The term “lapidary” is used to refer to the act of cutting gemstones into beads, cabochons, faceted pieces, and more, as well as the person who performs these tasks. A lapidary is different from a diamond cutter, who focuses on just the one stone and the particular work a diamond’s intense hardness demands. Jewel cutting has many aspect and specialties, such as cabochon shaping, carving and engraving.

Also known as “investment casting,” lost wax casting is a method of creating a mold often used in jewelry manufacturing. To create a large number of precious metal components in a short amount of time, jewelers will create a large mold from which dozens of findings and other parts are cast at once. The practice is an ancient one, dating at least as far back as the Bronze Age, and used on multiple continents by a number of civilizations.

For smaller, detailed pieces of jewelry, some artisans use centrifugal casting, or centrifuging to accomplish their task. Unlike industrial centrifuging, which uses a mold inside spinning drum to shape its pieces, jewelry casting uses a mechanical arm which twirls on an axle. The axle is contained within a vat to protect the room and its occupants from stray flecks of molten metal.

Three dimensional printing is the mechanized process of creating an object through adding thin layers of material one on top another. 3D printing may be applied to a large range of industries, including jewelry. For designers, the possibilities are vast, allowing complex pieces such as invisible set rings or pendants with surrealist geometry to be made in hours, when making them by hand may take days.

One of the finishing touches to ready a piece of jewelry for display is polishing. The act removes any remaining rough surfaces and edges, and helps the piece to shine. Though the same term is used for both metal and gemstones, the approaches are different. For precious metal, polishing doesn’t always involve a mirror like shine, but may leave a more matte appearance, like the brush finish. What unites metal polishing is the use of polishing wheels, leather strops, and use of the abrasives jeweler’s rouge, pumice and tripoli. Depending on the metal and design, polishing may also remove unwanted oxidation from the piece.

Also known as mounting, setting is the act of placing gemstones on a piece of jewelry and securing it through one of several means. In addition to keeping jewels in place, mounts may also add to an object’s design, by making the stone look larger, brighter, helping to cover the piece in jewels, or making lacy patterns.