“Experimental Casting Techniques in Jewelry: Material Behaviour and Texture Transfer of Organic, Inorganic and Polymer - Derived Molds”
Chapter from the book: Hatipoğlu, M. (ed.) 2025. Gemology and Jewelry.

Başak Gürsoy
Dokuz Eylül University

Synopsis

This study aims to systematically examine experimental casting methods that can be applied in low-cost and material-limited jewelry workshops. Since the surface in traditional casting techniques is formed entirely in a one-to-one correspondence with the mold, a texture outside the mold cannot be produced within this method. Due to the increasing demand for texture diversity and personalized designs, it has become necessary to investigate the surfaces formed in the casting of alternative materials—organic, inorganic, and polymer-derived—that exhibit behavior outside the mold. In the study, a wide variety of materials were used, including organic (beans, rice, lemon seeds, pine needles, broom twigs, walnut shells, etc.), composite (styrofoam and rubber), and inorganic-mineral based (salt, plaster, glass beads, etc.). Each material was tested separately by conducting individual casting procedures to examine metal flow and surface behavior; the results of the castings were recorded through photographs and observational notes. Surface characteristics were considered a fundamental variable directing metal flow, and the resulting texture types were classified accordingly. Findings reported that organic materials produced random, texture-proportional, and granulation-like surfaces, while inorganic and composite materials generated more controlled, layered textures that accumulated at material boundaries. These results reveal that experimental casting techniques applicable with low-cost and accessible simple materials can serve as a strong method for creating personalized forms. This study provides jewelry students, designers, and technically oriented researchers with an extensive texture vocabulary created using easily accessible materials; furthermore, it proposes an applicable model for integrating experimental casting into the educational curriculum.

How to cite this book

Gürsoy, B. (2025). “Experimental Casting Techniques in Jewelry: Material Behaviour and Texture Transfer of Organic, Inorganic and Polymer - Derived Molds”. In: Hatipoğlu, M. (ed.), Gemology and Jewelry. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub1145.c4730

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Published

December 28, 2025

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