Ask the Experts: How to Determine Whether Bench Jewelry is Handmade 

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When it comes to artisan jewelry, what actually counts as “handmade?” The question isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Tom and Kay Benham unpack the definition of “handmade jewelry” according to various sources. They also discuss how jewelry made using CAD and CAM techniques fit in.

Tom and Kay led our “Ask the Experts” column for years, and we were so sad to lose Tom in 2021. We’ll continue to share some of their most helpful tips from the pages of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist with you here, to continue spreading their knowledge. We also welcome new questions! —Tammy Honaman, Interweave Director of Content

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Can Handmade Jewelry be Created with CAD/CAM?

Q: After reviewing her pretty creations on her selling website recently, I asked a jewelry designer/student/seller this: “Are your items handmade/hand fabricated?” She replied via email that yes, indeed, all her pieces were “hand fabricated.” In the About section of her website, though, she describes her studies at a school in the U.K., mentioning she is studying and using CAD/CAM and that she sends her pieces to a stone setter.  

Image above: An artist making a ring. Photo provided by Tom & Kay Benham.

Is it accurate for her to describe her pieces as hand fabricated? I am very interested in the correct terminology and usage in the market for my own endeavors in the future. I, too, am a student of jewelry making and want to be very straightforward and honest in my doings, especially in selling. I think this is a very important issue to understand well. —G. Dunn, Hawaii

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A: We agree with you that this subject is a hot topic that warrants discussion and understanding.

What Does “Handmade” Mean?

First let’s look at handmade. In general terms, such as this definition provided by Wikipedia, handmade jewelry is “jewelry which has been assembled and formed by hand rather than through the use of machines.”  

But what can you claim as handmade if you sell your work? For this purpose, we turned to the guidelines of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In order to be stamped or called “handmade” in United States, the work must be made solely by hand power or hand guidance. [Authority: Sec. 6, 5, 38 Stat. 721, 719; 15 U.S.C. 46, 45. Source: 61 FR 27212, May 30, 1996, unless otherwise noted.] This means that jewelry may be made using drills, lathes, or other machinery, but it must be guided by the human hand. This precludes the use of punch presses, CNC machinery, and casting, to name a few processes the use of which would make the jewelry not qualify as “handmade.” Beyond that, handmade jewelry can be made from any material and with a wide variety of techniques.  

Related: The Shoulders of Goldsmiths

Unfortunately, lacking any “jewelry police,” the debate over what determines what is handmade or hand fabricated is destined to continue. In the absence of any universally recognized standards, there are only opinions, and it seems that everyone involved in this industry has his or her own. I’m afraid we don’t have a definitive answer for you, but we urge you to comply with what guidance the FTC does provide and set standards as much higher than that as you wish.  

What About CAD/CAM?

As for CAD/CAM, these are two different techniques. CAD is computer-aided drawing or drafting. It is important to realize that CAD programs will not design jewelry for you, they will only take your creative inputs and quickly generate a graphic representation on your monitor. It’s like a computer—it won’t write your next great novel, it will only print out what you enter.  

We love working with CAD because it allows us the freedom to draw a simple basic design and then experiment with changing any of the basic elements to see how the new variations look. Redrawing these variations by hand could consume many hours, but the CAD system helps you redraw them so quickly that you can redraw and analyze dozens of your creative variations in an hour. The programs also allow you to save them in a file for future review and use. 

CAM is computer-aided manufacturing, a process wherein a special computer code is used to control a manufacturing machine such as a milling machine or lathe to make the same part repeatedly. There is no way this process can be construed as handmade or hand fabricated. So, we are always very careful to separate and explain the difference between CAD and CAM. CAM has a large role in the jewelry industry, but not in the handmade segment, at least in our humble opinion. 

Related: From 3D Printed Ceramics to 3D Printing Jewelry

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Ask the Experts

Do you have a burning jewelry making question? Send it to iwbeadjewelry@goldenpeakmedia.com with the subject line “Ask The Experts.” Your question and answer may appear in an online article. 

Excerpt from Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist December 2017

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Create Handmade Jewelry with CAD