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Working with Gold & Silver
Ever want to try your hand at working with gold or adding gold to your silver jewelry? Afraid of getting started? This weekly workshop is a perfect introduction for anyone who wants to step-up their bench working skills and expand their metal palette, all while conquering the fear of gold! Students will come to understand the varying karats of gold and gold solders, as well as how to add gold to numerous types of jewelry projects.
To start, student will receive a thorough overview on the different karats of each gold alloy - 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, and 24kt. The class will focus on working mostly in 14kt yellow gold which is standard in the US. Joy will demonstrate soldering gold to silver, how gold solder behaves in comparison to silver solder, how to solder gold bezels, and set stones in gold.
Joy will also show how to recycle old gold jewelry (such as broken gold chains, old gold jewelry, or scraps) by melting items down to make gold ingots that can be used to produce gold wire, gold bezel, or gold beads for accenting silver, creating extra gold additions such as little balls, etc.
Meet the instructor
Joy Raskin has been a silversmith since 1984 and has exhibits throughout the United States, Ireland and New Zealand, showcasing both her jewelry and flatware designs. Joy is a native of New Hampshire, having attended public schools in Manchester and Concord and was accepted as a member of the League of NH Craftsmen while still in high school. She received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Joy is an instructor at Metalwerx in Waltham, MA, The Craft Center in NH, Sharon Art Center, and many other schools.
Joy has received many awards for her work. She was commissioned by the NH State Council on the Arts to create the Cultural Access Award for the Governor’s Awards in the Arts in 2001. Her work is included in many collections, including the White House and Smithsonian Institution. Joy's work is found in multiple galleries throughout New England, including the League of NH Craftsmen Galleries, Boston Society of Arts & Crafts, Guilford Art Center, Millbrook Gallery, and others.
Materials & Tools
There is a $195 materials fee for this class that is payable upon registration. The materials kit includes 18k yellow gold bi-metal, 14k yellow gold round wire, 14k yellow gold bezel strip, 14k yellow gold-fill round wire, 14k yellow gold solder (hard, medium, and soft), 14k rose gold round wire, 14k yellow gold "sparkle" wire. Joy will have some limited quantities of gold materials for students to purchase as needed for their projects during class as well.
Students will be responsible for their own silver. Bring wire and sheet of any size you want to work with.
- Students must bring some silver sheet metal and wire you'd like to work with, and some projects that they want to add gold to.
- Sketch book and pen/pencil for taking notes.
- Saw blades
- Optional - any old gold jewelry ( broken gold chains, earrings, old rings, etc) to melt down and use to make gold wire, bezel strip or gold beads.
- Students are encouraged to bring in jewelry or existing projects that they would like to add gold to (i.e. adding a gold bezel onto a silver ring).
Note: The Metalwerx studio has many hand tools available for use during class but if you have your own, you can bring them along so you don't have to share.
- pliers: round nose, needle nose, half round/flat, flat jaw, and flush cutting pliers.
- 220, 320 and 400 grit sanding sticks
- files, including a coarse file with handle for cleaning up tapers
- jeweler's saw