How it's All Made?

From a real shell to a piece of jewellery.......

All of our collections are made using the “lost wax casting” method, a technique that has been used for centuries.

Our Sea Star with its wax replica.

We make a mould of the shell which captures every detail of the shell perfectly, creating a “negative” of the shell. Wax is poured into the mould to create a “positive” replica.

Refining a wax from a mould of a Sea Star

These waxes are grouped together to make a wax “tree” and this is covered with investment – a bit like plaster of paris; and put into a kiln where the wax melts away and a hardened tube is left. Inside is the hardened tube is a “negative” tree of the shells.

A "Tree" of silver pieces before the polishing process starts.
A "Tree" of silver pieces before the polishing process starts.

Molten silver or gold is then poured into hardened casing and once cooled the investment is removed leaving a silver “tree”

Final polishing

The pieces from the “Tree” are removed and the polishing process starts- using ever finer grades of polishing, each piece is worked on until there is a sparkling finish.