Sand-casting
Sand Casting in My Jeweller’s Workshop
Sand casting is one of the oldest ways of forming metal, and despite all the modern tools available to jewellers today, it still has a place at my bench. Not because it’s fast or precise — but because it’s honest, adaptable, and practical.
With precious metal prices continuing to rise, sand casting offers a meaningful way for clients to repurpose their existing gold or broken jewellery into something new. Rather than starting from scratch, old rings, chains, or inherited pieces can be melted down and reformed, carrying both material and memory forward.
The process itself is simple. A model is pressed into casting sand, molten metal is poured directly into the mould, and once cooled, the sand is broken away to reveal the casting. Each mould is used once. Each pour is final. No two pieces are ever identical. p.s most times I have to do several pours before the final piece.
What I value most about sand casting is the character it leaves behind. Surfaces are softly textured, pieces feel solid in the hand, and the metal looks worked rather than manufactured. It’s particularly suited to bold rings, organic forms, and one-off designs.
I work with modern manufacturing and CAD as well, but sand casting allows jewellery to be made thoughtfully, efficiently, and with intention — especially when transforming existing materials into something wearable again.