You may hear me talk about how my work is hand-fabricated, handmade, artisan, or handcrafted. I’ll sometimes throw in the most overused—and possibly misunderstood—word in the industry: “bespoke,” for good measure.
I have always handmade my work, from start to finish, from the design sketch to the final item.
For me, the making or journey is just as important as the final product. It creates a connection and grounding to the end result, not to mention greater control over the quality.
Personally, I feel the jewellery industry needs to be more transparent in its processes so that you, the customer, are aware of what you’re purchasing.
I often see large jewellery companies on social media claiming to sell “handcrafted jewellery,” when in reality, it’s only hand-assembled. More often than not, it’s entirely designed and manufactured on a computer, assembled on a production line, or sent overseas for cheap labour and final construction.
In truth, their jewellery isn’t even made in Australia or New Zealand but only ‘designed’ there. (Trust me, I know many well-known designers and jewellery labels that have everything churned out in Bali. They try to keep it under wraps, but it’s often hidden in the small print on their websites.)
To me, that is sly and dishonest. If a couple is buying handmade wedding rings, they should truly be handmade.
Yes, occasionally we will outsource a local setter to set gems into our pieces if the stones have challenging cuts and are slightly beyond our skill set. This is because I want to provide you, the customer, with the best product I possibly can!
But apart from using a highly experienced diamond setter, everything is created in-house using traditional techniques, mixed with lost-wax casting.
I use casting in my work because it enables me to build solid, organic, feminine pieces that have a warm, flowing quality. I craft each piece individually in wax and then cast it just once, so every piece is a “one-off.”
Dean (my hubby) and I then hand-finish each piece, filing and polishing it to perfection. If it’s a ring, we make the inside as buttery smooth as humanly possible!
Dean carefully drills the gem placement using various burrs, setting each stone methodically and with precision under a microscope.
He then checks everything to ensure it’s secure and finishes each stone using a graver (a very sharp pointed tool).
So, what is CAD?
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) is a process where you design a jewellery item on a computer, and the file is sent to a 3D wax printer. The machine prints layers of wax until it creates the whole piece.
The CAD wax is then placed in investment plaster to create a mould of the jewellery—let’s say, a ring. Once the plaster sets, the wax is burned out, and a machine heats the mould and pours in the melted gold or platinum. This forms the piece exactly as it was on the computer.
This is known as CAD casting or mass-production jewellery.
It allows companies to produce large volumes of work, creating identical pieces or slightly modified ones, like using a different coloured gem or metal.
The jeweller’s only job is to clean the casted jewellery and set the diamonds or other gems.
Here’s a list of signs that a ring may not truly be handmade:
- Mass-produced designs – If you see many rings of the same design with only slight variations, like different metal types or stone colours, it’s likely the ring was mass-produced or made using CAD. Handmade rings typically have unique, one-of-a-kind features that set them apart from one another.
- Identical settings – If the prong or bezel settings are identical in every ring, even with different stones, it’s a sign the ring was machine-made or hand-assembled, rather than crafted by hand.
- Perfect symmetry and precision – While symmetry is a hallmark of fine jewellery, overly perfect symmetry with no visible signs of the maker’s touch can indicate that the piece was created using machines or software, rather than by a human hand with traditional tools.
- Lack of customisation options – Handmade jewellery usually offers more flexibility in customization. If the jeweller only allows limited changes like stone swaps or metal choices, it’s likely the piece is pre-designed and machine-made, rather than bespoke or handmade.
- Uniform weight and feel – Machine-made rings are often created with cost-saving in mind, so they may feel lighter or thinner than truly handcrafted rings, which tend to be more substantial in weight.
- Fast production times – Handcrafting takes time, and any jeweller promising quick turnaround times for complex designs may not be making the pieces by hand.
- No visible imperfections – Handmade jewellery often has slight variations or tiny imperfections that add to its charm and individuality. Machine-made pieces are flawless to the point of being almost sterile.
- No direct communication with the maker – In most cases, if you’re unable to speak directly with the jeweller or maker about your design or vision, it’s a sign the piece is part of a larger, mass-production process rather than truly custom or handmade.
These are key details that differentiate authentic handmade jewellery from mass-produced or CAD-manufactured pieces.
So why choose handmade over CAD?
Apart from the cookie-cutter look of CAD jewellery, it often comes with deeper issues like pitting in the casting due to poor quality control, settings that are too thin to properly hold stones, and ring bands that use so little metal they buckle and break with everyday wear.
By choosing locally handmade jewellery from an artisan jeweller, you’re guaranteed something unique. Even if a design is replicated, it will never be the same due to our methods.
It will be made with methodical care, time, and love.
It will hold its value and become a cherished future heirloom.
I’ve never used CAD and never will. My work is truly unique and handmade—imperfectly perfect, solid, durable, and always crafted with the utmost care and skill.
This is Australian Handmade Jewellery constructed to last a lifetime, not just a season.
“While creating jewellery, there is a very intimate relationship with my work. I know every curve and line was put there with intention. As a maker, your energy goes into the piece.” — Debra Fallowfield
