Another jeweler and I manufacture a similar piece of jewelry. He uses
die striking to manufacture his piece and I use casting. He
advertises that his piece is superior by saying mine is “inferior”
because it is casted. My question: Is this true? Are casted jewelry
items inferior to struck ones or is this just an opinion of his.
An you could provide me is appreciated.
Mahalo and aloha,
John Brown,
John,
Both processes have their benefits and drawbacks. One is not better
than the other unless you are comparing a particular application.
Die stamping allows you to make a very thin and work hardened design
which works well for some light weight earrings and pendants.
Casting allows you to create a more detailed and heavier piece.
If your competitors comments are effecting your business and you are
both making the same type item, why don’t you buy one of his
products and compare the two.
If in fact your item is better made, use his as a comparison to show
your clients the difference.
Good Luck
Greg DeMark
email: greg@demarkjewelry.com
Website: www.demarkjewelry.com
Custom Jewelry - Handmade Jewelry - Antique Jewelry
I am afraid that he is right in so far as the mechanical and
metallurgical properties of a die struck piece are superior to a
cast piece. Now whether that is an issue with the use and lifetime
of the items your are selling is a good question but he is right.
However the advantage to casting is how easy it is for you to modify
an existing item and create new items. All you have to do is make a
new master and a rubber mold, he however must have a new die made
which is very expensive and time consuming. This is why at least 90
percent of the jewelry sold is cast rather than die struck.
Jim Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
@James_Binnion
Member of the Better Business Bureau
I have a friend and colleague who a long time ago told me that he
believed forged and struck objects to be more structurally sound than
cast objects.
If, he said, you put two identical objects-- say a forged and
fabricated wedding band and it’s cast duplicate – in a solution of
dye over night, the cast object would emerge with some tint to it.
The forged ring would not. His point was that even the best casting
produces a porous product while forging, striking, etc. works the
metal into a denser material with a more refined grain structure.
Most ingotted metals begin as cast objects: it is the working that
strengthens them (unless taken too far).
Remember that drop forged wrenches, hammers, etc. are considered
superior to their cast counterparts.
That being said, certain items need to be cast due to their form,
neccessities of production, etc. It really depends on what the
object will be used for that dictates suitabilities of manufacture.
A mid century die struck white gold wedding ring-- the "Everwed"
variety-- might be made of metal that is in the end tougher. But a
similar version of the ring, cast in the same metal but heavier in
shank cross section, etc. will last a lot longer due to its larger
mass.
Take care,
Andy
Which one is better depends on what kind of a piece of jewelry it
is. The die struck process compacts the molecules of the metal
making it more durable and more uniform. But there is a lot of more
complex items that should be cast as it would be too difficult to
make a die for them. The best example that I can think of is a
signet ring. It is a simple item to make a die for and produces a
much better ring, particularly for engraving. I can tell the
difference the instant I put a graver to it. Engraving on a cast
ring is like cutting swiss cheese, it is full of tiny holes. The
cuts are choppy and wavy. Die struck is like cutting butter { you
need to say this to yourself with a New Jersey accent " like butta "
}
John Wade
Wade Designs
wadedesigns@aol.com
John, As we do both a fair amount of cast and die struck jewelry
here (as well as parts that are cast then struck), for us the
decision to cast a piece or strike it comes down to which process is
more economical and yields the best result. Some pieces can only be
cast due to their intricate design. Others should be struck because
the design is simple and lends itself to high volume production. One
method is not better than the other method. If you have a design
that can be done either way, both methods should yield good results
if done right. Yes, castings can have porosity, inclusions and so
forth, but so can a die struck piece since the wrought material is
originally cast also. I’ve seen plenty of porosity, pits and fire
scale in stamped material because the starting material was poor.
The only difference is that a casting will be softer than a struck
piece since the struck piece is cold worked. However once you solder
that item, that advantage goes away. In silver you can always age
harden if that is an issue.
Tino Volpe
Metallurgist, Technical Manager
Tiffany & Co.
300 Maple Ridge Drive
Cumberland, RI 02864-8707
401-288-0124
@Volpe_Constantino1
I remember reading some years ago an article on forging in
Scientific American. It had detailed pictures of parts made in the
auto industry that were first cast then forged, by pressing them
into different sized molds(die struck). Everything was carefully
calculated to generate maximum strength. It is a multiple step
process. Castings are porous, with a larger grain structure, It’s
not just that they bend easier, they wear away faster, You can
compensate to some degree with bulking a casting up, but not always.
Ciao
Gail
As far as I can see, the die-struck pieces of gold jewelry in retail
stores are very THIN and use small quantities of metal. Therefore, a
cost savings on metal. These are usually used in earring jackets
that are the background for gemstone studs. The metal die may last
a thousand times more than your mold and can produce these slim to
nothing slivers… But the cast piece is an
excellent choice for 1mm and up sized work. The cost of a metal die
may be more, even much more than a mold and casting. The other
Orchid folks will probably fill the both of us in on those figures.
Anyway, do not be fooled by advertisements!!! A casting is not
inferior.
Best wishes,
june
Enough already with the casted word. The word is simply cast! Casted
is not in my pocket Merriam-Webster dictionary. If the original
subject line was not written by someone to whom English is not the
first language, that’s understandable and I am not picking on them.
marilyn
Enough already with the casted word. The word is simply cast!
Marilyn,
Good for you. I think I get asked “Is my piece casted yet” 100 times
a day.
Linus
Hi.
Casted is briefly listed in the Oxford English Dictionary with 1
citation. It states it is an earlier form of cast. The citation is
from Shakespeare’s Henry V, iv,i 23 With casted slough, and fresh
legeritie. Say, maybe everyone using it is a shakespearean scholar?
It’s probable that Shakespeare added the syllable so the line would
have the cadence he wanted.
Ciao
Gail