The Ancient Art of Granulation

Libby Norris, InBloom's talented goldsmith, studied the art of granulation under master goldsmith Kent Raible. Let's explore the fascinating past and artistic present of this unique jewelry-making technique.

The History of Granulation

Granulation is an ancient jewelry-making technique that continues to captivate today due to its intricate beauty. It is characterized by the meticulous application of tiny metal spheres—called granules—onto a surface to form delicate patterns.

The earliest known granulated jewelry has been traced to Sumer in the 3rd century BCE, where goldsmiths began experimenting with ornamental surface decoration beyond simple engraving or repoussé. It was the Etruscans, though, who around the 7th century BCE elevated granulation to its highest artistic expression. With remarkable precision they crafted intricate motifs—scrolls, rosettes, and geometric designs—using almost microscopic granules fused without visible solder.

The secret to the Etruscans’ success lay in their fusion technique. Instead of traditional soldering, they employed a colloidal fusion method using an organic glue containing copper salts. When heated, the copper facilitated bonding at lower temperatures without melting, creating seamless joins and allowing for finely detailed designs. This delicate process still poses a challenge to many metal smiths today yet holds endless creative potential.

Bringing Techniques from the Past into InBloom Jewelry's Present

Today, granulation remains a prized skill among jewelers. Modern artisans work to combine traditional methods with new technologies, paying homage to a technique that, though ancient, continues to amaze. Our very own goldsmith, Libby, travelled to Washington state in order to study the art of granulation under master jeweler and goldsmith Kent Raible.

Libby couldn't wait to share all that she learned about granulation when she got back to the InBloom Jewelry shop. Before you watch her fascinating FACETED presentation on this very topic, let’s take a look at an in-depth, step-by-step breakdown of the process behind this fascinating jewelry-making technique:

1. Form the base

• Create the base of the jewelry (ring, pendant, earring, etc.) using high-karat gold because of its ability to fuse without melting. Ancient goldsmiths typically used 22 kt.

2. Create the granules

• Cut gold wire or sheets into tiny, evenly-sized snippets.

• Coat the snippets in charcoal powder and space evenly in a crucible, then heat with a flame. The resulting surface tension causes them to naturally form into perfect spheres.

• Remove granules and sieve to separate. It's helpful to sort granules by size.

3. Fusion

• Apply colloidal binder and copper salts to the places where granules are going to be fused. This will both hold the granules in position and also fuse them to the base where applied—the binder and salts can also be applied separately instead of being mixed together.

• Using a fine paintbrush, carefully put each granule into place, forming your desired pattern.

• Slowly and uniformly heat the entire piece with a torch. As the heat rises, the copper salt in the binder forms a temporary reaction at the point of contact, allowing the gold granules to fuse to the base without visible solder.

  
  

4. Finishing touches

• After it has cooled, clean the piece of jewelry to remove any residues. Now finishing touches like burnishing, texturing, and setting stones can be done to wrap up the piece as a whole. Voila!

Don't be fooled by how simple that step-by-step guide makes granulation sound. This is a very precise process that requires a lot of patience and dedication to succeed. That being said, it is a very rewarding process. Libby's favorite part of using granulation is how she can continue building on top of granules that are already in place, allowing for fluid edits and evolving designs.

On June 7th, we held our first FACETED event here in the shop. Libby couldn't wait to nerd out about granulation and demonstrate the process for our attendees. Watch her presentation below to learn even more about this unique jewelry-making technique!

FACETED: The Ancient Art of Granulation