Our Process

Explore our diverse collections of jewelry, recognized for its timeless styles and exceptional heirloom quality.

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Forecasting

Our lead designer, Liza Connolly, pairs traditional forecasting with her passion for gemstones and diamonds.  This allows her to create jewelry that reflects trends, while honoring the timeless design principles of fine jewelry.  To do so, she monitors runway fashion and celebrity trends, filtering out looks with short expiration dates.  She also brings her own sense of design and sophistication to the collection.

Swatching

While a fashion designer swatches fabric, Liza swatches stones and precious metals to create the unique collections at David Connolly. In addition to a vast collection of 16 stocked minerals, all of which are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, she also draws on David’s personally curated collection of posh gemstones. This collection of stones includes rare minerals, beautiful uncommon colors, and breathtaking cuts.

Sketching

The creative process culminates in Liza’s final sketch.  Acting as a blueprint to take the design from concept to creation, her sketches instruct the CAD designers exactly how to create the jewelry.  Critical measurements are provided for design elements, stone shapes, stone sizes, as well as any delineation between two-tone elements that will need to be created as separate pieces.

Engineering

At David Connolly, our CAD designer is a digital craftsman. With a working knowledge of jewelry engineering, the CAD designer is challenged with translating the beauty of the design sketch into a piece of jewelry with the highest level of structural integrity. Once the CAD is complete, Liza reviews it to ensure her creative elements are translated in accordance with her original vision.  Design edits may be required before the final model is 3D printed.

Creating

A 3D printed wax model of the design is used to create a metal model.  As in die striking, like a Master Die, the metal model is never used for a finished piece of jewelry.  Rather, a mold is made of that model in which all future castings will be made.  Should a mold wear out, the model can be used to create a new mold.  This allows for continuity of the design. Retired models are held in storage until they are either reactivated for a retro jewelry collection or needed to replace a lost family heirloom.

Finishing

At last, the casting is pulled from the mold!  With its rough edges and dulled facade, the David Connolly team, including polishers, jewelers, setters, and stone buyers, work together to bring the design to life. They reveal the luster of the metal, the brilliance of the diamonds, the rich colors of the gemstones, and ultimately, the overall beauty of the design.

Our Process

Explore our diverse collections of jewelry, recognized for its timeless styling and exceptional heirloom quality.

right arrow
rotational animation of the jabel process of creating jewelry

Forecasting

Our lead designer, Liza Connolly pairs traditional forecasting with her passion for gemstones and diamonds.  This allows her to create jewelry that reflect trends, while honoring the timeless design principals of fine jewelry.  To do so, she monitors runway fashion and celebrity trends, filtering out looks with short expiration dates.  She also brings her own sense of design and sophistication to the collection.

Swatching

While a fashion designer swatches fabric, at David Connolly, Liza swatches stones and precious metals. In addition to a vast collection of 16 stocked minerals, all of which are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, she may also draw on David’s personally curated collection of posh gemstones.  This collection of stones includes rare minerals, beautiful uncommon colors, as well as breathtaking cuts.

Sketching

The creative process culminates in Liza’s final sketch.  Acting as a blue print to take the design from concept to creation, it instructs the CAD designers exactly how to create the jewelry.  Critical measurements are provided for design elements, stone shapes, stone sizes, as well as any delineation between two tone elements that will need to be created as separate pieces.

Engineering

At David Connolly, our CAD designer is a digital craftsman.  With a working knowledge of jewelry engineering, it is the CAD designers challenge to translate the beauty of the design sketch into a piece of jewelry with the highest level of structural integrity. Once the CAD is complete, Liza will review the design to ensure her creative elements translated in accordance with her original vision.  Design edits may be required before the final model is 3D printed.

Creating

A 3D printed wax model of the design is used to create a metal model.  As in die striking, like a Master Die, the metal model is never used for a finished piece of jewelry.  Rather, a mold is made of that model for which all future castings will be made in.  Should a mold wear out the model can be used to create a new mold.  This allows for continuity of the design.  Retired models are held in storage, till either it is reactivated for a retro jewelry collection, or should a family heirloom be lost and need replacement.

Finishing

At last, the casting is pulled from the mold!  With its rough edges and dulled facade, the David Connolly team, including polishers, jewelers, setters, and stone buyers work together to bring the design to life. They reveal the luster of the metal, the brilliance of the diamonds, rich colors of the gemstones, and ultimately, the overall beauty of the design.