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A Little Bit About Reticulation

10/8/2015

You may have noticed pretty much all of my work features an unusual texture. This texture is called reticulation. The short explanation is that reticulation is a heat texture done with a torch on silver or gold - but it takes a deft hand on the torch to get the desired results. Reticulation produces a ridged or ripply surface through controlled heating.

A finished reticulated piece of silver with a high polish.

Reticulation usually involves heating a sheet of gold or silver alloy up to 10 times to oxidize the copper at the surface, then pickling to remove the oxide and leaving a thin layer of pure metal. This process-called depletion gilding-results in different melting temperatures between the surface and the interior of the sheet. Once the sheet is gilded, it is heated with a torch: The alloy in the interior flows before the surface metal does. The result is that the surface wrinkles, something like the "skin" on hot chocolate-only more appetizing.

Click on any of the images below to make them larger:

The dark pieces of silver in the background have already been depletion guild-ed and are cooling before being cleaned.

You can see the texture on the metal starting to take shape as it is heated evenly.

The piece in the foreground is being reticulated using a medium large torch tip.

It's important to keep the torch moving constantly so as not to burn a hole in the metal, or even melt it entirely.

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Night Fox at the Academies

9/29/2015

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Did you guys know Night Fox Jewelry went to the Academy Awards...SIX months ago? Yes, I'm a little behind posting this news, but as you can see from the photos, I had a good excuse to be distracted from my job this year. Check out all the great people we met at the Secret Room Events Gift Suite honoring the 87th annual Academy Awards, and be sure to get your glamour on here!

Photos by Jenna Westbrook Photography

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Inspiration?

9/28/2015

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Night Fox gets inspiration from all sorts of places. It's not uncommon to wake up in the middle of the night with a sketch in mind. Most of my designs never see the light of day, at least not without a LOT of modifications, though occasionally one will make it through in its almost original form. Where do you find inspiration?

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I'm Baaaaaack!

9/22/2015

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Did you miss me??

Hey Everyone, meet Alice!! She arrived April 21st and we've had an awesome summer getting to know our new bambino. I have to say, life just doesn't get any better than this.

Night Fox is finally back in the studio this week prepping for our Chicago Christmas show. We'll be posting lots of new stuff on Etsy over the next few weeks too, so keep an eye out!

Photos by Jenna Westbrook Photography

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Night Fox Maternity Leave Begins...Now!

4/1/2015

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I mentioned earlier in the year that I'd be going on leave sometime this spring, and even though we're not due for a few more weeks, The Kumquat is demanding that I get out of the studio RIGHT NOW and take it easy. She's let me know by making it feel like there's an ice pick in my back whenever I stand up for more than 5 minutes at a time. So cute already...

Unfortunately, this means I'll be starting my leave quite a bit earlier than expected. The good news is that I have a ton of new work and can hopefully spend my "lounging around" weeks getting everything inventoried and put into new catalogs, which I'll publish as soon as I can.

I plan to return to work at the beginning of September with wholesale order deliveries resuming by early October. Etsy, Boticca, and Shoppe by Scoutmob will all re-open at the beginning of September. In the meantime, thanks in advance for your patience and I wish you all a fantastic summer season!

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How to Tell if Jewelry is Conflict Free

3/25/2015

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As most of you already know, Night Fox is dedicated to maintaining an environmentally friendly studio and production approach. We accomplish this in a variety of ways, most importantly by using only recycled precious metals and ethically sourced gems. Night Fox Jewelry is also a member of Ethical Metalsmiths--Jewelers for Social and Environmental Responsibility.

While Night Fox ensures that our customers always get conflict free jewelry from us, we realize there's a lot of jewelry out there and it's still important for consumers to know exactly what they are purchasing. That means knowing what to look for in gemstone certifications and knowing what questions to ask your jewelers and galleries. Read the fantastic article below by contributor Naomi Shaw to learn more.

Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

How to Tell if Jewelery is Conflict Free

Diamonds are the ultimate symbol of love. The sad irony of the diamond trade is that the stones that represent the purest of intentions usually have a very dark history. Since the late 1990’s rebel groups in Africa use the diamond trade to fund their activities. The violence, human rights violations, torture and even slavery associated with the trade led to what we now call “blood diamonds” or “conflict diamonds.”

Conflict diamonds has come to be associated with the mining process itself but unfortunately it is not just the mining process that contributes to the funding of violent movements in diamond-rich countries. The cutting and polishing process can also generate revenue for rebels and rogue regimes, so consumers must know what to look for in order to purchase truly conflict-free stones.

The Kimberley Process Addresses Conflict Diamonds

In the early 2000’s after the global press focused significant attention on the horrific aspects of the diamond trade, consumers made it clear that they wanted to purchase conflict free jewelry, the diamond industry convened the World Diamond Council which led to the adoption of something known as The Kimberley Process in 2003. The Kimberley Process (KP) was designed to prevent blood diamonds from falling into the legitimate diamond supply chain.

The process involved stopping open containers of rough diamonds from entering trade. Only sealed containers would be allowed through customs. Under the KP System of Warranties, all diamond shipments are uniquely numbered and certified by the legitimate government of the countries in which they originated. Each time the shipment changes hands it must be re-certified as KP compliant.

Responsible consumers should note that the system is not a legal process and no governing body can enforce KP standards. It is merely a voluntary process established by the World Diamond Council to answer criticisms from consumers, Western governments and the United Nations. There are many holes in The Kimberley Process as its definition of “conflict” is limited, diamonds can be self-certified, and the system does not address the cutting and polishing process.

Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

How To Purchase Conflict Free Jewelry

The Kimberley Process does not certify jewelers, but many retailers take conflict-free jewelry very seriously, and they go the extra mile to secure the integrity of their inventory. According to industry standards, a jeweler should be able to answer the following questions when it comes to conflict free diamonds:

●     Do your suppliers participate in the System of Warranties?

●     How can you be certain your jewelry does not contain conflict diamonds?

●     May I see a copy of your company policy on conflict-free diamonds?

●     Do you know where the stones you purchase are mined, cut and polished?

●     How can you prove that your diamonds are not sourced in conflict zones where diamonds fund rebels or                    illegitimate governments that engage in breaches of human rights law?

Because consumers have grown very concerned about the diamond trade, many jewelers make this information freely available on their websites, which gives consumers the ability to research a jeweler well in advance of a purchase. However, if those questions cannot be answered online, have a frank, face-to-face conversation with the jeweler. If that conversation still leaves you with unanswered questions, it’s probably best to select another jeweler who can set your mind at ease, ensuring that you purchase only conflict free jewelry for yourself or someone you love.

Naomi Shaw is an online web journalist, beautician, and mother.

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Night Fox Jewelry Is Going To The Academy Awards!!!

2/11/2015

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Night Fox Jewelry is going to the Academy Awards, and you can too! Many of the pieces below will be featured in the Secret Room Events 2015 Beauty Bar & Luxury Lounge honoring the 87th Academy Award nominees next weekend. That means any actor nominated for an award this year, or an Academy presenter can receive a gift from Night Fox Jewelry. They can also borrow pieces to wear for press events, after parties, and the red carpet. To get your Hollywood glam on, visit our Etsy store. And stay tuned--we will be posting updates over the next few weeks.

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