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Jewelry tools must be precise and delicate to avoid damage to the pieces. jewelry image by Julija Sapic from Fotolia.com Designing and servicing fine jewelry is a delicate art that requires tools built for strength and precision. Not only are the pieces used in jewelry small, but they also are susceptible to damage in the design process. Specially designed jewelry tools allow you to retain the original value of the piece without leaving evidence of your workmanship.
Loupe
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A loupe, which is a type of magnifying glass, is used in jewelry making and repairing to see fine details that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Jewelers use loupes to create engravings, service fine watches with small mechanical parts, and observe imperfections in diamonds and jewels. Loupes are usually hand-held, though some do strap to the head.
Gram Scale
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Gram scales help determine the weight of precious stones, gold and silver. The scales that jewelers use must be extremely accurate in their measurements due to the value of certain types of stones and metals. Jewelers will often base the price of a particular piece based on its weight.
Stone-Setting Pliers
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Jewelers use stone-setting pliers to place fine stones into the settings of rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry pieces. The pliers possess a bottom jaw that is grooved so it can hold the stone in place. The top jaw of the pliers is smooth so that it may open the setting clips on the jewelry to set the stone. Stone-setting pliers are designed so that they will not scratch or damage the stone during the setting process.
Bent Nose Pliers
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Bent nose pliers allow the jeweler to bend and manipulate fine metal threads in a manner that straight nose pliers do not allow. For example, if a jeweler were bending white gold into a loop or a coil, she would use bent nose pliers to accomplish the necessary threading.
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