Recycling: A Valuable Skill
The best thing I have taught myself, as a jeweler, is how to recycle metal. Whether it’s scrap material or heirloom pieces, being able to take something old and reforge into something new is a valuable skillset I am happy to practice. You see, constant mining for new metals is not doing our Mother Earth (and ourselves) any favors. Mining can be detrimental to the land and ecosystems, which would have otherwise thrived in the area. At my bench, I have made it my mission to recycle and produce as little waste as possible.
Metal is melted with a high powered torch in a ceramic dish called a crucible. Then it’s poured it into a steel ingot mold to form a solid shape that can be hammered or drawn into wire for jewelry components. Forging requires precision and a lot of arm power.
The metal (in this instance recycled silver) hardens instantly in the mold, forming what we jeweler’s call, an ingot. An ingot is a solid block of metal, typically oblong in shape to make it easier for shaping into jewelry.
Humans have been forging ingots since before the Bronze Age. Pictured here is an example of solid gold ingots from Rome 367–380 CE. Source: Institute For The Study Of The Ancient World, NYU.
The beauty of this craft, is that the process hasn’t changed much for thousands of years. Technology has changed; and often the quick production of jewelry is favored over hand forging. But for me, the feel of the material, the clang of the hammer, the fact that my hand is involved in every step of the way, will always mean more to me than pumping out soulless pieces for the almighty dollar.
Each of these rings were made using recycled metals in the forging process. Set with cognac, champagne, and black diamonds. A sneak peek at a new collection I am working on for retail partners :)