CUSTOM DESIGN : Since 1977 David's Ltd. has developed a reputation in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Southeast for unique and distinctive jewelry. If a client does not find exactly what he or she is looking for within the exclusive jewelry collections on display, or if a client wishes to redesign that out-dated or worn-out piece of jewelry into something new and exciting, the professional staff at David's Ltd. will help them design that special one-of-a-kind piece. Very often, engaged couples bring in an engagement ring that does not lend itself to be worn with most traditionally styled wedding bands. The design staff at David's Ltd. is able to help fulfill their dreams by designing a wedding band that perfectly fits with the engagement ring to complete their wedding set look.

THE PROCESS : The diamond wedding band shown here measures 12mm in width and is crafted in platinum. It contains 26 Princess-cut diamonds combining to weigh 6.74 carats and 26 straight, baguette-cut diamonds combining to weigh 1.97 carats (total diamond weight 8.71 carats). The design of a ring such as this begins with developing an idea or a concept, followed by a series of sketches, as illustrated by the CONCEPT DRAWING shown below. Once the basic design is achieved and approved by the client, Master Jeweler Surryah Cam carves the design in wax that will eventually become the finished ring, as shown in FORMS 1, 2 and 3. The Master Jeweler will often times place the gemstones into the wax model, as shown in FORMS 4 and 5, to insure proper spacing and fit. Once the details are completed in the wax model, and with final approval from the client, the completed wax form is attached to a wax rod, called the sprue, and suspended in a steel cylinder, where an investment material similar to plaster is poured. The cylinder is placed in an oven to bake and harden for approximately 10 hours, and as the wax melts out from within through the hollow tube formed by the sprue, a negative form of the original wax model remains in the center of the harden investment material.

Once cooled, the hardened material is placed in a vacuum casting machine if the desired piece is to be crafted in white gold, yellow gold or sterling silver. If the finished piece is to be made in platinum a centrifuge is used to spin the molten metal into the sprue opening by centrifugal force. Once the precious metal is injected, the investment material cylinder is placed in water where it dissolves, and the form that had once been crafted in wax reappears in the precious metal of choice.

Concept Drawing Form 1 Form 2 Form 3 Form 4 Form 5

The process described herein is known as the "Lost Wax Process" and the semi-finished piece is referred to as the "Casting". After cutting off the sprue, which now extends from the casting as a metal rod, the rough casting is placed in a tumbler where thousands of tiny tungsten carbide beads performs the first stage of polishing, inside and out, where a polishing wheel cannot reach. Any handcrafting applications, such as the beadwork edges of this ring, and a second polishing are performed prior to setting any gemstones into the new ring. Each of the triple rows of beadwork on this ring were crafted and applied by hand. Once the gemstones have been securely set, the ring is ready for the final polish, ultrasonic cleaning, steam cleaning, and a recheck of the security of the gemstones.

A second method of custom making a piece of jewelry is the "Fabrication" process. This is when the Master Jeweler recreates the new design entirely by hand, using finished precious metals in the form of wire, bars, sheets, and findings. This type of custom design work is used when the casting process is not practical or specific details are desired that cannot be properly reproduced in wax.