Why are Tanzō-method wedding bands preferred?
Why Your Wedding Bands Manufacturing Methods Matter
When purchasing your wedding ring, we often contemplate between designs, brands, and materials.
How about changing your perspective and choosing a wedding ring based on the manufacturing methods?
Two Types of Wedding Bands Manufacturing Methods:
Forging and Casting
Although not widely known, the two main methods of manufacturing wedding rings are forging and casting. Read on to learn more about these two manufacturing methods.
What is Forging (Tanzō)?
金属を叩いて鍛える
Striking & Forging of Metal
密度が高く丈夫な仕上がり
High Density
金属の輝きが生きる
High Metal Brilliance
The forging process is a traditional manufacturing method that originated in Germany and has been around in Japan for centuries. It involves compressing a mass of metal, softening it by applying heat, and cutting, hammering, and stretching it repeatedly with a roller or hammer to form the ring.
The forging process requires considerable time, skill, and experience. With that said, it is a time-consuming and costly process. Rings forged with this method are more durable and have a high degree of precision.
The wax casting method relies on pouring metal into a mould, similar to making chocolates with mould.
Before working on the actual ring, a resin prototype is generated using a 3D printer, followed by the mould being created based on the form of the prototype. Once the mould is ready, precious metal is heated, poured into the mould, and cooled to form the jewellery.
What is Casting?
Pros & Cons of Forging
Advantage #1: Durable
The primary benefit of forging is strength. Forging is forming metal by applying pressure or beating it into shape. When force is applied to the metal, unwanted air bubbles and gases are knocked out, the interior is crimped, and crystals are oriented. As a result, the metal becomes stronger.
Wedding rings made by the forging process have the great advantage of high density and hardness and are resistant to pressure and deformation.
Advantage #2: A Comfortable Fit
The advantage of forged wedding rings is that they are comfortable to wear on the finger because the hard forged surface can be polished carefully to enhance the brilliance and create a smooth surface finish. They are also characterised by their weight and the firmness of the metal's density.
Advantage #3: One-of-a-kind
Forging is a manufacturing method where each piece of jewellery is made one at a time, creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Since no prototype is required and each piece is formed directly from precious metal ingots, it is easy to change the width and thickness of each piece and customised them to your liking.
Disadvantage of Forging
The disadvantage of the forging process is the difficulty in creating complex shapes because of the process of forming and cutting by beating. Another demerit point of the forging process is that it is unsuitable for mass production, such as making many identical shapes at a lower cost, because no prototype is employed.
Pros & Cons of Casting
Advantages of Casting
During casting, molten material is poured into the mold cavity. This process allows complex designs to be accomodated, such as finely patterned or wavy ring designs.This high degree of freedom is a major advantage of the casting process. Another significant advantage is that it is suited for mass production. With a single mould, several rings of the same design can be made simply by repetition of the process of pouring, cooling, and hardening metal.
Disadvantages of Casting
Casting is a process in which molten metal is poured directly into a mould. Since the process of forging the metal is absent, the density is uneven, and crystals are not oriented similarly. In addition, air bubbles can enter the metal during the pouring process, creating small holes inside the metal, known as "su" in technical terminology. As a result, the finished ring is less durable than forged rings, and it will be difficult for these finished rings to have high precision, which is a disadvantage.
Discover both Forging and Casting options at FUJIMORI KAJITA Bridal.
If you are looking for durable bands suitable for everyday wear or rings with delicate detailings and melee diamond accents, explore your design options with us at FUJIMORI KAJITA Bridal.
Book an appointment with our jewellery advisors and allow us to assist you in choosing your forever keepsakes!
