A Traditional Technique, Done by Hand
Traditional setting methods, carried into modern jewellery.
What is the "Technique"?
Most jewellery today is made using casting. In this method, the setting is formed first, using a mold, and the stone is later placed into a fixed structure. Casting allows for speed and repetition, which is why it dominates mass production. The process is efficient, but it leaves little room for adjustment and relies on material thickness rather than precision for strength.
Bolek’s stone pieces are made differently. Instead of forcing a stone into a pre-formed setting, the gold is shaped around the stone by hand. The setting responds to the stone, not the other way around. This approach requires time, control, and experience, and it cannot be automated or standardised. Strength comes from tension and accuracy rather than excess material, resulting in pieces that are lighter, more refined, and built to last.
We intentionally do not disclose every technical step. What matters is not the method itself, but the outcome: stones that sit securely, settings that age well, and jewellery that carries the trace of the hand that made it.
“We decided to work with Bolek because of their hand-wrapped stone technique & colorful stones It’s what sets their jewellery apart.”
— Retail partner from Netherlands
What is the difference?
Most jewellery today is made using casting. One model is created, a mould is taken, and hundreds of identical pieces are produced from that single form. In this process, even the part that holds the stone the seat, prongs, or surrounding walls is cast in advance.
At Bolek, we chose a different approach.
We do not cast the parts that hold the stone. Instead, we form and wrap solid gold wire by hand around each individual stone. The stone is placed in front of the artisan, and the gold is shaped, compressed, and adjusted specifically for that stone not copied from a mould.
Casting produces metal by pouring it into a shape. Hand-wrapping produces metal by working it. When gold is bent and formed by hand, its structure becomes denser and naturally harder. This results in a stronger setting, fewer weak points, and a more secure hold over time.
Every hand-wrapped setting is slightly different, because every stone is slightly different. That difference is intentional. It means the piece was built, not reproduced.
It’s the difference between something that comes out of a mould
and something that’s been worked, tested, and refined by human hands.
Our signature collection
This collection was selected for its hand-wrapped stone technique.