01
Design
At BBJ Bangkok we have a dedicated team of creative merchandisers and 10 highly qualified in-house designers translating ideas into jewelry. Our merchandising and design team closely watches trends and works with our customer base to produce creative, fresh, and production-friendly designs every single day.
02
CAD/CAM
We employ state-of-the-art technology to create 3D printed wax and resin patterns that can be used for direct casting and serial production. We are also able to produce jewelry renders in-house should any of our customers need this facility.
03
Model Making
Located inside our factory is a specialized team working to produce the best possible model for each unique SKU. This is the stage whereby the 3D pattern from the CAD/CAM process is converted to a silver ‘master’ design. This is what we use to then create the casting rubber mold that is suitable for mass production.
04
Rubber Mold
As the name suggests, this is usually made from rubber or silicone. The rubber mold is a key component of the production process. It is this mold or ‘pattern’ which helps us to mass produce the same design over and over.
05
Wax/Wax Tree
We now use our rubber mold to produce wax pieces. This process involves injecting pressurized wax into the cavity of our rubber mold to create copies of the final jewelry design in wax. These wax items then have a stem known as a sprue attached to them. They are then attached to what is known as a tree to prepare the items for the casting process.
06
Wax Setting
For gemstones and designs that are suitable for it, we can use a process called wax setting. This is where we can add gemstones into our wax pieces/models and have them automatically set in place during the casting process. As the wax is replaced with metal the gemstones are cast in place.
07
Casting
During this process our skilled jewelry artisans insert the wax tree into a flask and then add a special mix of powders to form a concrete-like ‘investment’. The full flask is then heated in a furnace causing the wax to melt and form a cavity in the shape of the jewelry items being made. Molten metal is then added to the flask, fills the cavities, and after it has cooled and the investment is destroyed, we are left with the cast items.
08
Filing
It is at this stage that any excess metal is removed from the cast item/s to create a smooth finish; think of it like a pre-polish. Also, if there are two or more pieces to be joined to create the final item/s it typically will happen at this stage and is usually achieved by lasering or soldering the pieces together.
09
Tumbling (Wet & Dry)
Tumbling is a process used to clean and improve the surface of jewelry in bulk. Not all items are suitable for tumbling, but when the item and gemstone configuration allow for it, tumbling provides a cost-effective way to clean, debur and improve surface finishing and polishing. Tumbling in essence works by adding jewelry and media (and sometimes compounds ~ wet tumbling) into a barrel that rotates and uses friction caused by the jewelry moving against the different ‘medias’ available, usually over a period of hours, sometimes overnight to achieve the desired polish.
10
Setting
This is the process of setting gemstones into/onto the jewelry. There are several different available setting types, with the overall design aesthetic determining which setting style is best for each individual item. We always want to make sure that the setting utilized best showcases each different stone in every jewelry item.
11
Polishing
Now that the gemstones are set, we can complete the final polish. This is designed to give the item/s a completely smooth and highly polished finish. This is a crucial stage as any imperfections left at this stage will negatively affect how the item/s look post plating.
12
Plating
For our final production stage, our experienced plating experts apply the finish on each jewelry item. This both makes the metal sparkle, and more resistant to scratching. In-house we can offer Rhodium, Gold, and Platinum plating via our specialized plating set up.
13
QA/QC
With our customer-first mentality and desire to strive for excellence in everything we do, this stage is perhaps one of our most important. This is where our team of QA/QC experts examines every single item produced against the guidelines set out in our comprehensive QC manual and makes sure that all are in line with the requirements of the design being inspected. At this stage items are also measured, weighed and where relevant clasps, closures etc. are tested.
14
Packing
All shipments are packed, tagged, and labeled according to specific customer requirements.
15
Shipping
Our standard shipper is Malca-Amit. However, we can accommodate any specific shipping requirement any of our customers has.
