From Wax to Silver: Casting My Mitsuro Hikime Jewellery Collection
From Wax to Silver: Casting My Mitsuro Hikime Jewellery Collection
In my last post I shared the story of learning Mitsuro Hikime, the ancient Japanese wax technique behind my newest collection. This is the next chapter, the moment those fragile wax pieces became solid sterling silver.
Collecting the pieces
Opening the box from the casters was a cross between Christmas Day and a nervous first date. I was excited to see the work, but there was a real fear too. The Mitsuro Hikime wax is so brittle that I couldn't be certain every piece would survive the casting process.
I was delighted to find that all 20 pieces had made it. There was a huge sense of relief and excitement as I held them, knowing they had gone from fragile wax to solid silver. For the first time I could enjoy the texture and delicacy of each one without any fear of breaking it. The casters themselves were amazed at the intricacy of the work, and I left with a real spring in my step.
Lizzy holding one of the unique Mitsuro vine and leaf rings.
Why these pieces are unique
Every piece in this collection is a genuine one-off. Because of the nature of the Mitsuro Hikime technique, no mould can be taken and no piece can ever be replicated. What exists is exactly what exists, each one carrying the marks of the moment it was made.
Some of the new pieces int he vine and leaf collection in work in progress.
The work that comes next
Straight from casting, the pieces don't yet look like silver. The heat of the process leaves a white coating across the surface, but underneath that coating is sterling silver, waiting to be revealed. There is still a good deal of finishing work ahead before each piece is ready to wear, and I'll be sharing that process in a future entry.
New vine and leaf silver pieces being worked on, on Lizzy’s bench.
See the collection
The finished Mitsuro Hikime Leaf and Vine collection will be available to view online in late spring. To be among the first to see it, you can sign up to my fortnightly letter from the studio, Gathered & Kept.