Techniques and processes we will use in the workshop with Lidia

Lost-wax casting is an ancient jewelry technique in which a wax prototype is replaced with a metal using a mold and counter-mold process. In our case, the metal will be 925 sterling silver, with the option of 18-karat gold plating.

We will work primarily with the dripping technique, but we will also use the addition or plastic manipulation of the wax with spatulas to model and create our prototype. This will depend on the needs of the piece you have chosen and what you want to make. We will advise you so you can achieve the result you want, creating a ring with your own hands.

Wax casting is a technique that can be both intuitive and very creative, so you can also play with it, achieving truly surprising results. This is the technique we chose because it is very spontaneous and rewarding, and even if you have no experience, you always achieve amazing results. It’s a way to create your own designs with organic finishes, textures, shapes, and volumes.

In our workshop, we’ll obtain a unique and original piece called a “master,” which we’ll take to the foundry, where a shaft (a wax structure for casting) will be created. This is where all our prepared prototypes will be added with a sprue (wax stick), an extension that will help bind all the waxes to the shaft and guide the metal toward our pieces during casting (metal injection).

The casting step takes place in a trusted local workshop, where they prepare the waxes, create the shaft, and the investment (a mixture of plaster and silica) through the steel cylinders where the finished tree is placed. These cylinders are filled with the investment, and once dry and in the furnace, the wax melts, leaving the void of our pieces in the investment, creating a mold.

Finally, our metal alloy is melted in a crucible (a high-temperature ceramic container), from which the metal is poured through the mouth of the cylinder, filling all the cavities that were previously wax. In this way, we ensure that the tree, which was originally made of wax, ends up being made of silver.

Although we outsource the casting process, your ring will be a unique piece and handmade from start to finish. The final step, which I will perform in my workshop, will be to collect the pieces from the tree, file the sprues, and refinish and polish the silver. Your ring will be ready in five weeks for you to enjoy. All that’s left is to prepare your package for shipping or for you to pick it up.

The price includes silver plating of your ring. If you would like to have your ring gold-plated, there is an additional cost of €20.