Assaya Jewelry: The Art of Craftsmanship

Today, I’d like to share with you the process behind creating my jewelry. I believe it’s much more enjoyable to buy a piece when you know where it comes from and how it was made. Especially since I have the privilege of working with a workshop whose artisans possess true expertise and skill.

The first step in creating my jewelry is the design.
Every piece begins its story in the same way: in my mind! I sketch each design, often making several drafts of the same piece until I find the version I love most. Once I'm satisfied with the drawing, I add precise measurements and send it to my workshop, where they create a steel model. After final approval, they produce a prototype, and we move on to the next stage.

The second step is the wax process, known as the casting process.
Using the final prototype, a silicone mold is created. This mold is then filled with wax, resulting in a wax version of the jewelry! We repeat this process for as many pieces as needed. Each wax model is then attached to a tree, allowing multiple pieces to be cast at once.

This wax tree is then placed in a cylinder filled with plaster, which takes about an hour to dry. Once it’s ready, the plaster cylinder is placed in a furnace. The heat melts the wax, and once it has fully melted, liquid silver is injected into the mold, taking the place of the wax. After the plaster mold is removed from the furnace and has cooled down, it is broken open, revealing all the jewelry pieces inside!

Each piece is then carefully cleaned and polished. Once perfectly smooth and clean, the gold plating begins. Each piece is placed in an electrolytic bath, where a thin layer of gold is evenly deposited onto the surface of the jewelry.

And there you have it—you now know the entire process! Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments and take a look around the shop.

See you soon,
Juliette