Design & Casting

Program #3: Design & Casting is a focused 3‑day workshop that takes you from idea to cast‑ready wax model using traditional, fully hand‑crafted methods. This course is ideal if you want to design your own pieces or add custom work to an existing jewelry business without relying on computers.

We begin with the fundamentals of wax model making. You will learn how to choose appropriate waxes, rough out forms, and then carve in details with files, gravers, and hand tools. We show you how to think in three dimensions so your designs are not only attractive on paper, but also structurally sound in metal.

From there, we connect design with practicality. You will refine shanks, heads, and galleries for rings, pendants, and other pieces, always considering metal flow, thickness, and wear points. Working at the bench beside us, you will experience the feel of tools cutting cleanly, the sound of proper scraping, and the visual cues that tell you a form is balanced.

A key portion of the class is casting preparation. We cover the essentials of preparing wax models and molds for a successful casting run: proper sprue placement, building trees, allowing for metal flow and shrinkage, and cleaning the wax so it burns out cleanly. Even if you plan to send your models to an outside caster, this knowledge helps you avoid costly surprises.

All supplies are included, and our small group format allows for direct feedback on each stage of your work. By the end of three days, you will have walked through the complete hand‑design and casting‑prep process several times, giving you the confidence to return home to your own bench-whether that is in Jupiter, Florida, USA or beyond-and start creating original pieces rather than only assembling prefabricated parts.