Captivating Jewellery by our Goldsmiths in Cape Town

Beautiful jewel, how art thou made?

Have you ever wondered how we are able to produce captivating jewellery from fine metal dust particles? These materials are so hard, that only through fire, heat and pressure can we enjoy their beauty and experience the incredible emotions that diamonds or gold ignite in us.

Jewellery-making involves time, patience and, above all, expertise. Acquiring this knowledge is an arduous journey. It can take as many as 10 years to become an accomplished goldsmith and many more if you would like to carry the title of Master Goldsmith.

Goldsmiths intrinsically understand their materials and tools. They are skilled in forming metal through filing, soldering, forging and casting and, finally, polishing. Intense focus and precision during every step of the process is critical to achieving that item of beauty that you love and cherish.

One tiny judgment error in temperature, one slip of a tool, or an action executed in haste will send a goldsmith into the depths of failure. There is no such thing as a quick fix, Polyfilla or Prestik when a piece of jewellery fails its quality test at any point during the process. There is no second chance; the goldsmith has no alternative but to start the process right from the very beginning.

There are often time constraints to complete a jewel. To undertake remakes would push the goldsmith’s ability to hold his nerve when a piece of jewellery needs to be finished by a certain date: for a wedding, birthday or even if the client has a plane to catch.

Scarab Jewellery Studio in Cape Town bustles with women and men who all appreciate and value what it takes to be a fine craftsperson. In our world of jewellery-making, we have all at some stage been tempered and often humbled by the wonderful art of creating a beautiful jewel.

Here’s a video showing one of our goldmiths, Rugshana Solomans, at work in our Cape Town studio. She’s crafting a bespoke Engagement Ring in 18 carat gold with a Solitaire Diamond. (You can see more engagement rings on our online stores: South Africa Store and International Store)