Basque Jewellery Shows The Process of Money Works
We love using silver jewelry, but have you ever wondered how the mineral is transformed into a piece of art? In Peru, a mining country by definition, work silver from about 2,000 years ago. The jewelry was an important place in the activities of ancient Peru and so far not let it be so.
Basque Jewellery opened its doors to Mujeractiva.com to show what processes to convert a metal in an elegant jewel. The Basque company, founded in Peru since 1953-although technically worked since 1947 thanks to Luis Varese Italian and Scotto-Gugliermo, became known for its replicas of pre-Columbian art in gold and silver.
Adapting to the times, but always keeping the quality as the center of his philosophy, Giampiero Scotto, general manager of the Basque jewelry, tells us:
“Always work with the purest supplies. Sterling silver or 925, it means that the law in a kilo of metal is measured at 925 grams and 75 grams thin metal alloy, which in our case is electrolytic copper. With this money in good working hard and exceptionally bright three production lines with quality designs. Maintain the pre-Columbian replicas, we apply some cultures as symbols of the Moche, Chimu, Lambayeque, Paracas and Nazca, and elaborate modern jewelry with precious and semiprecious stones. “
How is a piece of silver jewelry?
Giampiero Scotto explained it step by step. After acquiring the raw material which the refiner and buying the electrolytic copper alloy is made by weighing the metal and going through any of the following procedures.
In the latest place the mixture in the so-called “coffee” or electric furnace to reach melting point and poured into the mold. For the manual process requires a refractory ceramic crucible and a gas torch to take fire until the molten metal. You can see the fade to the traditional way.
It is known that silver is at the point where it looks like a moving mirror or a portion of mercury. The metal in its liquid form is transferred to the preheated mold to prevent the big change in temperature causes an accident, and almost instantly harden. In this piece of silver should be able to remove certain impurities to model it.
Once the design of what will be the jewel is approved, proceeds to work the metal. This can be done in two ways:
1. The first is called printing and is based on a design done by computer at low and high relief. Both sides, male and female calls in the language of the jewelers, they have to fit perfectly for a good piece.
2. The other metal working process is the lost wax casting or that part of the basis of a master or single model for making molds. The rubber molds made in the shape of the original that you want to copy. To do this you must pass through the syringe, wax play the number of parts required.
With wax copies made in building a kind of small tree with a rubber base. Then, this tree is covered with wax in a cylinder cast. Through the course injected silver trunk to each branch and finally get a tree with pieces of metal. Look at the image how did tumis silver.
Once the objects are worked, passed table to give the finishing touches. Often combine art crafted with current techniques, always taking care that everything is in perfect condition.
Several craftsmen worth of gasoline, air and bellows to hold the whitening process of the product. Each time you finish a jewel must go through fire and sulfuric acid, if silver or muriatic acid, if it is gold. This is to get the dirt and move on to polishing.
To polish and burnish the pieces there are two processes:
- For models that are not so sensitive, it can be polished using the system of drumming, or putting the jewel to turn for six hours in a centrifuge with Bill and a special liquid.
- For the weakest parts are passed by a brush. First have an abrasive polishing with a strong, jewelry undergo an ultrasound and then were passed by the polishing machine.
After all this we see the final product on the shelves. Having known all the stages through which passes a gem of a Basque, I can attest that their products actually bear the stamp of quality that characterizes them.
Visit the main store Larcomar Basque (next to the hall of the Museo de Oro Shopping Center) and the Museo de Oro del Peru.