Custom Casting Info

We offer custom casting services to reproduce your most popular designs. Casting allows you to meet market demand, increase profitability and spend your time doing what you do best, designing! Choose from sterling silver, and white or yellow bronze metal. Guidelines are below for each metal type.

Testimonial: We have worked with Santa Fe Jewelers Supply for the last 7 years. It has been a wonderful relationship from the beginning. The extra time and concern that they put into our relationship hasn’t been matched with any of the other suppliers we work with. We have tried several silver suppliers for our castings but never found anyone who even came close to the quality and detail we receive from Santa Fe. Kristin has been available for every question and walked us through every step of the way as we explored the world of casting. 

Jill – Oklahoma

Custom Casting in Sterling Silver

Congratulations for choosing Sterling Silver – the most popular choice for custom casting!

Casting Begins with a Master

SFJS uses the lost wax casting method to reproduce your artwork. Please provide us with an original model (handmade master), a wax, or your own mold for the piece you’d like to reproduce. Molds you furnish will require our caster’s prior approval before we can use them. Original models can be made from almost any material as long as you disclose what the material is, and some organic materials may be inappropriate for casting. There is a minimum wall thickness of 1mm. Please note that our casters cannot process digital designs at this time.

Molds

Many customers supply us with an original model. From that master, a mold will be made to replicate your piece. The mold process will reproduce every nuance of detail on your original so you need to remove any imperfections. There is an average 3-5% shrinkage rate between a master and the reproduction using a mold. A master that measures under 1” in diameter should require a small mold and will incur a one-time $50 mold fee per design. Up to 50 pieces can be made at one time with one mold. For larger production needs, additional molds will be required. A “tree” or “gang” mold can be made where multiple originals in one mold can produce larger quantities at once. The cost of a gang mold is determined by the size of the master and the number of replicas in the gang mold. Larger pieces, like bracelets, require larger, more expensive molds. A flat bracelet mold may run $50-$60 while an even deeper bracelet mold may be $75-$100+.

Size

Larger pieces like bracelets may incur a flask charge of $150. Because these pieces are so much larger, in general, only 4 bracelets can fit in a 4” x 6” flask and take up kiln space that many smaller pieces could be cast in.

Material Cost

Once the mold is made, you only pay for the metal. Prices on sterling silver castings are based on gram weight of the master and the quantity ordered. There is a 1 gram per piece minimum charge. You can achieve quantity discounts for one individual casting or by aggregating jobs of multiple pieces. At a $30.00 silver market, the price schedule is approximately as follows:

• +1000 grams $4.20/gram
• +500 grams $4.50/gram
• +100 grams $5.00/gram
• -100 grams $6.00/gram

Tumble finish is included: please specify clean only, or tumble-bright finish and ready to wear.

Additional considerations

• Your original model should be no less than 1mm thick to ensure reproduction of detail.
• For smaller pieces (under 1” diameter) there is a minimum order of 10 pieces per design.
• Allow 4-6 weeks on your initial order when a mold is being made. For reorders allow at least 3 weeks.
• Molds and masters are stored at our casting facility for future orders unless and until you request that they be returned to you.
• A 3-8 piece production volume variance is typical of smaller pieces (either under or over the order quantity). Overages in excess of this amount will be brought to your attention for approval -otherwise you will be billed for, and receive overages.
• All pieces are made to order. We do not hold stock.
• Findings such as ear posts, pin backs, jump rings or hat (scatter) pins can be added to castings for a nominal fee. Adding findings will increase the delivery time by 10-14 days.
• Initial orders must be prepaid. After the first order and with approved credit references, your orders may be paid at the time they ship or you pick them up.

Custom Casting in Yellow Bronze

Yellow bronze looks like gold at a fraction of the cost! Yellow bronze is a copper-based alloy containing 95% copper, 4% silicon and 1% manganese yielding an extremely durable product.

Casting Begins with a Master

SFJS uses the lost wax casting method to reproduce your artwork. Please provide us with an original model (handmade master), a wax, or your own mold for the piece you’d like to reproduce. Molds you furnish will require our caster’s prior approval before we can use them. Original models can be made from almost any material as long as you disclose what the material is, and some organic materials may be inappropriate for casting. There is a minimum wall thickness of 1mm. Please note that our casters cannot process digital designs at this time.

Molds

Many customers supply us with an original model. From that master, a mold will be made to replicate your piece. The mold process will reproduce every nuance of detail on your original so you need to remove any imperfections. There is an average 3-5% shrinkage rate between a master and the reproduction using a mold. A master that measures under 1” in diameter should require a small mold and will incur a one-time $50 mold fee per design. Up to 50 pieces can be made at one time with one mold. For larger production needs, additional molds will be required. A “tree” or “gang” mold can be made where multiple originals in one mold can produce larger quantities at once. The cost of a gang mold is determined by the size of the master and the number of replicas in the gang mold. Larger pieces, like bracelets, require larger, more expensive molds. A flat bracelet mold may run $50-$60 while an even deeper bracelet mold may be $75-$100+.

Size

Larger pieces like bracelets may incur a flask charge of $150. Since these pieces are so much larger, usually only up to 4 can be put in one flask and take up kiln space (real estate) that many smaller pieces could be cast in.

Material Cost

Once the mold is made, you are only paying for the metal. Prices on yellow bronze are based on the gram weight of the master and the quantity ordered. There is a 1 gram per piece minimum charge. You can achieve quantity discounts for one individual casting or by aggregating jobs of multiple pieces. The price schedule is approximately as follows:

• +1000 grams $1.50/gram
• +500 grams $1.90/gram
• +100 grams $2.40/gram (There is a 100 gram minimum per order)

Tumble finish is included: please specify clean only, or tumble-bright finish and ready to wear.

Additional considerations

• Bronze tarnishes. We recommend a high quality, clear lacquer coat to be applied which will maintain the bright, gold finish for a long period of time. Our prices also include this clear coating!
• Your original model should be no less than 1mm thick to ensure reproduction of detail.
• For smaller pieces (under 1” diameter) there is a minimum order of 10 pieces per design.
• Allow 4-6 weeks to produce your initial order when a mold is being made. For reorders allow at least 3 weeks.
• Molds are stored at our casting facility for future orders unless and until you request that the mold be returned to you.
• A 3-8 piece production volume variance is typical of smaller pieces (either under or over the order quantity). Overages in excess of this amount will be brought to your attention for approval -otherwise you will be billed for, and receive overages.
• All pieces are made to order. We do not hold stock.
• Findings such as ear posts, pin backs, jump rings or hat (scatter) pins can be added for a nominal fee. Adding findings will increase the delivery time by 10-14 days.
• Initial orders must be prepaid. After the first order and with approved credit references, your orders may be paid at the time they ship or you pick them up.