A finished 925 sterling silver piece normally passes through five stages from concept drawing to shelf-ready product: design and model making, casting, filing and finishing, stone setting, and polishing with plating. A standard order takes about 15 to 30 days, while complex pavé pieces take longer. Silver jewelry is not simply melted silver poured into a mold; it is a chain of metalwork, surface treatment and gem setting steps.

1. Design and Model Making

The designer draws three-view sketches or 3D renderings of the pendant, ring or bracelet. Once the shape, stone seats and dimensions are approved, the model maker builds a master silver plate either by hand-carving wax or by CNC. Wax carving suits organic curves and flowing lines; CNC is more precise for geometric shapes and repeatable production. The approved master is then used to vulcanize rubber molds for batch wax injection.

2. Casting

Wax models are attached to a tree, invested in plaster and steamed out in a burnout oven to leave a hollow cavity. Molten 925 silver is cast into the cavity under centrifugal or vacuum pressure, which is the lost-wax investment casting process. After quenching, the plaster is broken away to reveal the silver tree. Simple flat pieces such as thin bangles may instead be stamped on a press, which is cheaper and faster.

3. Filing and Finishing

The caster cuts each piece off the tree. The filer removes sprue marks with files and sandpaper, corrects distortion and smooths the lines. This step decides the fit and hand feel of the final piece and relies heavily on the experience of the bench jeweler.

4. Stone Setting and Surface Treatment

Cubic zirconia, moissanite or semi-precious stones are fixed by prong, bezel or pavé setting. Polishing follows: coarse grinding removes pits, then a cloth wheel with green compound brings the piece to a mirror shine. Pieces that need plating go to the plating shop, where rhodium or 18K gold is deposited over the silver base for color and tarnish resistance.

5. Quality Control and Packaging

Every piece is inspected for loose stones, pits, plating color and proper stamps, then tumbled, wiped and packed to the brand specification. MASCOT Jewelry, a Shenzhen silver manufacturer founded in 2012, runs all stages in-house and supports OEM and ODM customization for brands exporting to more than 50 countries.