Ultrasonic drilling of Pearls
A new contemporary jewelry design concept has arrived using ultrasonic technology to drill through soft Pearl.
When a carved shell nucleus is implanted into an oyster, the growing pearl takes on the same shape as the implanted shell. Cross shaped shell implants will create cross shaped pearls.
It’s nearly impossible to make a large drill hole in pearl due to the delicate layers of Nacre (Calcite, Aragonite, Conchiolin). High-speed spinning diamond drills used in lapidary today will rip apart the layers resulting in an ugly Pearl. This does not happen when using ultrasonic technology.
Ultrasonic technology allows for large clean drill holes to be made within the Pearl without destroying it. After ultrasonic drilling, a bead is assembled inside the drill hole giving a new style of contemporary jewelry never seen or attempted in the jewelry industry. The results are spectacular and affordable.
Ultrasonic technology allows a designer to make precision shaped holes in any hard rock and within the most difficult soft materials such as pearl.
As no one else in the world is accomplishing this design concept using ultrasonics, anyone owning an ultrasonic pearl jewelry item by Ultra Jewelry Design will be unique to this world.
The design concept and inspiration of machining star shaped holes in pearl came from observing ancient star shaped drill holes made in rock found all over the world.
These ancient drill holes were created by ultrasonics and today Jeffrey Appling is using the same ancient technology of ultrasonics to shape and drill stone beyond our conventional lapidary techniques.
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