What is Fingerprint Jewellery?
Fingerprint jewellery you say?! Yes you heard me, jewellery made with the fingerprints of your loved ones. An alternative to the initial necklaces, its a way to keep your loved ones close.
Time flies, especially when you are talking about our children. You blink and they have changed so much.
We can’t make time stand still but by capturing their fingerprint it is a way to capture a moment in time. Fast forward 20 years and you can look back on that tiny print and remember that precious time when you were their whole world.
The perfect sentimental gift to yourself or a loved one.
How do you turn a fingerprint into jewellery?
There are two different methods that I use to capture a fingerprint and turn it into a truly unique piece. You don’t have to be local to Sussex to get yourself a piece of fingerprint jewellery, both methods offered can be done in person or via the post.
The first, and my favourite, is done using the lost wax casting method. The fingerprint is captured in a soft malleable wax which is then encapsulated in a special casting sand and liquid silver or gold is then poured into the sand. The wax is melted away and the liquid silver or gold takes it place and cools to produce the fingerprint.
The second method is done using silver clay. The print is captured in a mould that slightly resembles play dough. A positive mould of the fingerprint is then made which is then used to press into the silver clay to create the print. Once set the print is hand fired with a torch, the binder is burnt off and you are left with a fingerprint in fine silver.
Which method is better?
It depends what you are after! The main differences lie in the price and strength of the print.
The process are very different, the process associated with the silver clay is less intensive and this is reflected in the price. Fingerprint pendants in silver clay start at £97, whereas the lost wax casting method is more intensive and a higher weight in silver/gold which increases the cost.
In addition to this I believe the quality of the fingerprints captured in the lost wax casting method is slightly better and stronger.
Maintaining my impartiality with the silver clay method you can keep the mould so you could potentially remake the print if you lost it/ wanted to make another one.
What types of jewellery can you make with fingerprints?
The sky is the limit, the most popular are the fingerprint necklaces and fingerprint cufflinks. But you shouldn’t be limited by these two options. I am game for trying anything and if you have an idea then I would love to help bring it to life!
Intrigued? Hop over to the shop to browse the fingerprint jewellery options that are available!