SYNTHETIC MATERIALS

Glass can be found in nature — obsidian is volcanic glass — but is more usually a manufactured product, valued for its superb optical properties
Glass used in fashion jewelry making must be durable, so Pyrex is often used because it is shock and heat resistant.

There are many types of clay that will produce ceramics with specific properties. Porcelain is considered a fine material, being translucent in its white form and very finely textured. It requires specialist equipment in the form of a kiln, as clays must be fired at high temperatures to vitrify them. Clays can be glazed to add colour, texture and a shiny finish.

Textiles and paper are made from a wide range of materials and therefore have a wide range of properties; differing degrees of flexibility, thickness, transparency and optica! effects can be found. The raw materials may be natural or synthetic, and can include metal, plant materials and plastics.

Electronic components are used to make cir¬cuits that have specific functions. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) come in a range of colours and intensities, and other components can be used to effect sound or movement. Components such as resistors, switches and a power source will need to be incorporated into the circuits, which can be joined with wire or soft-soldered to a circuit board, which may be more appropri-ate for some applications. The size of the circuit can be kept to a small scale suitable for use in jewelry applications, but the accommodation of an accessible power source will always pose a challenge.

Magnets with a range of strengths, measured in megagauss-oersteds (MGOe), can be sourced in sizes from l mm (%4 in.) upwards. Neodymium magnets have a high MGOe and the magnetic force is enough to work through two layers of thin metal, meaning that the magnets can be contained in a metal setting or inside pieces.

Applications
There are too many uses within fashion jewelry for these materials to be described here in much detail, but they can provide a source of colour, texture, structural form, optical effects, and often create a striking contrast with metal forms or compo¬nents. As with other materials, synthetic products have their limitations – plastics, for example, are relatively soft and will scratch easily; textiles and paper may be susceptible to water damage; and magnets can be rendered useless when heated sufficiently. It may be necessary to experiment with each new material to find out what it can and can’t do.

Rubber is most commonly used for mould-making and casting, while resins can be cast into solid forms or used to coat or embed objects.

With the exception of some ceramics, it is not possible to solder metal in the presence of these materials, so you will have to use cold joining techniques if they are to be combined with metal; many of these materials also benefit from the structural support and protection of metal parts.

There is a wide range of techniques that can be applied in many cases; for example, glass can be spectacle- or bezel-set, lampworked, blown, silvered, slumped, cast, coloured, laminated with foil, engraved or carved with diamond burrs and may also be used in the form of lenses, dichroic slabs or beach finds. The lightweight nature of many papers, textiles and sheet plastics make them ideal for large-scale pieces – and they can be laser-cut to produce intricate designs

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