PRODUCTION
OUR PROCESS
Each design is unique, requiring a production process tailored to its specifications.
The journey typically begins in either the casting or stamping department, before moving to assembly, polishing, and finishing.
CASTING
First, a rubber mould is formed around a metal master or a silicone mould is formed around a resin print. Each expertly crafted mould is owned by the customer and safely stored to ensure that exclusivity is always maintained. When an order is placed, the corresponding mould is filled with high-performance wax, set aside, and then delicately opened to remove a perfect wax copy.
A ‘tree’ of the same design or similarly-shaped pieces is then very carefully and precisely built, ensuring consistency and efficiency. Investment material is poured into a flask positioned around the tree. Once hardened, the plaster-like material is heated in a large furnace, allowing the wax to be “burned out” and “lost”. The flask is transferred to a casting machine, where metal is melted and then dropped into the flask, neatly filling the voids of the “lost wax”. Finally, each piece is cleaned and carefully inspected before being passed to the next department.
STAMPING
The process begins with molten metal that is poured into a form, creating a block or ingot. The ingot is then either rolled down into sheets of the required thickness for stamping or is passed through a series of profiles and dies to create wire.
A thunderous mechanic press creates the form and then hand-cranked machines are utilized for cutting. Both machines require heavy-duty steel dies that are custom made for each design, but can be used over-and-over for years. Once stamped, each component is carefully inspected before being handed over for assembly. The stamping room is like a machine shop, with an array of fabrication equipment that can also be used for creating tools for other departments.
ASSEMBLY
Filing is generally the first step in the assembly process. Casted pieces need to have at least one sprue filed away and often have a rough “skin” or surface texture that needs to be smoothed.
Simple designs may only have a single component, but more complicated designs may have many components. Soldering is the process of joining two metal surfaces. T-bars, bails, hinges, and other components are precisely soldered together. Traditional jewellery torches are frequently used, but crafting facility also modern options like a laser welder and a pulse (PUK) welder.
