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A master precious-metalsmith reproducing Visigoth jewelry

A master precious-metalsmith reproducing Visigoth jewelry

He inherited his father’s trade, a prestigious metalsmith from Seville, Andalusia, who opened his workshop during the forties. His childhood memories are closely linked to working with noble metals. Today, Juan José Marmolejo is one of the most important metalsmiths in Spain. The sculptures of the Spanish Holy Week are embellished by his works. For some time now, he has specialized in archeological craft work too. His most notable work is the reproduction of the Visigoth Kings’ crowns.

  Country:  Spain/Andalusia/Sevilla


Amber jewellery

Amber jewellery

The video shows the manufacture of amber beads and necklaces using wooden, man powered machines just as it was done before the availability of electricity in the countryside. More about hand processing of amber can be found here:

  Country:  Poland, Pomerania, Kashubia, Kurpie and Kujawy


Aniello Piacente’s Cammeo - Artisan

Aniello Piacente’s Cammeo - Artisan

The creation of cameo requires ancient instruments and techniques. Firstly, the artisan works the shell from which they obtain the cameo. Then, they burn and carve it with great precision. 

  Country:  Italy


Caliphal silversmith

Caliphal silversmith

Caliphal Filigree is an artisan jewelry made according to the traditional methods of the Andalusi jewelry of the 10th century.  Inspired by the decoration of the Mosque and the palatine city of Madinat Al-Zahra of Cordova.

The main material is 925 thousandths silver covered in white gold with glazed ceramic for metals.

Caliphal craft techniques include the fusion of gross material, using the same alloy of copper and silver than was used during the caliphate, as established by the law of metals.

The techniques used for decorating the pieces include secret formulas of alchemy on how to apply ceramics, like these used in tiles, which are applied to jewels’ enamelling.

Since the Middle Ages, Córdoba has been an outstanding centre of silver production, and it has also stood out at European level, counting from this period of an important guild of assembled silversmiths.

  Country:  Cordova, Andalusia, Spain


Damascene Niello technique

Damascene Niello technique

- The item represented is a Spanish Damascene Niello Snuff Box antique from the 19th century.
- The technique used is the Damascene steel together with Niello gold or silver technique applied to steel.
- Materials used are Damascus steel and gold or silver.

In the videos there are two examples of different Damascene’s craftsman performing Damascene art and Niello technique.

  Country:  Toledo, Spain


Diamond Cutting and Polishing Factory

Diamond Cutting and Polishing Factory

The video shows a small diamond cutting workshop in the famous street of diamonds of Antwerp. Only small and medium-sized diamonds are cut in Antwerp. The artisans cut the diamonds with great precision: the particular ?hearts and arrows? cut is the most requested. They use specific and small instruments and technology too. 

  Country:  Antwerp, Belgium


Handmade copper bracelet

Handmade copper bracelet

In Romania, there are few craftsmen who make copper jewelry with Dacic simbols. In the video the artisan shaw us how is made a bracelet with Dacian symbols, symbols which dates back more than 2,000 years. The craftman made his bracelets only with pliers and hammer and cold engraved.
It has been known in folk tradition since ancient times to wear a copper bracelet to relieve pain caused by arthritis or rheumatism, especially in areas where the moisture in the atomfera is high. 

  Country:  Romania/Ardeal


Handmade silver bracelet

Handmade silver bracelet

In Romania this handcraft of making jewerly from silver dates back hundreds of years. Today only a few craftsmen are doing this art.

In the video a gypsy silversmith show how to melt silver and haw to make a bracelet from a piece of silver.

First, he cut a piece of silver, it melt it by an ancient technique and shape it into a bracelet. The tools used are a hammer and an anvil. In the next step the silversmith uses a smaller hammer, for the finishing touches. 

At the end the craftsman decorates the bracelet and polishes it with different types of files and a piece a felt.

  Country:  Romania, Ardeal


Handmade silver ring

Handmade silver ring

In Romania this craft of making jewerly from silver, gold or copper dates back hundreds of years. Today only a few craftsmen are doing this art.

In the video a gypsy silversmith show how to melt silver  and haw to make a ring from a small silver ball.

First, he cut a piece of a coin, put it on a piece of wood chorcool and add a bit of borax, to help it melt. The next step is to melt the metal using a bottle (filled with lamp oil) and a long pipe, until the temperature rises from 700 to 1200 degrees. He laminate a molten silver ball and shape it into a ring. The tools used are a hammer and an anvil. In the next step the silversmith uses a smaller hammer, for the finishing touches. For this ring the master uses a different types of files and a piece a felt to polish the ring and to clean it.

At the end the craftsman decorates the ring and polishes it with a very fine file.

  Country:  Romania/Muntenia


Handmade wooden folk jewerly

Handmade wooden folk jewerly

Handmade wooden folk jewerly

Wooden folk jewelry manufacture goes back to the 19th century. Along with its functional and decorative side, the jewerly began to be seen as a work of art.


The material needed to make this kind of product is just an ordinary piece of wood, which is the most accessible and the cheapest one. By grinding and polishing can be obtained in the desired shape. Every piece can be beautifying by hand painting on it. The most frequently used is a folk theme, where own creativity is used. Lacquer and earring hooks are used at the end of the manufacturing process, It makes the jewerly shiny and fixed.

  Country:  Slovakia


How to work corals in Trapani

How to work corals in Trapani

The video shows the manufacturing of corals, from which it is possible to obtain different kind of jewels: necklaces, bracelets or earrings. The coral is worked with small tools, in order to give them different shapes: flowers or leafs. 

  Country:  Sicily, Italy


Jewels and copper forging

Jewels and copper forging

This ring is cold forged from a copper bar, engraved with a particular roundish chisel, then bent over the anvil horn. The final process is heating the ring on a plate, until reaching a red oxidation colour.

  Country:  Trento (Italy)


Lefkara Jewellery

Lefkara Jewellery

The jewellery that is made in the village of Lefkara Cyprus, the unique designes are similar to the famouse laces from the same village: The technique goes back to the Hellenistic era and it has been survived through the ages from generation to generation. The jewellery is produced until today with the same designs and patterns and more modern techniques.

  Country:  Lefkara Cyprus


Manufacturing of golden ring

Manufacturing of golden ring

Main religious centers of Poland were also main centers for religious craftemanship in the country. Krakoww with its status of coronation city and largest city of southern Poland had an adantage over other locations with the largest number of goldsmiths.
The video shows step by step process of manufacturing golden ring. It is shown how the metal is melted, rolled, soldered, polished. In the end the round ruby is set in the band. The master is Jacek Kurczab from the workshop Dell'Orro in Krakow, Poland. He uses traditional techniques of making jewellery from precious metals.

  Country:  Poland, Krakow


Philippe Wolfers, orfèvre

Philippe Wolfers, orfèvre

The video shows some of the creation made by Philippe Wolfers, in one of the most important and ancient jeweller of Belgium.

  Country:  Belgium


Production of a Jewel

Production of a Jewel

Process of jewelery worked and engraved in the workshop of Pepe Ávila Jewelers.

Basic techniques of jewelery such as segreteado, filing, laminate, sausages, tubes, threads, etc.

Basic welding techniques with payeta, ball and thread.

Microfusion and the setting of stones. High jewelery such as claw processing techniques, high precision sets

  Country:  Spain/Madrid


Religious goldsmith and silversmith

Religious goldsmith and silversmith

Goldsmithing is the artistic work carried out by goldsmiths, called ‘orfebres or orives’, with precious metals. The term ‘orfebre’ comes from the Latin ‘aurifaber’, artificer.

Craft techniques include the fussion of gross material, purifying the metal and melting it, hammering and battening, cutting, polishing, platting and gilding, making mechanical joints and assemblies, welding, ‘lost-wax’ smelting, etc.

Different techniques are used for decorating the pieces, such as tipping, printing, filigree, granulated, etc. The metals carved by the artisan are silver and gold or precious metals, or alloys of them. Religious goldsmithing is a traditional craft in Andalusia since ancient times but it raises its splendour during the Renaissance, and it continues strong linked to the demand of religious objects for the processions of Easter and religious worship.

  Country:  Andalusia, Spain


Silkworm cocoon jewellery

Silkworm cocoon jewellery

The silkworm coccon was used mainly to produced fabric, but they were other uses, such as the use of the silkworm cocoon to make jewellery, they were used because they are particularly strong and resistant, and they were painted and decoated. The technique survived up to date and there are many original designs.

  Country:  whole Cyprus


Silver earings

Silver earings

Traditional earnings design from Hellenistic period Traditional pattern jewellery

Technique: The technique goes back to the Hellenistic era and it has been survived through the ages from generation to generation. 
The tools used nowadays are modern but the patterns and the designs are the same old ones. Urban myth has it that Leonardo Da Vinci was impress from the design and used it himself in several paintings. 

  Country:  Cyprus


Tiara crafting - Spanish Royal Floral Tiara

Tiara crafting - Spanish Royal Floral Tiara

- The item represented in the image is the 19th century Floral Tiara, worn by the Spanish Queen Doña Sofía.
- The technique used is a handmade antique of creating Tiaras.
- The materials used are different, from diamonds to gold and silver.
- This precious jewellery was made in 1897 and given as a gift to the Spanish royal family. This is a symbol of Spanish traditional jewllery crafting.
The video below shows step by step how a basic Tiara is made, using different material techniques.

  Country:  Spain


Wire Jewerly

Wire Jewerly

The history of wire jewerly goes back to 18. century and it is known as the oldest craft.

Nowadays the wire jewerly is very popular in Slovakia, especially Žilina region (north part of Slovakia), where is the center of the most typical wire handmade jewerly.,.

The material that is usually used is just steel or copper wires and own creativity. By using special pliers and the necessary accessories, the wire can be easily rotated and cut to the desired shape, which depends mainly on imagination or reflects the customer's requirements. It can be simply beautified by coloured beads and it makes the jewerly more special and original.

  Country:  Slovakia