Lost Wax Process

The Lost Wax Process

Lost-wax casting sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue (from the Latin cera perduta) is a an ancient process that dates back to 3000 BC.  The modern version is used widely by jewellers throughout the world as itremains the most accurate and reliable means of reproducing complex shapes in gold or other metals with all the fine detail of an original pattern, which is usually sculpted in wax.

The original wax model is mounted in a flask, into which investment mixture is poured and vacuumed to eliminate bubbles.  The whole flask is left to dry out and it is then  put into the kiln for a number of hours.  During this ‘burnout’ period, the wax model evaporates, leaving the negative shape in the hardened investement mould.  The moulten silver is then poured, under vacuum, into the mould, producing a new positive in silver.  The silver model is then removed from the tree and undergoes various finishing and polishing procedures.

Pouring Silver

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Wax Process - Figurine ready for next step