. Using a compass to draw a circle of 9 mm radius, touching the four corners of the square. Also draw a smaller circle of 8 mm radius inside the 9 mm circle. This represents the elevation or the front view of the flat band.

To create the side view lines have to be extended both from top and front view.
From the top view extend the line which corresponds to the width horizontally until it meets the extended angle line created in quadrant one. From the point where it meets the angle line, extend the line vertically downwards.
From the front view extend lines corresponding to the outer width and lines corresponding to ring size horizontally towards quadrant 4. When the lines from both the front and top view meet the side view is automatically created.
One could also create cross sections in the front and side views to facilitate clear understanding of the design.
For this flat band, cross section of the side view is presented. To draw the same extend the lines of the side view vertically downwards. Using the same measurements create the same view as above. The only difference will be that the cross section will reveal the thickness of the shank.

Tip: try to imagine the flat band in your head and how it will look when it is cut.

Imagination is a powerful tool for a designer. One has to give it a right direction to achieve desired results. Similarly orthographic view is what will give one the direction to accomplish the pre-determined idea.





Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Sources Of Inspiration



“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”- Edward De Bono
This quote very beautifully expresses that without change there is no innovation or scope for improvement. To bring about this change one needs to be constantly inspired by something new.
Field of jewelry yearns for new unique concepts and designs. To fulfill this requirement a designer needs to draw inspiration from various avenues. Drawing inspiration requires keen observation and analysis of visual information which is collected from various sources that surround us. And this information forms the very base for one’s designs.

There are infinite sources to get inspiration from, but for convenience a few sources are being listed below:

Nature: the word nature is derived from the Latin word natura which in ancient times literally meant “life”. Nature provides us with innumerable ideas and concepts. The array of beautiful colors to birds, insects, flowers, galaxy etc. Every dimension of nature is captivating. An eye of detail is what is required to make the best use of this inexhaustible source. Conclusions drawn prove out to be a good starting point to create designs.
NATURE

History & Art Eras: art eras like Art Nouveau and Art Deco can have strong influences on designing. Even periods like Edwardian and Georgian, Medieval etc. can prove out to be rich sources of inspiration.
The architecture, painting, textiles, sculptures of these periods can provide one with dynamic concepts. Our very own Indian culture is a treasure of such ideas. Scripts of various languages are again an interesting source to work with.
ART DECO
INDIAN CULTURE
ART NOUVEAU

Symbolic sources: a lot of jewelry is designed keeping in mind various symbolic sources like zodiac signs, representative forms of Gods and Goddesses, religious symbols, organizational signs etc. this also includes various geometrical shapes. Creating a slightly different style with these shapes can produce remarkable results. Permutation and combination of these shapes can be a great base for one to work with.

SYMBOLIC SOURCES


Theme or Concept: when a designer is given a particular theme or concept to work upon, inspiration can be taken from various aspects of the provided theme. Recording and analyzing the information collected and incorporating the same in the designs is a healthy practice. Working for a jewelry brand is an inspiration in itself. To create new designs keeping in mind the style of the brand is an interesting exercise and challenge.
Various other sources like books, magazines, art exhibitions, public forums, museums etc can also be really helpful.
There are absolutely no parameters as to what one can get inspired from. An open mind is all it takes to create a spectacular range of jewelry.

Tip: Always maintain a sketch book to record your observations for reference.


 PICTURES ADOPTED FROM GOOGLE

Thursday, 15 May 2014

Stone Settings


This post of ‘Jewel Affair’ will talk about an extremely interesting subject which is stone setting. Stone setting can be described as an art of securely setting gemstones into an ornament. It can be said that it is comparatively easy for a designer to sketch a design, but the real challenge is to bring life to that design. This can be accomplished when one decides what settings will be applied to that design to transform it into an exquisite piece of jewelry.
There are many variations of stone settings but in this post we will be going through the most important and commonly used ones.
 
STONE SETTING RING

Bezel setting:
Bezel is the earliest known technique of stone setting. It can be described as a strip of metal which is bent and fashioned according to the shape and size of the stone. And the girdle or the edge of the stone is seated on this metal strip. The metal extends slightly above the stone and the extended part is pressed over the stone to secure it. This type of setting is most commonly seen in ornaments made for astrological purposes.
A square or a rectangular bezel is often termed as Box setting.
 
BEZEL SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Prong setting:
In this method a metal socket or a collet is prepared and from this socket the metal is projected. This projection overlaps the edge of the stone and secures it to the setting. Prong setting is the most commonly used setting because it uses the least amount of metal to secure the stone and this reason in return brings out the brilliance of the gemstone a lot more. There are different kinds of prongs made like square, emerald, Navette, and Tiffany. This setting is popularly known as open setting.
 
PRONG SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Channel setting:
In channel setting the stones are set usually between two metal ridges running parallel to each other. The sides of the mounting grip or hold the outer edges of the stones. And also in between two stones there is no metal present.
 
CHANNEL SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Bead setting:
In this method of stone setting holes are drilled on a metal base and depressions are formed with the help of a tool according to the size of the stones. And then prongs are made with the help of a beading tool and the stones are pushed in. then the prongs are pressed over the stones for securing them.
 
BEAD SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Pave` setting:
Pave` is a word of French origin, derived from ‘paver’.  This is a type of bead setting in which as many stones as possible are set very close to each other to show the minimum amount of metal.
 
PAVE` SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Gypsy /Flush setting:
This is a modification of bezel setting. In this the stones are set with their girdle completely covered. A metal seat is cut out in the shank and the edges are burnished over the stone. The stone looks roughly flushed with the surface. This setting is gaining importance in contemporary jewelry.


Illusion setting:
Illusion setting is a kind of prong setting which is used to create an illusion that a stone or a cluster of stones is larger than what it actually is. A metal surrounding metal ring is created to diffuse the sharp outline of the stone. When a cluster of stones are set in this manner it gives an illusion of a solitaire.
 
ILLUSION SETTING
Invisible setting:
This setting was introduced by one of the most prestigious jewelry houses of France- Van Cleef &Arples in 1935. In this setting stones with parallel edges can be set on a surface without the metal being visible. It appears as if nothing is holding the stones in place. But, the stones are secured with metal grids on their undersides in which each stone is fitted and held with small grooves.
 
INVISIBLE SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
Pressure setting:
In pressure setting seven or more diamonds are used. The center stones is surrounded and held by the other stones. In this setting the circumference of the stones is very important because the slightest difference may cause them to fall off. This setting is also somewhat like illusion setting. It generally creates the illusion of a solitaire and this is what makes this setting so popular.
 
PRESSURE SETTING
Tension setting:
In this setting a stone can be set with the pressure/tension of metal surfaces. The stone seems to be suspending only with the pressure of the metal enforced on it.  But actually, grooves are created on the metal surfaces for the stone to rest. But for this particular setting the security of the stone is highly debatable.

TENSION SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery

Closed setting:
Closed setting is used when one intends to have metal behind the stone so that the lower part of the stone is not visible. This is done in order to prevent any dust particles from getting collected around the stone. This setting is done with 22k gold and is extremely popular in southern parts of India.
 
CLOSED SETTING
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery
There are various other settings like Fishtail setting, Micro-pave`, Bar and Scallops which are gaining importance gradually.

One would conclude by saying that these settings are the fundamental building blocks of Jewelry design. Being well versed with the technicalities of these settings help you in creating practical and beautiful designs.


Thursday, 1 May 2014

Introduction to Metals Used in Jewelry


We all are well aware that jewelry is a field where there is massive utilization of metals. These metals range from brass, copper, silver, gold and platinum. For a designer it is essential to be well versed with each and every product which is used in creating jewelry; and undoubtedly metal is one of the most important products used in it. One has to get into the detailed study of metals because it turns out to be the biggest help when the design is in the process of getting manufactured. 

In today’s post we will go through the three widely used metals:

  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum

First and foremost, what is a metal?

The word metal has been derived from the Greek word metallon/mettalum which means ‘to search for’. Metals are natural elemental chemical or mineral substances each possessing a distinctive crystalline atomic structure. In other words metals are solid lustrous materials which are characterized by their properties. These properties include their atomic weight, specific gravity, melting point and thermal and electrical conductivity. But the most elemental are:

Plastic/Fusible: metals can be fused or melted and can be worked without rupture.

Ductile: metals permit being drawn into wires.

Malleable: metals permit compression by hammering and rolling.

CLASSIFICATION OF METAL

 NON FERROUS METALS
FERROUS METALS

 
NOBLE METALS
BASE METALS
 
Gold
Aluminum
Iron
Silver
Lead
 
Platinum
Tin
 
 
Mercury
 
 
Nickel
 

 
GOLD:  in the history of mankind, gold has been one of the most fascinating metals because of its rarity, non-corrosiveness and for its lustrous, unique bright yellow color. Gold is said to be virtually indestructible because it does not rust or corrode.

Gold has a melting point of 1063 degree Celsius. And its specific gravity is 19.36. Purity of gold is measured in ‘Karats’. The fineness for gold in terms of karat is expressed as being equal to 1/24 part of pure gold in an alloy. Higher the karat more is the content of pure gold. Purest form of gold is 24K which is too soft to be used for jewelry, so it’s usually alloyed with one or more metals to make it more workable. 24K is 99.9% pure gold. 18K gold is considered ideal for stones and diamond setting jewelry, since this alloy becomes very hard and therefore provides a good grip for gems and diamonds.

ALLOYS
% OF PURE GOLD
%OF OTHER METALS
MELTING POINT
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
22K
91.6
8.4
977* C
17.3
18K
75
25
882* C
15.5
14K
58.3
41.7
802* C
13.4
10K
41.6
58.4
876* C
11.6

Nowadays gold is also available in many colors. For this purpose gold is alloyed with one or more metal.

COLOR OF GOLD
COMPOSITION
White
Gold + Nickel/Palladium +Zinc +Copper
Green
Gold + Silver+ Copper+ Zinc
Rose/Pink
Gold+ Copper
Black
Gold+ Cobalt / Chromium

PINK/ROSE GOLD
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery, Commercial Street, Bangalore
 
YELLOW GOLD


WHITE GOLD
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery, Commercial Street, Bangalore
 

BLACK GOLD

 
Half of the world’s gold resources are in South Africa. Other major sources are in the United States of America, Brazil, Australia, Canada, China and Russia.

 
SILVER: 

Like gold, silver is also a prized metal for its beauty, usefulness and metallic bright luster. It is a medium heavy, ductile and malleable metal. On exposure to oxygen in the air, silver oxidizes and a black layer of silver oxide is formed on the surface. Silver is also a very soft metal to work with hence, it is alloyed with copper.

ALLOYS
% OF PURE SILVER
%OF OTHER METALS
Sterling silver
92.5
7.5% Copper
Britannia silver
95.8
4.2% Copper & Zinc

STERLING SILVER
 
Sterling silver is most widely used for kitchenware and cutlery. Britannia silver was introduced in Great Britain in 1697 by William III to limit the practice of melting and clipping sterling silver coinage.

One of the most important uses of silver is ‘soldering’. A solder is an intermediary non-ferrous alloy which in its molten state is able to join different or similar metals together. So, soldering can be defined as a process of joining metals with the use of solder and applying heat to the object.

There are three different kinds of solders:

TYPE
COMPOSITION
Hard solder
75% Silver + 15% Copper + 10% Zinc
Medium solder
70% Silver + 15% Copper + 15% Zinc
Easy Flow solder
65% Silver + 20% Copper + 15% Zinc


Important mining sources for silver include South America, United States of America, Australia and the former USSR. The finest silver is produced by Norway and the largest producer of Silver is Mexico.


PLATINUM:

Platinum got its name from the Spanish term Platina which means ‘little silver’. It has a grayish-white lustrous appearance and is more ductile than gold, silver and other metals. It is a dense metal and does not corrode which makes it fit for jewelry. The price for platinum is higher than gold because it is a very rare metal. Platinum is alloyed with copper and cobalt to increase its workability. In any alloy there should be at least 85% pure platinum.

PLATINUM
Picture Courtesy: Sri Krishna Diamonds & Jewellery, Commercial Street, Bangalore

Platinum experts state that 75% of the platinum in the world is produced by South Africa, 14% by Russia. The other producers are Zimbabwe, Canada and the United States of America.
 
 
To conclude, one would like to say that every metal is unique and working with it is an art in itself. So, take a plunge in these facts n figures and explore the interesting study of metals.