Platinum Chain Making
Tino Volpe • Tiffany & CO.

History

The definition of chain is as simple as interlocking links of metal. If the metal happens to be precious metal, then we consider the chain jewelry.

In preparing for this paper, I began my research with the understanding that finding information on chain making, especially historical information, would be a fairly simple task. However, after looking through old copies of jewelry history books, surfing the internet, and interviewing people with a long history in the industry, I arrived at the .

conclusion that the history of chain making is either a well kept secret or just not of much interest to anyone

Precious metal chain for jewelry has been around for a long time. Basically when man first began working extensively with gold back in Neolithic times he found that certain metals, most notably pure gold, were extremely ductile and could be hammered and stretched to a great degree. With the invention of wire, man could now take something rigid like metal and turn it into something flexible like chain.

Chain making has always been, up until the middle of the 18th century, a labor-intensive time consuming hand operation. It was a well-versed art and most books on jewelry will demonstrate basic techniques on making chain by hand.

Platinum Guild International USA 2004   All Rights Reserved

Click here to download this article in PDF format

V11N4

1 of 9