Our studio almost exclusively uses the ancient art of lost wax casting. We create using this tradition not only because we love the freedom it provides to create a range of designs, but also because this creative process is steeped in the history of our faith and in jewelry history. Lost wax casting is one of the oldest known metal-forming techniques, dating back 6,000 years. In fact, this same technique was used to craft the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. 

Lost wax casting essentially involves pouring molten metal over a wax model (which is “lost” in the process). This metal casting process involves a few basic steps:

• Model-making
• Creating a mold
• Making & assembling wax trees
• Applying plaster materials (called investment)
• Burnout
• Pouring molten metal
• Devesting/quenching
• Finishing

At 31Four, we do small batch casting and only put one set of wedding rings in each flask (the container that holds the wax tree and investment). As you can see, each set of 31Four Artisan Jewelry wedding rings receives a lot of personal attention! You can learn more about our process here.

While lost wax casting has traditionally been associated with artisanal jewelry, our studio also uses digital design and 3D printing to allow for more detailed designs while also reducing costs. 3D printing also allows us to provide sample models of our custom designs to ensure we have a great fit.

We love the art of this process and hope we’ve inspired you to see the beauty in lost wax casting. Please reach out to us if we can answer any questions about our process or help you design your one-of-a-kind wedding rings!