Eye clean, loupe clean or...

[Gemsetterchris]

What seems the standard these days? Has it upgraded with more people becoming aware of details thanks to microscope filming & internet ability to view close up work?
I don't know of any goldsmiths working under microscope but I notice the setter needs to these days to keep up with what's expected...your thoughts?

Quite a lot of soldering work looks quite grim magnified yet that seems not to matter


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[Dennis]

Well getting into Photoshop did it for me, because once you crop your photo you also enlarge it disclosing all the cruddy defects. Patstone Has already said she inspects her work on a photograph before finishing it.

Once I saw a strange object on my photo and realised that it was a ball of shot trapped after tumbling. As for getting a microscope, that would be a luxury too far. Dennis.

[Gemsetterchris]

Back in the day, we all worked by eye & only the top manufacturers louped work..nowadays even run of the mill setting jobs are jumped on even though the mount quality doesn't match up.
Worse still, the overall job looks fine to the eye, which is the whole point!
I am aware that consumers are abit more knowledgeable due to technology..but I think It's getting abit ridiculous
I must add I do like messing around with details no-one can see at my own expense..that's why I never say I'm "working" only setting.
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[SilverBouillon]

Well getting into Photoshop did it for me, because once you crop your photo you also enlarge it disclosing all the cruddy defects.

I use macro settings in my camera for it taking pictures under daylight. It works so well for me, so I'm not happy yet with anything I try to make Now I'm trying to take pictures of pre-polished things to see what will be a nasty scratch after final polish. I do so many scratches so far.
But I calmed down about all of it, just patient and keep practicing.

[Gemsetterchris]

Trying to get a great job to look good in a closeup pic is an art in itself..I gave up & use "arty" instagram ones now for less hassle

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[Wallace]

I have several lens types, but have an optitions appointment booked for getting something that is going to work close up. I couldn't afford a scope unless there was a sale and I was lucky like Peter. But, in saying that. I am happy with what I do and so are my customers. So for the sake of my loupes, optisight and optilight I am doing all I need to for now. I won't go down the smaller than the 1mm that I set, but imagine it would be fun to do with something that gave you mega vision.

[ps_bond]

Back in the day, we all worked by eye & only the top manufacturers louped work..nowadays even run of the mill setting jobs are jumped on even though the mount quality doesn't match up.

I've seen Hans Meevis comment to the effect that if you aren't setting by scope in Germany, you aren't setting. Surely it has to depend upon price point?

Worse still, the overall job looks fine to the eye, which is the whole point!

Yup - if it looks clean under a loupe, it'll look perfect to the eye.

I am aware that consumers are abit more knowledgeable due to technology..but I think It's getting abit ridiculous

Again, price? If it is a piece worth (or costing anyway) eg £50k, then the labour needs to be pretty good to justify the cost - and I suppose being able to blow a picture up to A3 and not see a flaw goes with the value of the piece.

If it's £200, then it isn't really justified. But then there's the pride in getting the job done as perfectly as possible.

[medusa]

I got so horrified at my soldering after seeing blow ups that I stopped using it on my collars and just used cold connections for a while.

Like Pete says, if you are spending thousands on a piece, then you would expect pristine settings, mounts and overall manufacturing, but for a couple of hundred quid you wouldn't.

Also, and I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I kinda like slight imperfection. It gives something a human touch.

[Petal]

I've been beating myself on the head for the last few months for the quality of my work. I'd assessed it before Christmas under my magnifying glass and didn't like what I saw. The links of my maille looked unclosed and I just wasn't happy with it. I've also spent some time researching other maille sites and comparing my jewellery to the competition. I saw badly closed rings and really badly taken photographs, blurred etc. I find it hard to accept any flaws in my work and feel that once someone sees a jumpring that is slightly open in a photograph, that they will not want to buy, but perhaps I need to be less critical. (I still want my rings to be perfect though...).

[medusa]

I think something like chainmaille must drive you mad if you wanted completely perfect closures. I don't think I've ever seen a closeup of any sizable piece where the links were even nearly perfect. Its good to aim for perfection though