Finishing

Jewelry can be "finished" in a variety of ways. The term "finish" refers to the treatment of the final piece of precious metal, once all other setting, soldering, and shaping has been completed. Some finishes include brushed, florentine, sandblasted, hammered, acid etched, polished, and anodized. The most common finish is polished.

To polish gold, various steps of grinding are needed. The jeweler starts with a rough grain emery paper and gradually moves up to a super fine grain. Once a perfectly smooth surface is obtained, the jeweler moves to the polishing wheel. Various fabric wheels are used in conjunction with special polishing compounds (made from various gemstone dust) to gradually bring the metal to a mirror finish. A steady hand and keen eye are needed in this process to avoid creating an unbalanced piece or imperfections in the polish.

If a shiny piece is not desired, a matte finish can be applied. Creating a “matte” finish on a ring can be accomplished in a number of ways. Acid etching, sandblasting, brushing, and florentine finish are all examples of methods used to achieve a matte finish. Of all of these methods, the brushed finish is the most popular, followed by sandblasting.

A brushed finish looks like it sounds. Fine lines are scratched into the surface with an abrasive. There are varying degrees of a brush finish, each attained using different abrasives.

Sandblasting creates a unique, sparkling effect. It is created by literally blasting the surface with sand. Depending on the size of the grains of sand, a "beaded," glittery surface can be achieved or a soft, fine sheen that emulates silk.

For a more textured finish, the jeweler can apply what's called a hammered finish. With this style of finish, dings are intentionally added to the surface to create a more rustic look. The severity of the hammered finish is completely controlled by the type of tool used to create the appearance.

By combining different finishes on the same piece, small details can be accentuated; stylized curves can be defined; engraving can be enhanced; and the overall appearance of the piece can become more interesting.