Gold jewelry craftsmanship is rich and diverse. Here are several common ones for you in detail:
Traditional craftsmanship
The ancient method: originated from the court workshop, is the gold art that has been passed down for a thousand years, is made by hand using the intangible cultural heritage gold making process, including filigree, chisel, base, hammer 揲, setting, gold finishing and many other steps. It is entirely handcrafted, taking a long time to complete. The surface of the jewelry has a matte texture, exuding an air of nobility without being ostentatious. Overall, it is heavy, dirt-resistant, and less prone to scratches. However, it takes a long time to produce, is expensive, heavy and requires regular maintenance.
Filigree craftsmanship: With a long history, it can be traced back to the late Shang Dynasty and reached its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a fine gold craftsmanship that processes gold into fine wires and then makes gold jewelry through means such as coiling, inlaying, filling with wires, and stacking. The production process is very complex and requires multiple steps including drawing, making the base, inlaying wires, and weaving. The jewelry made by this technique is delicate, exquisite and rich in connotation, but the lines are fine, it is prone to deformation and damage, cannot be rubbed against hard objects, and the durability of the patterns is poor.
Enamel technique: It is a decorative technique in which various colored glazes are applied to the surface of metals. Various minerals, such as silicon, lead, borax, feldspar or quartz, are mixed in proportion, and metal oxides of different colors are added. After firing and grinding, extremely fine powder is obtained and then filled or painted on the surface of gold. This process is difficult to produce, with a rich variety of colors and strong decorative properties. However, it is costly, prone to cracking, color distortion, color limitation and easy to break.
The blue firing technique: It is one of the traditional Chinese techniques. The entire body is filled with colored glaze and then fired. The colored glaze melts from a sand-like solid into a liquid and cools to form a brilliant colored glaze that adheres to the body. It is colorful and has the advantages of corrosion resistance, wear resistance and high temperature resistance, but it is costly, has high professional technical requirements and is expensive.
Surface treatment process
Sandblasting process: After polishing gold jewelry, quartz sand or river sand is sprayed onto the surface of the jewelry under high pressure to form a fine frosted surface. This technique endows gold jewelry with a unique texture, making it look more delicate and having a hazy and soft aesthetic appeal. However, it has a low smoothness, is prone to dust and dirt accumulation, and is difficult to clean.
Brushing process: A brushing knife is used to pull the gold surface in a uniform and directional manner, creating a three-dimensional matte brushed surface for the gold jewelry. The ordinary brushed surface presents a shiny silk line arrangement effect, greatly enhancing the texture and refinement of the gold. However, it is prone to wear and tear and is likely to accumulate dirt.
The seven-color wire drawing process: It is a process where a machine drill bit draws a series of colorful thread-like patterns on the surface of gold. Gold jewelry made through this process can transform into rainbow-like colors under the light, with a very good visual effect. It also has the characteristics of rust prevention, oxidation resistance, scratch resistance, chemical reagent resistance, and smoke resistance. However, it is prone to deformation, and most of them require a separate processing fee, with a relatively high price.
Matte finish: By rubbing a certain part of the gold jewelry with a agate knife, the lines and edges of the jewelry are smoothed out, making the surface of the gold achieve a smooth and bright effect. This can make the layers of the gold jewelry more distinct and the three-dimensional effect stronger.
Nail sanding process: A diamond needle is used in a nail sanding machine to rotate and strike the gold surface. Each concave and convex surface becomes a reflective point, making the overall appearance as if dotted with countless small diamonds, dazzling and eye-catching. However, it is difficult to renovate, and the concave and convex texture is prone to friction with external objects, leading to wear and tear.
The sandblasting process: By using sandpaper to push and pull on the gold surface, a matte frosted surface is formed. This not only endows the gold with a unique texture but also creates a silky, fine and soft frosted matte effect. However, it is difficult to process, costly and hard to clean.
Shaping technique
Stamping process: It is a manufacturing technique for relief patterns, also known as die stamping or embossing. It involves applying pressure to the surface of gold jewelry using molds and stamping equipment to cause deformation and thereby obtain relief patterns. Most of the lock-wrapped shaped jewelry on the market is made by this process, but it is costly, has low hardness, is prone to deformation and difficult to repair.
Engraving technique: By using diamond knives with different patterned edges to rotate at high speed on the surface, various engraving patterns are cut out. This can add vivid and beautiful designs to gold jewelry, making it more layered and three-dimensional. However, if it needs to be refurbished, high polishing is not allowed as it will affect the original appearance of the patterns.
Polishing process: It is a crucial step in the production of gold jewelry. By using polishing tools or other polishing media to modify the surface of gold, it becomes smooth and bright, giving the gold surface a mirror-like effect and fully showcasing its lustrous metallic luster, making the jewelry look more dazzling. However, it is prone to scratches, difficult to maintain, and not suitable for outdoor or sports wear.