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How are metal sheets used in making jewelry?
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metalwork
Warrior and attendants plaque, brass relief sculpture by Edo artists in the court of the kingdom of Benin (now Nigeria), 16thâ17th century; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
In jewelry making, metal sheets serve as a fundamental component that can be shaped, decorated, and assembled into finished pieces. Because metals like gold are highly malleable, they can be beatenâeither hot or coldâto reduce their thickness and increase their surface area before being cut into desired sizes.12
Once prepared, these sheets are often decorated using several traditional techniques:
- Embossing and Repoussé: Relief designs are created by hammering or pressing the metal from the reverse side. In repoussé, the design is finished on the front with engraving tools or hammers.1
- Engraving: Designs are impressed directly into the metal surface using sharp tools.1
- Openwork: Decorative patterns are created by piercing the metal sheet, a technique known historically as opus interassile.1
- Granulation: Small metal spheres are applied to the surface of the sheet to form silhouettes or decorative patterns.1
After the individual components are prepared, they are joined together through mechanical means, such as pinning or binding, or through welding.1