Monday 27 July 2015

3D Modeling in Jewelry Industry

3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any  three-dimensional surface of an object via specialized software. The product is called a 3D model. It can be displayed as image through a process called rendering. The model can also be physically created using 3D printing devices.

Models
3D models represent a 3D object using various geometric entities such as curves, triangles, lines, curved surfaces, etc.Today, 3D models are used in a wide variety of fields especially in jewelry industry. 3D models can also be the basis for physical devices that are built with 3D printers or CNC machines.

Representation
Almost all 3D models can be divided into two categories. But here in jewelry industry we use solid models.
Solid - These models define the volume of the object they represent (like a rock). These are more realistic, but more difficult to build.
Shell/boundary - these models represent the surface, e.g. the boundary of the object, not its volume.

Modeling Process
1. Developing 3D Model- In this we willl develop the jewelry using different viewport available in the software.

Top View                                                                   Perspective View

Front View                                                                 Right View
                                                                                                                                            
2. Rendering- By using different material we can render the model to give photorealistic effect.



Rendered Image









3D Printing
3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is created by laying down successive layers of material.

In recent years, there has been an upsurge in the number of companies offering personalized 3D printed models of objects that have been scanned, rendered in three dimensions in computer software, and then printed to the customer's requirements.

Uses
3D modeling is used in various industries like Jewelry design where products are 3D modeled before representing them to the clients. It also used in industries like films, animation and gaming, interior designing ,architecture and are also used in the medical industry for the interactive representations of anatomy.

To learn more about online jewellery designing courses Bangalore visit Solitaire Diamond Institute Bangalore.


Article by
Krupa J.S.
CAD Designer,SDI

Friday 17 July 2015

Ivory

A hard creamy-white substance composing the main part of the tusks of an elephant, used to make ornaments and other articles. Ivory has been a staple material for art and jewelry-making in India since, and possibly before the Vedic times.

Ivory Jewellery
Jewelry that is made from the tusk of an elephant is called ivory jewelry. Importance of ivory jewelry can be guessed from the fact that in Gujarat, the bride receives an ivory bangle from her family just before marriage as jewellery. During marriage ceremony wearing of ivory bangles is must for bride in some regions of the country.
           Ivory, being soft, can be shaped into desired designs and patterns. Ivory jewelry is not only popular in India, but also in the entire world.

Ivory-Necklace-Triple-Strand


Thousands of elephants die each year so that their tusks can be carved into religious objects. Can the slaughter be stopped?

Endangered Asian Elephants
Asian elephants are even more endangered than African elephants — but the threat isn't poaching so much as human encroachment. The Asian species is smaller than the African and none of the females and only some of the males have tusks. Asian elephants taken from the wild are not killed, but domesticated for zoos, safari tourism, or timber hauling. There are only about 30,000 remaining wild Asian elephants, while 15,000 live in captivity.

Substitutes for Ivory

Vegetable Ivory
Vegetable or tagua nut is a product made from the very hard white endosperm of the seeds of certain palm trees. Vegetable ivory is named for its resemblance to elephant ivory.

Vegetable Ivory


Tagua nuts grow on palm trees in the tropical rain forests of South America. After the seedpods ripen and fall to the ground, harvesters dry them. The seeds are separated from their shells, cut into different shapes, and then polished and dyed. In addition to being a humane ivory alternative, tagua products provide a sustainable income for indigenous people without harming trees.

Magnesite
The most common form of Magnesite is white, microcrystalline, porous masses that are dull in luster, and have the appearance of unglazed porcelain. So can be used for making jewellery.

Magnesite


Boars Tusk
One good substitute for Ivory is Boars tusk. Some of the large Boars grow very large tusks which can be carved and polished. Same way Pigs tusk is also used.

Boar Tusk

Think you have a genuine IVORY? Here are some simple tips to help you identify true ivory versus bone and plastic:

Get or use a jeweler’s loop (or a good magnifying lens) and study the item carefully. You will be looking for little streaks or pores known as "Haversian System" which, if the signs are all there, indicates that it is bone, not ivory.
Bone and Ivory weigh more than a synthetic material such as celluloid which is oftentimes confused as ivory. "Knock" on the item and listen carefully... bone and ivory will sound less hollow than plastic or celluloid. Plastic has a different sound when it's tapped versus bone and ivory.
True ivory will yellow naturally with age. The darker the color, the older the ivory is. However, be careful when looking to buy an item that's been identified as "antique ivory" as there are people out there who will try to take ivory and darken it using tea or other means to make it appear older than what it really is. There is an easy way to tell if it's been artificially aged: Take some saliva on your fingertip and rub the ivory. If color comes off on your finger or the area you cleaned is lighter than the rest of the item then it's been colored to fake its age. This will only work with saliva.
Another surefire way to tell between bone and plastic versus ivory is to take a needle and burn it with a lighter until its red hot. Then take the needle and touch the ivory in a non-conspicuous spot. True ivory cannot be burned but if its bone or plastic a burn mark will be left.

To learn more about online jewellery designing courses Bangalore visit Solitaire Diamond Institute Bangalore.


Article by
Krupa J.S
CAD Instructor, SDI

Monday 13 July 2015

Spiritual Inspired Jewellery


Spirituality is a way of life in almost all cultures as well as civilizations. Without our conscious efforts it has seeped into our lives. So is it surprising to find that spiritual influences is found in jewellery as well? Gold is popular amongst Religo-spiritual Jewellery makers due to its purity and availability in nature in its purest form. And it does not react with any chemical or doesn’t tarnish.

As early as ancient Greek civilization, where it is believed their god Apollo is represented as wearing a laurel wreath on his head inspired their rulers to make crowns in gold in similar design. It continues to this day by placing laurel wreath on the heads of Olympic champions.


 

carved black opal set in sterling sliver
In Chinese belief, dragons occupy an important place. They are divine creatures with benevolent nature although fierce in appearance. Chinese believe that Dragons lived alongside humans and provided guidance. And their first dynasty had dragon blood in them. Dragon influence is in abidance in their jewellery.
                                                                            
Ancient Egyptians loved jewellery and have created some of the extraordinary pieces. They especially believed that protective amulets not only protected the living and infused power into them but were considered an armor of the deadas they protected them in the afterlife. The amulets were designed in the images of gods and animals considered as important. Specially The eye of Horus and Ankh key were and still are popular. The more popular scarab beetles are associated with the sun god Atum. 
   
In India, spiritual influence is so rich that it has its own branch of jewellery style called Temple jewellery. Apart from that as India is a land of diversity, we can find almost all the important religious influenced jewellery from Jainism, to Buddhism. From Christian to Muslim. From Parsis to Sikhs. And each has influenced and inspired designers in their own way. More popular among them are Yantras. Yantras are usually worn for protection from evil sprits. Generally south Indian women have various jewellery as part of daily life, which some of  the psychics believe that it helps our soul.

To learn more about online jewellery designing courses Bangalore visit Solitaire Diamond Institute Bangalore.



Article Compiled By: 
Jyotsna Murthy
JD Student, SDI

Saturday 4 July 2015

World’s Largest Diamond - The Cullinan


The Rough Diamond
The Cullinan diamond is the largest non-carbonado and largest gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3106.75 carat rough weight. About 10.5 cm long in its largest dimension, it was found on 26 January 1905, in the Premier No. 2 mine, near Pretoria, South Africa.

Publicity photo of the Cullinan crystal being handed from Fred Wells (right)
to McHardy, who then hands it to Sir Thomas Cullinan (left).

Late one afternoon in 1905, Mr. Frederick Wells, the superintendent of the prolific Premier Mine in South Africa, was making a routine inspection trip through the mine when his attention was attracted by something reflecting the last slanting rays of the setting sun. Curious, he stopped for a closer look. He was eighteen feet below the surface of the earth, and the shiny object was on the steep wall of the mine a few feet above him. Mr. Wells quickly scaled the wall and extracted from the blueground what appeared to be a large diamond crystal. At first, he thought he was being fooled by a large piece of glass, but tests proved it to be the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. It weighed 3106 carats, or about 1⅓ pounds. It was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, who opened the mine and was visiting on that eventful day.

The Cullinan was sold to the Transvaal government, which presented it to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday on November 9th, 1907. It was insured for $1,250,000 when it was sent to England. The King entrusted the cutting of the stone to the famous Asscher's Diamond Co. in Amsterdam, which had cut the Excelsior and other large gems. The huge diamond was studied for months. On February 10th, 1908, Mr. Asscher placed the steel cleaver's blade in a previously prepared V-shaped groove and tapped it once with a heavy steel rod. The blade broke, but the diamond remained intact! The second time, it fell apart exactly as planned, and an employee at the factory reported that Mr. Asscher had fainted. A second cleavage in the same direction produced three principal sections; these in turn would produce nine major gems, 96 smaller brilliants, and 9.50 carats of unpolished pieces. The nine larger stones remain either in the British Crown Jewels or in the personal possession of the Royal Family.

These historically celebrated gems and their present mountings are as follows: The Cullinan I, also known as the Star of Africa, weighs 530.20 carats. King Edward placed it in the Sovereign's Royal Sceptre as part of the Crown Jewels, and it is now on display in the tower of London.


The nine largest pieces of the Cullinan Diamond. The largest piece would of course be cut into the Cullinan I (530.20 carats) and the the next largest into the Cullinan II (317.40 carats), and so on. This photo was probably taken in 1908, the year after the Cullinan rough was presented to King Edward VII for his 66th birthday.
The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at 530.4 carats is the largest polished white diamond in the world. And it is Mounted in Royal Scepter
 
             
The Cullinan II is the second-largest gem from the Cullinan stone and called Second Star of Africa, weighing 317.40 carat cushion cut stone mounted in the band of the Imperial State Crown. Both gems are in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.



The Cullinan III is a pear-shaped diamond weighing 94.40 carats, and is in the finial of Queen Mary's Crown and can be worn with the IV as a pendant-brooch. Many of Queen Mary's portraits show her wearing these two stones, and Elizabeth II makes use of them the same way.

The Cullinan IV, a 63.60-carat cushion shape, was originally set in the band of Queen Mary's crown, but can also be worn as jewelry, as described above.


The Cullinan VI (lower, 8.80 carats) and Cullinan VIII (upper, 6.80 carats).

To learn more about diamond designing courses visit Solitaire Diamond Institute Bangalore.

Article by
Krupa J S
CAD Designer
SDI