Handmade What?

People sometimes ask me why the things I make cost so much.  If you are comparing my work to something that was assembled from manufactured parts, or other mass produced jewellery, the  answer should be fairly obvious. Because I have to make a living wage in Canada, because I am not a huge corporation who can buy vast quantities of raw materials in bulk and because making things by hand takes time, education and swearing. I also use high quality materials that won't make your ears melt.  Yesterday I made three pairs of studs (really two and a half because I started one of the pairs the day before)  I thought I would document the process step by step, in boring detail, so you can follow me on this magical journey of craft.  If you count the pictures you will find that there are about 30 individual stages that these studs go through before they are finished. Usually I make them in batches because it's a bit more efficient. I have interspersed a few comments through the gallery to clarify details. I hope you follow me all the way to the end :)  

Citrine, onyx and amethyst cabs

Getting the measurements.

Cutting the bezels from silver sheet.

Bezels!

Filing them to the perfect length

Bending them for soldering

Ready for soldering

Fire!

Hammering them to shape

Look, now they fit!

Emerying the bottoms so they can be soldered

Layout for the bottoms

More sawing

I like to solder them all at once.

Trying not to solder the bezels to each other

Acidic pickle to clean off the soldering residue

Sawing them apart

Filing the edges smooth

Individual bezels

Emery the bottom so it's smooth

Drilling the holes for the posts

Filing the end of the post wire flat

Wire!

I usually cut them long on purpose

Fit them together

More soldering. Don't melt the posts!

Pickle again, bored yet?

Emerying the sides smooth

File the top edge to the right height

Using a diamond burr to clean out the inside.

Using a silicon wheel to do basic clean up

Look it's kind of shiny.

I use a heat gun to soften pitch

Then I smoosh the studs into the warm pitch

The pitch holds the studs in place

I gently push the bezel towards the stone a bit at a time.

Look, the gems are set.

Silver dust

The adorable facemask I wear to keep dust and flying things out of my face.

Cleaning off the pitch

Straightening out the posts.

Polishing with silicon wheels

Putting a divot in the post

More polishing.

Look studs!

Still with me? That's great. Luckily yesterday I didn't actually manage to make any of the very exciting mistakes that can cause this process to be even more time consuming. For example, you can melt the posts when you are soldering them on. You can fling the studs across the room when polishing and be unable to find them. This actually happened a few times but I found them after only 5 to 10 minutes of swearing. You can break gems when setting which is a real kicker. Sometimes it's because you suck, other times it's because the stone had a fracture plane you didn't know about. If you are feeling really talented you can drop a gem on the floor and be unable to find it. That I have definitely done. But not yesterday. If this magical image series has made you desperate to own your own studs you can purchase them below. I have two pairs that I wear all the time. But of course, I am a jeweller and can't really help myself.  If you scroll down, you can see me squinting awkwardly at the camera with a pair of studs in my ears. Those are peridot and blue topaz. I am probably going to get more holes in my ears just so I can wear more studs. I was thinking green tourmaline. Ok maybe I do have a problem.