My technique for creating my jewelry, the Lost Wax Process

In 2004 I went on a quest to find the perfect medium for me and my jewelry. 

I started with Clay, then on to Porcelain clay, Art Clay/PMC and then I came across Jewelers Wax also known as the Lost Wax Process...It fit me perfectly.

To give you a bit of history on this process, Lost wax casting is a 6,000-year-old process still used in both manufacturing and fine art. The precision and accuracy of the process have made it an ideal method for producing objects with thin walls, intricate details, and close tolerances which is perfect for jewelry.

The accuracy of the process was the key, what I sculpted in wax came out accurately once it was cast in silver or gold. I would spend many hours on a leaf ring or a starfish ring and once my wax was cast, I had an exact duplicate in metal.

My wax rings are called Models. Lost wax casting builds a mold around a sacrificial wax model. After the mold investment is set, the wax is melted out and forms a cavity where the metal or glass flows in. Using this method of casting captures fine details in both metal.

I hope you enjoyed this short introductory to my process and I plan on sharing more including a few of my quick sketches.  -Dawn

https://dawnvertreesjewelry.etsy.com/listing/1311262922