Tag Archives: Bench tips

Soldering and pickling: Tips and tricks for a smooth finish

Solder pits can be incredibly frustrating, especially during the peak season leading to the holidays. But have you ever wondered why they occur and how you could avoid them? To answer this question, here are some basic tips of the trade that you can use either during the fabrication process or while making repairs. Following these tricks should lessen your troubles, eliminate pitting, and provide your customers with quality, top-notch work.

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Finding inspiration in pearl

Llyn L. Strelau details the creative process behind his baroque pearl sculpture, ‘The Owl and the Pussy-cat,’ which received an honourable mention in the Objects of Art category at the 2019 American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Spectrum Awards.

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Let me set this right

As we design and work at the bench, we inevitably want to include more gemstones. Yet, which comes first—the design idea you want to enhance with a coloured gemstone, or the gemstone you want to design around?

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