Jewelry design

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Rendering of a jewelry design before going to the jeweler's bench

Jewelry design is the art or profession of creating, crafting, fabricating, or rendering designs for jewelry. This is an ancient practice of the goldsmith or metalworker that evolved to a billion-dollar industry with the odyssey from ancient cultures into the machine age. Jewelry design falls under the category of what is commonly known as "functional art", being art that can be worn or used.

Before an article of jewelry is created, it is typically rendered by a jewelry designer, a professional who is trained in the architectural and functional knowledge of not only metallurgy but also design elements such as composition and wearability.1.

Once the article is rendered, the design is then constructed using the necessary materials for proper adaptation to the function of the object. For example, 24K Gold was used in ancient jewelry design because it was more accessible than silver as source material. Before the 1st century many civilizations also incorporated beads into jewelry. Once the discovery of gemstones and gem cutting became more readily available, 2. the art of jewelry ornamentation and design shifted. The earliest documented gemstone cut was done by Theophilus Presbyter (c.1070 - 1125). who practiced and developed many applied arts and was a known goldsmith. Later, during the 14th Century, medieval lapidary technology evolved to include cabochons and cameos.

Early Jewelry design commissions were often constituted by nobility or the church to honor an event or as wearable ornamentation. Within the structure of early methods, enameling and repoussé became standard methods for creating ornamental wares to demonstrate wealth, position, or power. These early techniques created a specific complex design element that later would forge the baroque movement in jewelry design.