– Alexis
Lately
– Alexis
– Alexis
Jeweler and Metal smith
Hello! this is Soccorro Dias, a long time jeweler and an expert on repairing precious antiques . I work in a variety of metals such as silver, bronze, gold and brass, if you are missing a piece and need to duplicate it we are able to use different techniques of Robotics such as C.N.C. machining and modeling as well as the casting expertise of the jewellery industry to do this. Look forward to serving you, Soccorro Dias.
What do I need to know about pin backs?
There are stick pins, fibula, hinge pins, clutch backs, and many variations on each of these.
The main thing to look for is that the pin backs are made from a material strong enough to support the weight of the jewellery. If the pin back is made from sterling silver or gold it can only support light pieces of jewellery, unless it has a thicker wire than the average pin backing. If the wire is nickel or stainless steel it can be narrower in diameter and still support the weight of the decorative side of the pin without warping.
Think about the clothing you want to wear the piece on and make sure the pin going through your clothes is the right size to stay in place and not damage the fabric or knit.
’20 Tips on maintaining our Jewellery’, Gillian E. Batcher, 2013
Tucson Gem and Mineral show
Hi everyone! It’s been a fabulous few days with full sun here in Toronto and temperatures between 1-10c. I hope you have all been soaking up all the Vitamin D you can. According to the ground hogs, it seems like we are getting an early spring!
Anyhow, not sure if anyone has ever heard of the prestigious Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. 3 of our goldsmiths here at Jewel Envy are attending the show; Gillian Batcher of Pash Jewellery, Hayat Rahal of Hayatii Gold and Jennifer Trotman of Frekkel Designs.
The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show was founded in 1955 and is said to be the largest, oldest and most prestigious gem and mineral show in the world. There is something there for everyone whether its faceted gemstones, beads, fossils, minerals, crystals bigger than a human or dinosaur bones! Not only are there things to buy but there are many events you can attend too plus classes. This place is basically a goldsmith’s dream. I hope to attend next year!
The dates for this years show is from January 16-February 11th and every year there are about 4000 vendors and 65,000 visitors. This also is not just one show but around 50 shows.
have a great day!
Eunice
New Tricks
We are thrilled to see the turnout for our classes so far this year. We are back to full class sizes, and our students are making the most of it.
Our Gemsetting class started in January at full capacity, and it is going strong. Many students from our Intro Casting and our Intro Fabrication are bringing their skills to this new challenge, and they are crushing it… I mean, not the jewellery, the challenge… they are doing great! We have covered bezel setting, and are on our way to prong setting. Excitement!
We have covered basic tools, and the students are training their eyes to see the most important details.
Whether they go on to practice and set their own pieces, or use their training for better quality control, they are excited, motivated, and we love to see it!
Check out our calendar to see what “gem” of a class we have coming up next!
What type of earring posts and backs should I look for?
There are a variety of earring styles readily available and different ones will suit different people.
Earrings posts and hooks need to be thick enough to keep their shape when pushed into and pulled out of the ear, but not too thick that they stretch your holes.
Sterling silver should be between .7mm and .9mm in diameter, whereas gold can be .6mm to .9mm in diameter.
The actual thickness should also relate to how heavy an earring is; a heavier earring requires a stronger hook or post.
For post earrings you have a choice of a smooth wire with a butterfly back, or a threaded wire with a screw-back. Threaded posts with a screw-back are stronger but tend to be on the thicker side. You will most often find them in higher end earrings but can request them for pieces made to order in sterling silver.
Many people have sensitive earlobes and costume jewellery causes their ears to swell. This is most often because of the nickel content in costume jewellery. Although sterling silver does not have nickel, it can still cause a reaction in the earlobes of some people due to the copper in the alloy. To avoid this look for earring posts and hooks that are hypoallergenic. Search out stainless steel for less expensive jewellery and rhodium plating for sterling silver or nickel white gold jewellery.
Rhodium is from the platinum group and is hypoallergenic.
Rhodium plating can wear off over time so check that the piece can be re-plated if necessary or opt for the more expensive palladium white gold version (or full platinum) which will be hypoallergenic.
’20 Tips on maintaining our Jewellery’, Gillian E. Batcher, 2013
Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
The largest, oldest and most prestigious gem and mineral show in the world.
The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show has enjoyed international stature since the 1970s, and was the first gem and mineral show to bring the hobby enthusiast, the public, and the curator/professionals together for discovery and discussion. February 8th through 11th.
Three members of Jewel Envy will be in attendance, hunting for fun and interesting gems for future works! Looking for a custom piece in the future? Reach out and let us know and we can keep an eye out.
The show consists of educational talks, raw and processed gem/minerals for sale, exhibitions, and even field trips! It has something for both hobbyists and professionals, adults and children. If you *love* gems and minerals, this is definitely something to keep in mind to attend!!
Glovely Choices
Now that the holiday breaks are over and we find ourselves outside in actual winter weather, it is time to bundle up each day we leave our door. Cold means gloves. Gloves mean slick ring choices to fit easily inside those gloves. Here are some beautiful choices for everyday winter wear, from fashion to commitment rings:
As for the gorgeous rings you already have, it is also a good time to come by and get the prongs holding in your stones checked. Scarves, hats, sweaters, mittens and gloves can have just the right type of thread to pull back an unchecked, worn tip, and have you frantically looking for your precious gems. From experience, we can tell you that the stones can be launched, drop out right away, or hang in for weeks before a bump lets them loose. It costs nothing to have us take a look and do a quick, simple check. If you find your jewellery is feeling “catchy” lately, or you’ve already lost a stone, or you want to make sure everything is alright ahead of time, we are happy to help!
Filigree
Did you know, filigree was invented about 5000 years ago in the middle east? It is a very unique style of jewellery making.
When you see intricate metalwork consisting of twisted/ interwoven fine wires, that is filigree. Its not just wires but threads too and these very thin wires are twisted together to create beautiful intricate patterns. These patterns are then placed together and soldered together to make jewellery whether it be rings, earrings or pendants.
Above picture are a pair of earrings made by one of Jewel Envy’s resident goldsmiths called Shafiq Sarwari featuring said filigree. His type of earrings are ‘openwork’ filigree’. When I say openwork filigree, that means there is no backing in his design. This style of filigree has a lace like quality and he hand twisted and coiled each delicate coil.
Come in to Jewel Envy to take a closer look!
See you guys next time,
Eunice
New Year, New You!
Happy New Year! Hope you had a good break. I really have a love-hate relationship with January (because I get older this month!). If, like me, you want a little pick-me-up, come into the studio, peruse/try something on, and (dare I say it!) treat yourself to something new. Like this recent commission for a sterling silver fidget ring!
Ready-to-wear jewellery, bespoke pieces, re-designs of jewellery you love to hate, repairs of all kinds and jewellery making classes, we do it all! Come in and talk to us about what you need/want to have done, or just stop in and say hi! On a grey day like today, it’s always nice to see a friendly face!
Happy Saturday!
-Robin.