Polishing
Polishing is a set of extremely precise finishing operations, it’s a profession that consists in restoring the brilliance of jewelry pieces.
For that purpose, the master polisher comes in last and adds his “magic touch”, removing all imperfections and roughness to achieve a flawless appearance..
Polishing operations are usually very long, tedious and require special know-how… The master polisher has to combine very precise manual work (to protect the non-metallic parts of the piece), with mechanical work (using machines), and has at his disposal various tools such as barrels, brushes and boxwood for deburring and filing.
A jewel piece is generally subject to important aesthetic and characteristic constraints ; the polisher ensures control, compliance with safety rules and application of instructions to meet customer expectations. He refers to documentation and technical handbooks to meet the needs of his contacts.
Before proceeding with polishing, he identifies the necessary operations, the tools to be used, the finishing techniques to be applied (sandblasting, brightening or coloring) and the type of cleaning (stripping, degreasing or washing). Then, using his workbench and the various tools at his disposal, he abrades the jewel and cleans it to refine the details, before ensuring quality control and machine maintenance.
As with all HBJO professions, polishing requires a great deal of artistic flair and creativity.
To work in this glittering profession, there is a strong need for dexterity, methodology and ability to concentrate.