Jewelcrafting
From Mizahar Lore
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Jewelcrafting is the art and science of identifying and cutting gemstones, then setting them with metal in order to craft jewelry. Jewelcrafting is the perfect melding of fine metalsmithing and gem cutting to form artwork that is worn, displayed, and used as embellishments in all kinds of scenarios. Jewelcrafters must be part gemologist and part metallurgist and both artist and scientist, for their art form demands an expertise in all these things. They must have an eye for beauty and color and a knack for symmetry and design. Jewelcrafters have the ability to work around inherent natural flaws of gemstones and metals or embellish said flaws depending on the scope and direction of the piece they are working on.
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History
Humans have long held the art of jewelry making as one of their chosen professions. This claim to jewelcrafting mastery by humans is only due to the fact that humanity was the first and longest dwelling race on Mizahar. Humans, especially in the ancient Suvan Empire, have the longest claim to this skill and have the oldest written records of Jewelcrafting. However, humans are definitely not the only race known for their expertise and craftsmanship when it comes to gemstones and metal being combined to form art. The Isur have adopted this artform as one of their specialties and have been known to craft masterpieces which are known worldwide by as named pieces infamous in history. Ethaefal, due to their long lifespan, have also crafted incredibly beautiful pieces. The Akalak and Konti, with the latter specializing in coral and pearl jewelery, are also well known for their skill. Zith, Pycons and Jamoura generally have very little to do with the making and wearing of jewelry. Some very famous jewelry pieces that have been crafted by the Nuit and are considered something of national treasures on the Island of Sahova.
Prior to the Valterrian, Jewelcrafters were incredibly high ranking, well paid, and lucrative craftsman. During the Valterrian, a great deal of skill was lost. While currently Jewelcrafting isn’t what it used to be prior to the Valterrian, it is on the rise and being slowly recaptured as the exquisite art form it used to be. Semele and Xannos are partially responsible for this, often identifying those with the aptitude to be Jewelcrafters and marking or nurturing them early on in their careers.
Jewelcrafting Tools
Jewelcrafting has one of the most wide array of tools possible in a craft. Not only do jewelcrafters need precision instruments and a small high temperature forge to perform their metalworking aspects, they also need lapidary wheels to do their gemstone cutting and shaping. To be truly efficient at jewelcrafting, a jeweler must have a workshop that's fixed much like a blacksmith. While there is a certain amount of jewelcrafting one can do while traveling, a workshop is best because of the heavy impractical things to move around such as the forge and lapidary wheels. However, that doesn't mean a jewelcrafter can't have a portable kit bound in a hard leather case which can and will assist them in producing what they can where they can if they happen to be of a traveling culture. Jewelery kits normally contain ring, wire, side, top, snipe, round, and flat cutters/pliers. A 6 jewelers needle files and pliars (pillar, warding, round, square, half round) are also included. They will hold a 3” square, scriber, saw frame and blades, double ended pin vice, metal rule 12", 2 emery paper, 3" dividers, 5 sets of tweezers (heat, self lock, brass, aa, large), rawhide mallet, ring file, hand files, two file handles, wedge clamps, cross pein hammer, triblet, and 7" shears. The purpose and use of the tools will be listed later. Kits are valued at 250 gold-rimmed mizas while full workshops cost approximately 750 gold-rimmed mizas for tools alone.
- Anvil: A solid iron flat-topped bench tool used for shaping on which hot metals are manipulated via the use of a hammer.
- Bench Blocks: A smooth chunk of hardened metal placed on a workbench used to to hammer metal against.
- Buffing Wheel: A stone wheel operated by hand or foot peddle against which the jewel is placed to polish the surface.
- Calipers: A measuring device used to identify the size of a gemstone.
- Chisels: A metal tool with a sharp beveled edge, used to cut and shape stone, wood, or metal. In jewelcrafting these are incredibly fine devices.
- Dop Stick: A metal or wooden stick onto which dop wax is applied once melted. The melted wax is adhered to a rough gem with the stick used to support the gem during the grinding process.
- Dop Wax: Sticks of wax whose end is melted so that droplets of the wax adhere to the dop stick and then to a rough gem for grinding.
- Drawplates: Metal plates punched with holes of varying shapes and sizes, through which hot metal wire is fed to alter its appearance.
- Files: A tool with a roughened surface or surfaces, typically of metal, used for smoothing or shaping gemstone and metal.
- Forge: A furnace or hearth where metals are heated or wrought.
- Grinding Wheel: Much like a buffing wheel, a grinding wheel is a hand or foot operated tool with a stone wheel against which a gem is held to grind down the surface, giving it shape.
- Hammers: A hand tool consisting of a handle with a head of metal or other heavy rigid material that is attached at a right angle, used for striking or pounding metal.
- Ball Peen Hammer: A hammer with one flat end and one rounded end used for flattening, shaping or removing dents.
- Domed Chasing Hammer: A hammer with a rounded head often used to 'stamp' shapes into the metal.
- Flat Chasing Hammer: A hammer with a flat head often used to 'stamp' shapes into the metal.
- Embrossing Hammer: A hammer that is used against a vessel's inner walls of raised work to elevate positions on the surface.
- Blanishing Hammer: A hammer with two flattened ends to its head that are useful for smoothing out imperfections and finishing surfaces of pieces that have been raised.
- Raising Hammer: A hammer used on the outside surface of metal to force the basic shape of most vessels. These can come in a variety of shapes, but usually have two very slightly rounded ends to their head.
- Rawhide Mallet: A soft-headed hammer that is used to smooth out metal without leaving behind marks.
- Riveting Hammer: A hammer with one pointed end and one flat end on their head that is used to form rivets and tacking in the metal.
- Jeweler’s Loupe: A a magnifying glass used by jewelers, normally held in the eye or via spectacles, used to determine color, clarity, cut and inclusions in gemstones. Jewelers also use these devices for fine detailed work.
- Lap Discs: Round discs of varying sizes set on a flat surface that are operated by foot or hand. Metal bonded with a crystalline surface, these discs assist in cutting and polishing stones.
- Oil Burner: An open flame heated by a wick floating in oil. It is usually a broad-based item constructed of glass or ceramic with a narrow neck to support the wick.
- Pliers: Pincers with parallel, flat, and typically serrated surfaces, used for gripping small objects or bending wire.
- Polishes: A variety of different chemicals and materials used to smooth and shine gemstones by rubbing or chemical action. Jeweler's rouge is the most common. Other polishes might be used against the surface of a gem such as tin, lead, leather or wood for flat surfaces, or leather, cork, cloth or wood for rounded surfaces. Debris of stone, metal, and sand might be used as well in tumbling.
- Ring Size Blanks: Conical items used to shape rings. Due to the wear they often see during a ring's construction, ring blanks are usually made of metal.
- Saw: Usually comprised of a very thin blade that comes in various sizes used to saw small pieces of expensive rough stones, cut smaller stones into thin slabs or cut small sections out of slabs.
- Scales: A device used by a jeweler to determine the weight of a specific stone.
- Scorpers: A metal tool used to remove material off the inner edge of a cut in the stone.
- Tweezers: A metal pronged tool that comes in various sizes meant to grasp and lift metal and gemstones.
- Vices: A device used to clamp down gemstones and metal while a jeweler works on them.
Jewelcrafting Metals & Important Facts
Jewelcrafting Terminology
Cuts
Settings
Definitions
Types of Jewelery
Gem Identification
Jewelcrafting Lore
Jewelcrafting Techniques
Sawing
Grinding
Sanding
Lapping
Polishing
Drilling
Tumbling
Faceting
Creating Spheres
Silvering
Cutting Cabochons
Sand Casting
Lost Wax Casting
Prerequisites and Related Skills
Skill Progression
| Novice (1-25) | |
| Novice level | |
| Competent (26-50) | |
| Competent level | |
| Expert (51-75) | |
| Expert level | |
| Master (76-100) | |
| Master level | |