Stone Settings in Wax

Give your gemstones a jewelry home – create in wax to set in metal. In this two-day workshop, you will be guided to complete a set of designs utilizing different wax-forming techniques, primed for stone setting. Creating bezel settings, prong settings and basket settings will all be addressed as well as how to prepare your wax models for metal casting.

Students will work with carving waxes and learn subtractive methods, using files, burs and carving tools, as well as how to work additively with soft waxes, using wax pens and other modeling tools. Different approaches to surface embellishment in wax production considerations (like mold making) will also be covered.

Finishing of metal castings as well as stone setting will be demonstrated in class, along with how to prep for outsourced stone setting in the future. There will be no casting of these models in class, but discussions on how to outsource your castings will occur. 

Introductory techniques, and more advanced processes will be elaborated, with a focus on ways to develop your designs. Plenty of variations will be given to accommodate all levels.