Child Custom Jewelry.
whoever it was reminded me that I have quite a few cut gems from
Brazil (lived there as a child) which are all non-standard sizes and
shapes (so the jewelers tell me). The evil demon-spawned jewelers also
tell me that to have one of these gems mounted in even the very simplest
setting will cost at least $100 ( i.e. plenty more than the stupid rock
is worth in the first place), which is why I still own useless gems
instead of fine jewelry.
Can I learn to mount these myself? Is this an equipment-expensive hobby?
(i.e. expensive, i.e. more than the stupid rocks are worth) Can anyone
recommend any good books? Maybe I could practice with gravel from my
driveway.
There are many jewelry settings made in standard sizes, shapes, and
metals. If your stones are non-standard sizes, the cost of materials and
labor to make settings for them is certainly likely to exceed $100.
(I hate to burst any bubbles, but $100 these days is not much money for
a custom-made product. Those "evil demon-spawned jewelers" are just
trying to stay in business and feed their families, and many people don't
realize what goes into making a piece of custom jewelry.)
That depends on your learning ability, manual dexterity, and desire to
learn. Jewelry making can be very simple and easy or very complex and
difficult, depending on the particular processes you use.
The tools required depend on the processes you plan to use. Some folks
make jewelry out of wire (sterling silver, gold, gold-filled, etc.) with
a couple of pairs of pliers and a wirecutter (total outlay for tools
perhaps as low as $15). A couple hundred dollars will buy the basic tools
needed for fabricating jewelry out of sheet and wire. A well-stocked
bench for lost-wax casting may cost several thousand.