Custom made jewelry can describe several types of jewelry production techniques.  The processes include lost wax casting, metal fabrication and beadwork.  Metal fabrication is best described as soldering parts together.  Gold or silver sheet, wire and other components are assembled using heat into a piece of finished handmade jewelry. Beadwork is when beads are strung to make necklaces or bracelets. 

  My specialty is making jewelry using the lost wax casting method.  I have been a custom jewelry designer for over 20 years.  This jewelry making process involves first making a wax model of the ring or pendant and then casting it in the metal of choice.  The wax model is carved from hard wax using a variety of special small tools.  One very useful tool is the wax pen which can heat and melt the wax.  Both hand tolls and power tools are used.  After the wax model is complete it is put on a rubber base as shown below. 

A metal flask is placed in the rubber base and liquid investment is poured into the flask.  The flask is left to sit for a few hours and the investment hardens.

The rubber base is removed and the flask is placed in an oven.  The wax is then burned out using high temperatures of up to 1350 degrees fahrenheit.  The flask is taken out of the oven and molten metal is immediately poured into the cavity in the investment where the wax once was.  This is where the term "lost wax casting" originated.  The original wax model is lost in the casting process.

The piece of custom jewelry is then finished, which includes filing, sanding and polishing.

Any gemstones are then set.  Finishes such as antiquing and brushed surfaces are applied.  The final product is a unique piece of custom made jewelry that will always have special meaning to the person that wears it.