Customer Reviews

Professional Goldsmithing : A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Jewelry Techniques

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is essentially a programmed course of instruction in jewelry fabrication. It is tightly focused on goldsmithing and nothing else - not casting, not stone setting, not surface treatments, just fabrication. This focus allows a thorough introduction to the field. The book uses a series of projects to develop your skills in an incremental fashion. The projects progress from a simple forged and soldered bracelet to an extremely challenging cluster ring. The project instructions are an artfully crafted combination of explanation, instruction, and full-color photographs. I used this book while taking a one-semester course in metals and it allowed me to work a full year beyond my expected performance level. This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful and effective "how-to" book I have ever seen, and rates about twice as good as the nearest example I have ever read in jewelry fabrication. Bear in mind that the author expects you to have a fairly well equipped jewelry shop available, including a rolling mill (flat, round and square wire rolls) a good torch and a drawbench with a good range of drawplates. I would still recommend going to a school to learn jewelry fabrication rather than trying to go it alone with just this book. Having said that, this is a wonderful book just to look at, even if you never build anything.

Full of tips which would take years to learn in the shop. Well written, good photos, lots of projects. A definite must for anyone working in gold or silver at any level.

What a brilliant piece of literature. Any person who has not used such a book as this is definitely missing out.The instructions and the models are very good, and useable, and will enable any who use this book to attain a very high degree of skill.

This is the most elaborated project book in jewelry that I know. The projects are detailed step by step at lenght. But this isn't a book for the beginner. It's projects require a studio well equiped, and this isn't the case of the absolute beginner, and a coach experienced, that may guide him trohough the lessons.

1st off a new edition is on the way with lots of new photos and 5 new chapers so don't get fleeced buying an over priced used copy.

Meanwhile, This is the single best choice for the intermediate to advanced jewler and even a beginner can learn much. Great step by step that is written so one can jump in a process and glean a specific skill without making the entire piece.

I've been making jewelry such as featured in this book for over 17 years and am a book hound. All the others are fighting it out for 2nd place as this rules the roost!

Can't wait for the new edition. Hurry up Alan!

Regards,

A number of the projects are well written and photographed, but at its current out-of-print price, these are costly lessons.
Money better spent on McCreight, Von Neumann, Codina, and Morton. The Penland or Untracht books are a much better value.
No granulation, mokume gane, or enameling?...a few of the more advanced processes are ignored.
Project 18 outlines the construction of a box clasp. Revere's method of laying-out the housing is fraught with difficulties, as the measurements and depth of filing, etc., require extreme precision to eventuate in a truly rectangular box. Carpenters understand this additive-error principle. There are better ways to do this. Figure P18-7 illustrates this, as the housing ready for soldering is not perfectly aligned.

Revere was reputedly coming out with a revised second edition, which would cost under $100.?

This is a well written project book in jewellery. The projects are detailed and well photographed, but not a book for the beginner. If you require books on methods and technical information I recommend 'Jewelry Concepts & Technology' by Oppi Untracht and 'Theory and Practice of Goldsmithing (Jewelry Crafts)'by Erhard Brepohl, which are better value for money.

This is my bible. It's very specifically designed for practical learning through a series of practical excercises, each one focused on one or two particular techniques. The finished result of each excercise is a beautiful, wearable piece of jewellery - and, for a student, it is, I think, the best of all books to learn from.

The true beauties and values of this book, however, lie in the appendixes and tables of measurements and how to calculate measurements, volumes, weights - and in the fact that I have always been able to find the answer to any particular problem I face at the bench somewhere in its pages. I lost my original, full colour copy, and have been reduced to a black and white edition. If you can get either, add it to your library.

This book is a gem. Pun intended. Gorgeous photographs and concise instructions combine to give the reader a lovely and interesting assistance into the complex world of goldsmithing , which Alan Revere knows initmately.
I especially appreciate the glossary and tool descriptions, which serve to beautifully strengthen both novice and veteran metal artists' cognitive arsenal. Wonderful beautiful volume, destined to be a classic for generations of fine jewelers and goldsmiths. Thank You Alan!!!

As of 13 May 2008 I was told by the Revere Academy that it will be another two years before the next edition of this wonderful book will be available....sigh. I worked from this book at a jewelry school in Manhattan and have been searching for it ever since. Another two years for the next edition is going to be way too long for this budding jeweler! I wish Alan would put it out to a bigger printing firm as I am convinced any amount of stock would fly off the shelf in no time at all as there is no other book of this calibre worth buying!