6. Exemplary case: the goldsmith’s art – Introduction

As for goldsmith’s art, the art of working gold, silver, platinum and their alloys for the production of jewelry, traditional methods are long and laborious. All the techniques, especially the old ones, such as the fretwork, the engraving, the filigree or the granulation require an extremely long working time.

They are all techniques that must be safeguarded and handed down because they constitute an immense cultural heritage and their use is a necessary condition to define an object as “jewel”.

However, this field must also evolve by updating itself with new techniques and technologies that intervene in modern production processes. These innovations, which can often cause alterations in conditions of equilibrium (tradition), must be seen as opportunities, as tools that go alongside traditional methods to allow artisans to best express their skills and face in the best possible condition the market.

By way of example, the traditional production process of a ring will be described below, and later the possible benefits that can be had by introducing the use of 3D modeling and 3d printing in the production process.

Image 6.1