Wax Carving for Gemstones
Brilliant Cut & Cabochon
Hosted in an extraordinary and professionally equipped workshop, you will be guided through designing a piece of jewellery to include gemstones and learn how to carve your wax to fit an exact stone (particularly useful for irregular shaped stones).
Over 4 days and presented over 2 weekends (to allow time for casting), you will build on your existing lost wax carving skills as you carve a ring to include a bezel setting for faceted and cabochon stones. Cast in silver or gold, you will learn how to professionally finish your piece and securely set your stone.
Are you ready to level up and start making money? This course will advance your skills in jewellery design, refine your wax carving skills and provide you with the knowledge required to set various cuts stones and confidently say “Yes” to more challenging custom jobs.
When: Saturday & Sunday 10:30am – 4:30pm (4 days/ 2 weekends) July 13, 14 & July 27, 28 2024
Duration: 24 hours
Class size: Maximum 8 people
Cost: $625
As part of Joynton & 107 Projects, The Bench will provide subsidised courses to residents in the Zetland, Sydney area. For further information please email us at jewellery@thebench.sydney
ABOUT THE COURSE
Prerequisite
A basic understanding of lost wax casting and foundation level jewellery making is required (use of hand tools/micromotors etc).
We recommend you complete Learn to Make Jewellery Stage One and/or Designing in Wax. Or provide evidence of completing the equivalent level programs.
You do not need to have stone setting skills.
Course Objectives
Expand your wax carving skills with your tutor Erin Pearce, as you learn to prepare waxes to accommodate fabulous gemstones! Learn to create bezel settings for a variety of different shaped stones and different ways of finishing them. Lots of tips and tricks will be covered along the way. Wax is a great way to make one-off bespoke jewellery or replicable production pieces and collections. Casting can be a fantastic introduction to working with precious metals that you may have been too nervous to have worked with before.
Design and manufacture - Understand how to design, prototype and manufacture unique wax models for reproduction
Carving a seat for different shaped stones - Use the micromotor to create a wax design that fits with your own unique style.
Techniques in wax - How to carve your wax to fit your exact stone and prepare your wax piece for casting.
Methods of clean-up procedures - You will acquire knowledge of how to remove casting sprues and professionally polish your finished design.
Stone Setting - Create, carve and set a bezel setting for a brilliant cut or cabochon cut stone.
Confidence - Feel more confident designing jewellery and incorporating gemstones.
Course Outcomes
Over 4 days spread out over 2 weekends you will build on your existing Lost Wax Carving skills as you carve a ring to include a setting for your stone, that you will then learn to set, leaving with brand new skills and a spectacular new piece of bling!
The first weekend will focus on carving your design in wax to include a well-fitted seat and bezel for your selected stone. On the following weekend, you will clean up your casting, ensuring perfect stone placement, before learning to set your stone in the metal.
Discussion between tutor and the students as a group and as individuals will take place, to guide you to improve your skills.
What’s Included
A materials pack is supplied for your project.
We provide a selection of gemstones for you to use. You may select one round, oval or pear-shaped stone (faceted or cabochon), wax tube, twisted wax blade and jeweller’s saw blades. You will be introduced and can access The Bench industry supplier connections, course notes, manuals and ongoing assistance once you have completed the class.
Casting cost of wax model is not included - you may or may not choose to cast your wax model.
Casting costs are priced as follows:
+ cost of model
+ cast fees
+ GST
Your tutor will assist you in your costing calculations. (Non-tarnish silver is $3.40 per gram in June 2024 - prices are subject to change)
A selection of materials will be available to buy from your tutor at cost price.
The Tutor: Erin Pearce
Erin Pearce is an award-winning Jeweller, who began her career almost 20 years ago with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Practicing across multiple artistic disciplines allowed her the opportunity to pursue an increasing motivation to explore concepts through jewellery making. Erin expanded her skills through a number of roles and jewellery courses within the industry, before undertaking an apprenticeship in Jewellery Manufacture.
In 2020 Erin formally launched her own jewellery manufacturing business, Mill Foundry, with a personal focus on further exploration of technique and a desire to learn through every piece she creates. Her work is influenced by mid-century modern design and a constant consideration of the placement of both herself, and her work, between the worlds of Contemporary Art and traditional jewellery manufacturing.
The Bench workshop
The Workshop
The Bench is a modern, light filled, industry standard workshop focusing on education and training. It is a relaxed and friendly place to learn traditional and contemporary jewellery techniques, a space to develop ideas and projects such as ring making, silver jewellery and stone setting gems. We provide concept based jewellery classes to the absolute beginner, the aspiring maker and to the professional jeweller.
The Bench is a safe working and learning environment, complete with a wide inventory of tools and equipment, such as Vaniman polishing extraction, enamelling kiln, fume cabinets, micromotors, soldering torches, rolling mill, tumbler, ultrasonic and more.
Location
The Bench acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of our land – Australia. The Bench acknowledges the Gadigal of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of this place we now call Sydney.
Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Green Square
Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Green Square
The Bench is located at the exquisite historic site, Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Green Square, and is easily accessed by bus, train (Green Square Station), ride or walk.
The Bench cultivates inclusive, creative and accessible spaces for everyone to have the opportunity to feel safe and welcomed.
The building has full wheelchair accessibility, ramp access from street and park entrances, internal lift for access to upper levels and a unisex accessible toilet on each level.
THE BENCH, Joynton Avenue Creative Centre
3A Joynton Ave, Zetland NSW 2017
Additional notes
All the tools, materials and consumables you need for the course will be available at the venue; including an apron. You may want to buy further materials from our metal suppliers – your tutor will provide you with supplier information.
For health and safety reasons, please bring along with you the following
Hair tie: If you have long hair, please bring along something to tie it back with
Closed in shoes: We will be working with hot, sharp and heavy tools, so please wear shoes, which will protect your feet. Avoid wearing loose flowing garments.
Sketch book/note book/ pen and/or pencil: Please bring along a notebook for your own notes and design ideas. Notes will be provided to complement the techniques you will be learning but you may wish to make your own notes.
Remember: If you use glasses for reading and /or close up work please remember to bring them along.
Book your course
Questions?
Email us at: jewellery@thebench.sydney
or call us on: 0406 794 112