The Lost Wax Technique
Each original design is modelled in wax, with particular attention to detail. A design may take many weeks, months — or even years to get ‘just right’.
Once Ruth is finally happy with the original wax model, it is enclosed in a casting mould. The wax melts from the heated mould, leaving a hollow space. The wax is ‘lost’; the hollow space ‘is’ the design and is filled with molten metal — silver, gold or bronze.
Once cooled the casting mould is destroyed, revealing the design in metal. To reproduce this design, a rubber mould is made and filled with wax to create a replica of the original. This wax replica must then go through the very same process of casting as the original.
Individual designs are cast in limited quantities, some being produced as numbered limited editions. Each piece is carefully sanded, filed, polished, silver soldered, coloured, and detailed by hand to the desired high quality finish.
What was wax … soft, fragile, and transient, becomes strong and durable, enhanced and precious.