Resin jewelry is made from liquid plastic that magically turns solid when a hardener is added. Resin is quite a versatile medium for jewelry. It can be cast into virtually any shape or color, and can also be painted. The popularity of this material for jewelry making has soared with the introduction of easy-to-mix, low-odor products. Resin is being increasingly used by manufacturers to make ethnic fashion jewelry items.
Resin and Aluminum Bracelet
7-1/2" length bracelet of 3/4" aluminum squares with interior shapes filled with resin.
Polyester Resin
Polyester resin is the most commonly used resin. It is normally clear, but with a green tint. It can be tinted in various transparent and opaque colors using special pigments, and it comes in both laminating and casting formulas. The hazard is that polyester resin has a very offensive odor while casting, and the process is toxic because of the use of cross-linking agents and catalysts, dilutants, and accelerators.
Resin and Silver Pendant
Aluminum 1" frame with silver interior pattern
Epoxy Resin
Epoxies are much more expensive than polyesters, and they have better temperature tolerance than polyester and are stronger. The epoxy compound ingredients are mixed in different rations to create different formulations. They can be tinted or colored with various pigments in opaque and almost transparent colors. They produce the least odor of all resins.
Fabric and Resin Jewelry
Stunning, unique pieces featuring bright fabric underneath glossy resin
Made in Mexico
Taxco el Viejo is a small village in the silver-rich mountains of Guerrero state. The Union Progresista Artesanal (UPA) was founded in 1986 by twenty-six jewelry makers who set the following goals: 1) to raise family incomes by producing and marketing their products collectively, 2) to promote community development projects, 3) to share the principles of cooperation and self-improvement.
The Casting Process
Casting is done using a mold. Resin is generally cast as a pourable liquid or it can be laid up - laminated by hand with reinforcing cloth of glass or carbon fiber. Most of the resin can be cast using flexible molds of polysulfide and urethane.
Rigid molds of plaster, fiberglass, metal, or wood can also used. A separator coat is usually applied to the mold so the resin can be separated with ease after it has hardened. Silicone molds are the most convenient and appropriate, because they are flexible and need no separator coat.
SOURCES
Resin Fashion Jewelry
Fashion Jewelry Manufacturers
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