Can a cast piece match handmade?

by leessilver on April 29, 2010

The subject:  “Can a cast piece match handmade?”

The following photos show some of my work that my mother or I have worn for the past 30 years.  They are in the style I used when I started creating jewelry.
All the rings I sold back then were one of a kind because I did not know how to make molds.
All the rings have held up well and probably will be worn by many of my following generations..
I hazard a guess that the designs would be extremely difficult and time consuming to fabricate because of the textures.

The following Ganoksin blog illustrated some various textures that can be created in wax.

http://leessilver.userblogs.ganoksin.coms/2009/10/08/203/

Note the turquoise and coral dots in the textured areas.


I have worn this ring off and on for 30 years.


This is my wedding band.  For 20 years I have worn it when I am not working.  I have had to stretch it several times as my knuckles grew in size.


This ring is mine.  I have worn it on me right hand when ever I attended a show.

I created this ring around 30 years ago.   I just happened to run into my customer this year.  I could not get him to take it off so I could photograph it.  He works in construction.  The ring showed signs of wear that could have easily been polished away.

My Mom’s ring.  She had it for 30 years and wore it quite often.  The way she wore it points out that not all rings are worn every day for 30 years and therefore do not have to have the same grain structure as a fabricated ring.

As a treat for my granddaughters I copied some small wooden netsuke figures.  I made a mold of the wood piece, shot wax then hollowed the wax out.  These figures are three D and would be impossible to fabricate out of silver.

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Walter Cooling May 6, 2010 at 9:35 am

highly distinctive and very artistic- I have fabbed some interesting pieces and have cast a very few. Have wanted to get a good casting outfit and carve some different patterns. Yours IS quite lovely and very well made. The beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and your pieces are truly beautiful.

tom arnold May 1, 2010 at 7:19 am

Lee, You have done some beautiful work. You should be very proud. Tom Arnold

Hans Meevis April 30, 2010 at 3:30 pm

Absolutely agree with Jerry and Peggy.
None is better than the other. It all depends on your direction, and yours, Lee, is very cool.
Cheers, Hans

Peggy Wilson April 29, 2010 at 7:37 pm

Beautiful examples! And I must agree with Mr. Fowler, one is not better than the other. The real answer is : it depends. Thanks for sharing your wonderful work.

Jerry Fowler April 29, 2010 at 5:17 pm

Great work, Lee, I think that it is a lack of experience that has brought this small disagreement between fabrication versus casting to the forefront. I don’t believe that any jeweler with a life time of experience would discount one or the other as being the only “right” way to make a unique or high art piece of jewelry.

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