Hello, this is Maedo, one of the concierges at ith.
Welcome to our "Concierge's Ring Creation Blog" series, where we share insights into the real-world process of ring-making that our concierges learn in the workshop.
In this edition, I’ll write about the milgrain process, as taught to me by our skilled artisan, Mr. Arai.
I hope you enjoy reading along.
The Charm of Milgrain
First, let me explain the characteristics and appeal of milgrain.
Milgrain is a decorative technique that originated about 150 years ago, often found in antique jewellery that remains cherished today.
The term “mil” means a thousand, and milgrain translates to "a thousand grains."
The continuous pattern of tiny beads symbolises eternity, making it a fitting decoration for wedding and engagement rings.
Because it enhances the design without appearing overly flashy, many customers who visit our atelier fall in love with milgrain and choose to incorporate it into their bespoken rings.
This photo shows my own engagement ring, which I created after becoming a concierge. When I thought, “Let’s design a ring I truly love!” I immediately knew milgrain was the perfect choice.
Even during self-directed practice in the workshop, I hesitated to try milgrain because of its intricate and challenging nature. But with encouragement from Mr. Arai, I finally decided to take on the challenge.
Tools Used for Milgrain
To achieve milgrain, specific tools are required.
These tools are essential for engraving patterns or setting stones.
Time to Get Hands-On!
With a basic understanding of the milgrain process, I began practising!
The first step is selecting the right size of milgrain tool and making a single bead on the ring’s edge.
This initial bead becomes the reference point for the rest of the process.
Next, I carve a parallel groove along the edge of the ring, matching the size of the bead.
Since this is all done by hand, carving a straight line into metal is itself a challenging task.
Following the groove, I used the milgrain tool to press beads one by one along the line.
Careful attention was needed to maintain consistent spacing and avoid overlapping beads.
After engraving about 20 beads, the milgrain pattern began to take shape.
It took me about an hour to get to this point, and my eyes were feeling the strain from working under a microscope.
Feeling confident, I showed my work to Mr. Arai.
“It’s starting to look like milgrain! But let me show you some tips to make it even more beautiful,” he said, demonstrating the technique.
Mr. Arai shared several crucial tips for achieving flawless milgrain:
- ・Ensure the dome inside the milgrain tool is polished to perfection
- ・Maintain consistent depth while carving grooves with the tool
- ・Apply even pressure with the tool to create uniform beads
- ・Avoid distorting the groove line after pressing the beads
What struck me the most was the importance of consistent pressure.
Uneven force can result in misaligned or distorted beads, which compromise the overall beauty of the design.
Let’s compare the milgrain work that Mr. Arai demonstrated as a sample with the milgrain work I did.
The top row shows my beads, while the bottom row displays Mr. Arai’s.
Though we used the same size of milgrain tool, my beads appeared larger and less aligned.
The milgrain crafted by Mr. Arai is so beautifully aligned that it's hard to tell it was done by hand.
“The tool has been pressed in too deeply. The extra force squashes the surrounding metal, making the beads look uneven,”
“Each type of metal has a different hardness, so the force needed to press the tool varies. Since the material for this ring is silver, it should be possible to achieve a beautiful result without applying so much force.” explained Mr. Arai.
The rings that customers actually order are typically made of platinum or gold.
In particular, pink gold contains a higher proportion of copper, making it a harder metal. As a result, it requires more force to press the tool compared to materials like platinum.
Based on Mr. Arai's advice, I am determined to try again and improve the precision of my milgrain work.
Recalling the demonstration Mr. Arai showed me, I focus on mimicking the pressure applied when pressing the milgrain tool and the way it is moved. Strike after strike, I practice with care.
To avoid over-pressing the tool and crushing the metal around each bead, I concentrate on maintaining consistent pressure for each strike, moving forward with focus and determination.
Because small decorations are accumulated step by step, I realized how important it is to control the force applied.
As I worked by hand, I could see each delicate sparkle emerge one by one, which filled me with excitement.
Here is the milgrain I attempted after learning key points from Mr. Arai.
Compared to my first attempt, the milgrain became a bit more refined, but I still have a long way to go before achieving a truly beautiful finish.
Experiencing milgrain firsthand made me realize how much more delicate and persistent the process is than I had imagined.
The fact that everything is done by hand highlights the level of skill required to make it look beautiful. Furthermore, I came to appreciate how much focus is necessary to apply milgrain evenly around an entire ring.
By understanding the milgrain process, I gained even greater affection for my engagement ring. It was truly a meaningful and invaluable experience.
The "Concierge's Ring Making Blog" series shares the real-world experiences of concierges learning the craft in the workshop. This time, the article focused on the process of "milgrain." I hope you found it enjoyable!
In the next post, I’ll explore "stardust finishing."
Please look forward to it.
Concierge: Maedo
