Making a Hummingbird

Preliminary Wax Prototype

Here is the preliminary rough wax model of our ruby throated hummingbird. The rough model was carved to explore the feasibility of using the large South Sea pearl that is seated in the wax. Now that we have proven the concept, the three-dimensional prototype model will be used to continue with the design.






Final Wax Model

As the hummingbird progressed, our original wax model was forfeited. In this new model, you can see that the angle of the head, neck, and wings have changed from the original wax. The model has been separated into five interlocking sections in order to cast them in different metals. The wax models will now be mounted in flasks that will be filled with a plaster-like investment. The flasks containing the waxes will be incinerated in an oven and when they are fully burned out, a hollow impression of the sculpted wings will remain.







Cast Hummingbird

Here are the rough precious metal castings that our wax sculptures yielded. The main body of the hummingbird is cast in 18kt yellow gold. The wing tips and tail are in platinum. The cast sections must now have the remaining sprue material ground from them, and they will be pre-polished in preparation for assembly.







Shaping and Carving

Now that the wings have been cleaned and the platinum and gold have been married with a jeweler’s torch, detail must be put into the piece. In this shot, the model maker is using a hand-held rotary tool called a flex-shaft with various bits, along with files and gravers to shape and sculpt the feathers of our hummingbird. Most of the intricate detail will be carved into the piece by the setter with a graver while the stones are being set.







Drilling the Ports

The hummingbird sections are now mounted on shellac sticks, and port holes are being drilled into the platinum and 18kt gold. The port holes serve as guides and ease the friction on the rotary burs that will be used to cut seats in the metal. In the finished piece, the port holes serve as a vent for future cleaning of the stones.









Finished Ports

In this photo, all of the ports have been cut. The setter is clearing the ports in preparation for the assuring process.










Assuring the Ports

The awl-like, wood handled tools that jewelers use are called gravers. In this picture, the jeweler is shaving platinum from the openings behind stones in order to make an attractive honeycomb pattern on the reverse side of the setting. This is a detailed, time consuming process and usually found only in fine hand-made jewelry.







Seating Yellow Diamonds

Here, the setter has drilled all of the areas of the wing and tail where stones are to be set. The uppermost portion of the wing has been relieved with a hand-held rotary tool and setting bur. Seats have been cut into the metal to provide clearance for the culets (undersides of gemstones) of the stones. Vivid yellow diamonds are now being placed in the seats in preparation for tightening and raising of beads.







Raising the Beads

After seats have been cut into the metal to provide clearance for culets, the setter uses a sharp graver to raise small beads by curling them from the surface of the precious metal. While raising the beads, the setter continually excavates and clears the metal adjacent to the stones and beads to add detail and depth to the work.








Tightening the Beads

After the beads are curled from the metal and the adjacent metal is cleared, the beads are formed over the diamonds with a convex pushing tool. The convex pusher, known as a beading tool, is used as leverage to reshape the metal into tight, compact beads. The beads secure the stones, and are positioned into patterns that are delicate and esthetically pleasing.








Black and White Diamonds

Here again, the beading tool is being used to secure the natural black and colorless white diamonds in the platinum wing tips.










Setting the Tail

In each of the previous illustrations, you can see that the hummingbird has been repositioned in the shellac. The setter continually repositions the piece to gain leverage. Repositioning enables the setter to apply pressure at the precise angles to secure the stones properly without damaging them.








Setting the Head and Body

In this illustration, the setter is raising miniature beads of gold from the throat of the hummingbird, and rolling them over the stone to secure the rubies. Once again, the curled beads will be formed over the stones with a beading tool. When all of the setting is complete, the piece will be polished and the South Sea pearl will be set.







The Hummingbird Finished

The Hummingbird’s pear shape body is a South Sea pearl surrounded by 132 colorless pavé set diamonds weighing 1.13ct, 118 pavé set fancy black diamonds weighing 1.21ct, 34 pavé set fancy vivid yellow diamonds weighing 1.05 ct, 110 pavé set emeralds weighing 4.82ct, and 37 rubies weighing 1.73 ct. The Hummingbird was commissioned by Michael Stadther, and is part of “A Treasure’s Trove” collection.






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Jewelry Designs is the area’s leader in retail and manufacturing of fine diamond jewelry. Jewelry Designs is located in Danbury, Connecticut in western Fairfield county bordering Westchester and Putnam counties on the New York state line.

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