The same basic lost-wax casting and molding techniques that are used for producing bronze sculpture are also applicable to making jewelry items. Silver, gold, and bronze behave very similarly, and jewelry can be thought of as sculpture on a different scale, with people rather than pedestals for displaying them. With the acquisition of lapidary skills and equipment, I was able to enhance my jewelry pieces with stones shaped to fit the designs I developed, rather than having to design around pre-shaped gems.