The finished pendent, steps in making follow.
The wing is constructed of separate elements to give it maximum definition. Here an individual “feather’ has been cut out, drilled for the gem and is prepared to be domed.
Here goldsmith Michael Corneau uses a steel punch to curve a single feather of the bird’s wing.
Ancient Technique of Sand Casting:
Truly handmade jewelry is made in the ancient manner using the metal itself.
Modern commercial and some so-called handmade pieces are actually carved in wax and then cast using the cire perdue or lost wax process. The more ancient method is sand casting. The approach is similar, a model is made and it is impressed into a crucible. In each case the molten gold is poured into a vacancy. Once a mold is made, lost wax can be used to produce multiples.
The total time required for Michael Corneau to produce the Peacock Pendent was 212 hours. This did not count, of course, the time spent developing the concept, discussion and selection of gemstones.
Sand casting the peacock’s body: Molten gold is poured into the depression made by removing the model from the sand.
Setting the gems: Once the feathers have been dapped out and soldered together and the cast body has been finished and soldered to the tail, gem setting can begin, the method is known as thread and bead setting.Peacock Pendant: Micro view, all gems set.
by Richard W. Wise, G.G., A.S.G. ©2012 all rights reserved.