The Magical World of Jewellery Design

Jewellery designers plan the style and pattern of jewellery (both precious metals and gemstones and low-cost costume jewellery), silverware and other decorative metalwork products.? The designs may be for mass production, or be made individually or in small numbers by the designer or by other craftworkers.? Jewellery designers use their understanding of metals, gemstones and other materials to produce designs which either meet the brief of a client or have the potential to attract customers.

Jewellery making involves a variety of crafts, including mounting, setting and polishing and it is not generally appreciated that jewellery design and manufacturing technology are interdependent.
Jewellery consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals.? Costume jewellery is made from less valuable materials.

The word is derived from the word "jewel", which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" in around the 13th century.? Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything.
Jewellery, particularly when made with precious materials, is generally considered to be valuable and desirable, and it can consist of a variety of precious gemstones, coins or other precious items and is usually mounted in precious metals consisting of either gold, platinum or silver. Most gold alloys used in jewellery range from 10K to 21K gold, platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure).
Some cultures have a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery.?? Jewellery can also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a crucifix in the form of jewellery, or as is the case in many Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring.

A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with precious metals, usually to make jewelry. Goldsmiths must be skilled in forming metal, through filing, soldering, forging, casting and polishing metal, and traditionally these skills are passed along through apprenticeships. At one time, the name was synonymous with banker, since they dealt in gold and had sufficient security for safe storage of valuable items.
A Silversmith is a person who works with silver and other metals as well to make jewellery and other items.? They specialise in the use of silver though, and it is the principal metal they work with.? Silver is cheaper than gold, and so is very popular with jewellers who are just starting out and cannot afford to make pieces in gold.? Silver has become very fashionable, and is used frequently in more artistic jewellery pieces.

Costume jewelry is jewellery that? is made of less valuable materials, including base metals, glass, plastic and synthetic stones, in place of more valuable materials such as precious metals and gems.? These items are usually, but not always, inexpensive and often flashy.