Draw Plate
Gold bullion is "drawn" on a Draw Bench through a Draw Plate to reduce the gold mass into a workable and manageable piece of metal in preparation for the item of jewellery being made. This photograph shows the craftsman (Adrian) drawing gold wire for a bangle through a circular cavity. The large conical shaped metal object to the rear of the Draw Plate is known as a Mandrel. The Mandrel shapes the gold from a straight piece of metal into a round bangle.

The Rolling Mill
The large machine at the forefront of this photograph is the Rolling Mill. This is used for sizing or shaping metal prior to fine rolling or drawing. Behind the Rolling Mill our Craftsmen and women are busy at their trade. José, wearing the white laboratory coat, is tapping a ring on a steel block to ensure the shank is straight. This procedure is also used for sheet gold when making flat or square edged pieces. If you look carefully you can see the Pendant Drill that is mounted above Adrian's head (to the left of José). This drill has a diamond burr or bit for very fine drilling. Not all diamonds are used in jewellery! Caron is also soldering, though she is extremely camera shy, and Adrian (Too!) is repairing a diamond brooch.

Soldering
Metal is joined together by a melting process known as soldering.

Polishing
David is polishing cabochon agate. The water reservoir on top of the machine is there to prevent overheating during cutting or polishing. Water drips at a steady rate onto the revolving wheel.

Steam Machine
Steam Cleaning is a very efficient cleaning method for removing grease and dirt. The jewellery is blasted with hot steam. By default, this is also a good method to check that stones are correctly set. The steam jet is so powerful it will dislodge slightly loose or misaligned stones. Thankfully there is a Blasting Tank to collect any wayward gems!

The Scorper
Adrian is carving the gold with a Scorper to raise small grains. The stones are positioned in place and a graining tool is used to round off the grain to set the stone. The Scorper is also used to Bright cut the metal, sharp jagged edges that might otherwise detract from the beauty of the piece.