How much is it???….Why does your resin jewellery cost THAT much?

If you’re new to KAZrobertson jewellery you might well be thinking this. It’s easy to look at things at face value, I mean it’s only plastic right?

But there is more to think about than just the material costs. What about the process, techniques, design time, experimentation? Not to mention the 6 years I spent at college (yes I could have been a doctor!) learning my trade and developing my skills, AND the over 20 years in business perfecting my technique and style. So I think my jewellery is priced very fairly!

 It’s okay though, if I didn’t live in this little resin jewellery world I would probably also be querying the price if I didn’t know ALL that went on behind the scenes too!

So I’m going to share with you some of my making process so you can understand and appreciate my jewellery as much as my KAZ fans do!

In the making  - the science part!

Everything begins with the resin. Yes, the smelly messy stuff. 

It’s hard to believe all my brightly coloured pieces actually start life as a clear liquid. The bright, bold colours come from pigments which are added to the clear resin. These coloured pigments can be mixed together so you can create your own custom palette.

I mix the resin with a catalyst and add my selected coloured pigments. This is then carefully stirred ensuring it is mixed correctly. This part of the process makes me feel like a mad scientist, as I’m prepped up in my PPE and standing at a big fume cabinet for extraction! You need to be very precise with your measurements, if not your resin won’t set correctly and you might be left with really sticky surfaces which are definitely not what you’re after. When mixing the resin you can’t do this too quickly or you produce air bubbles ( total pain!!!) And you also can’t be too slow as the resin only has a working time of around 20 minutes before it starts to thicken and set. The mixture when ready, is then poured into my silicone moulds and left to set.

The reaction between the resin and the catalyst makes the resin set hard. Once set (usually overnight, although it can take over 48 hours to fully cure.) The resin can be removed from the moulds, but the pieces are far from finished when they’re removed from the moulds. They are pretty rough and need a lot of work. But this is when the fun begins and  I can start to stamp a bit of KAZ personality into the material. 

To create my KAZ patterns, using my hand saw I saw in stripes or I can also drill in spots to the surface of the resin. These will then be inlaid with a contrasting resin colour, and again left to set.

Because of this setting process, I can’t work on one piece from start to finish so I always have lots of things on the go at one time all at different stages of creation.

Have a look at my Instagram highlights which give you a better idea of my work in progress.

The finish - it’s a labour of love!

It’s then time to finish the piece and this is the part that takes the longest and it’s not glamorous as I spend most of my time in a big mask to protect myself from the dust.

First, the excess resin needs to be carefully filed off, I do this stage using hand files.

Then working down several grades of wet and dry paper the piece is laboriously hand-sanded until I’ve produced a super smooth finish. This step is all about patience and precision. The finish of my pieces is something my customers often comment on and love!

If the piece is going to be part of a necklace, earrings, or brooch for example, it will need further work, making and fixing the appropriate fittings. Then it’s eventually ready to be worn!

Anything else you want to ask me?

I love talking about my work, so if there’s anything else you’re curious about—whether it’s the materials, the process, or the inspiration behind my designs—just ask! 

Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about what goes into making my jewellery. I hope it helps you see the value beyond the price, and maybe start your own KAZ collection!

Have a look at the collection and see if you’re tempted!