Hybrids

 Making jewelry is a very labor intensive process. You have to be passionate about your craft or you'll get caught up in the time vs. money conundrum. I've been there, and so had my Dad, I'm certain, from time to time. Projects like this diamond pendant enhancer set with baguettes eat time.

My Dad realized the survival of his jewelry business depended on the new technology of Cad-Cam, or Computer aided Designing-Computer aided Manufacturing. In 2007, with the help of my brother Steve, we managed to get a computer program for jewelry design. By then my Dad was in his mid-seventies, and had little desire to learn a complicated computer program. 

I never had much interest in the computer, but I did have an interest in keeping my job. So I learned the program quickly, and learned a lot about the computer in general. Our first jewelry projects were learning experiences, but I could see the potential. So could my Dad

We began incorporating parts of cad-cam with traditional methods. The setting of this pendant was designed on the computer, but the rest of the pendant was hand assembled. I call these hybrids. This ring's halo mounting was designed on the computer, while the shank was later hand carved from wax and cast and then assembled.

This next ring is a good example of Cad-Cam. The first pictures are computer renderings.

This next picture shows the computer program in action.

And lastly, the finished ring!

This is maybe the most complicated and difficult ring to diamond set I have made so far. The baguette diamonds go from one side to the other underneath the Garnet. There were many struggles. The laser welder I use now would have been a lot of help. I believe God put this project before me to help me really appreciate what my Dad did for so many years without the expensive technology and fancy tools. Thanks for looking!