Keep it clean
When designing pendants, the bail needs to be heavy enough to allow for the inevitable wear caused by it sliding on the chain. The same is true of jump rings and links in bracelets and neck wear. Of course, no matter how heavy a piece is made, normal wear eventually takes its toll. This wear can be mitigated, though, when you remind the client ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’ Gold against gold does not wear that quickly; the hardness is similar, but it is impossible not to have dirt, lotions, and skin oils combine and create an abrasive combination. Tennis bracelets and metal watch straps are particularly prone to this wear. Regular ultrasonic cleaning will make a huge improvement in their longevity.
Provided you stick to your guns and communicate the realities of the need for substantial fabrication techniques and metal volume, you will not only make a piece of which you are proud, but one your client will enjoy for a long time. Instilling confidence in your product can only work to keep clients happy and maintain your reputation for quality of manufacture, as well as great design.
Llyn L. Strelau is the owner of Jewels by Design, a designer-goldsmith studio in Calgary established in 1984. His firm specializes in custom jewellery design for a local and international clientele. Strelau has received numerous design awards, including the American Gem Trade Association’s (AGTA’s) Spectrum Awards and De Beers’ Beyond Tradition—
A Celebration of Canadian Craft. His work has also been published in Masters: Gemstones, Major Works by Leading Jewelers. Strelau can be reached via e-mail at designer@jewelsbydesign.com.
