Private Organic Claw Setting Workshop: Wax Build-Up Technique

Discover the art of creating unique rings or pendant designs using the build-up wax technique!



2 hours Location Fitzroy Class size 1 on 1   $329 (Afterpay available)
Melbourne Activities
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Craft
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Jewellery Making Experience Gifts
Traditional Claw Settings & Organic Freeform Designs
In this private jewellery workshop, you'll learn how to create a unique ring or a pendant design using the build-up wax technique with a soldering iron. Explore both traditional claw settings and organic, free-form claw designs using the stone-in-place method, where your chosen gemstone is incorporated directly into your wax design.
Whether you're drawn to classic prongs or whimsical, nature-inspired forms, this workshop encourages you to experiment, develop your skills, and create a design that reflects your individual creativity.
A Growing Workshop Experience at jaf.elias
As jaf.elias continues to grow, so do our workshops!. We're expanding our teaching team and offering more class times to make our jewellery-making experiences more accessible while maintaining the private, personalised setting we're known for.
Although this is a private session, you're welcome to share the experience with your partner, friends or family! Simply send us a DM or submit a booking request with the number of people you'd like to attend, and we'll help arrange a session for your group.
Your workshop may be led by Jaf or one of our available instructors, depending on the schedule. Rest assured that every instructor has undergone training in Jaf's teaching methods and approach to jewellery making. While each teacher brings their own experience, creative strengths, and individual skills to the studio, they follow the same teaching principles and course structure established by Jaf.
This means you'll receive the same supportive, hands-on learning experience, with personalised guidance to help you develop your ideas and techniques at your own pace.
What You'll Learn
1. Welcome & Introduction
  • Introduction to lost-wax casting and the build-up wax technique.
  • Safety guidelines for working with wax soldering irons.
  • Overview of suitable gemstones for stone-in-place wax designs.
  • Examples of traditional claw settings and organic, free-form designs.
2. Demonstration: Traditional Claw Setting
  • Step-by-step demonstration of building a basic four-prong claw setting using wax and a soldering iron.
  • Understanding structure, symmetry, stone height, and attachment to a ring or pendant base.
  • Tips for creating stable settings and preparing your design for successful casting.
You'll begin your own piece using a ring mandrel or a flat acrylic sheet as your base. Choose a gemstone and start building a traditional claw setting around it.
3. Demonstration: Organic Claw Settings & Freeform Techniques
  • Learn how to use flowing, melted wax to create whimsical, organic, and asymmetrical claw designs.
  • Explore curved prongs, multiple stones, layered forms, and textured details.
  • Discover how to balance structural strength with artistic expression.
You'll then create your own organic design, which could become a nature-inspired ring, a unique pendant, or an abstract gemstone setting.
4. Individual Design Development & Refinement
  • Refine one or both of your designs, depending on your progress and preference.
  • Strengthen your structure, smooth joins, and refine your claws.
  • Check stone stability, proportions, and overall design balance.
  • Receive personalised, one-on-one guidance from your instructor to troubleshoot challenges and develop your work.
5. Finishing & Next Steps
  • Complete final touch-ups and check the thickness, stability, and proportions of your wax model.
  • Learn about the next stages of transforming your wax design into a finished piece of jewellery.
Important Information
This workshop focuses on wax modelling and design only. Casting, metal finishing, polishing, and preparation for collection will be handled by Jaf or her studio assistant, Harry, after the workshop.
Your wax model will be the foundation of your finished jewellery piece. As every design is individually handmade, the final result will reflect your chosen gemstone, creative decisions, and the unique qualities of your wax work.
Our promise: More instructors, more available class times, and the same personalised, private workshop experience that makes learning with jaf.elias special.

Upcoming dates for Private Organic Claw Setting Workshop: Wax Build-Up Technique

Times are Melbourne time. Dates and prices as of 28 Oct 2026, 4:09pm; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

11 upcoming dates between 2 Nov 2026 and 29 Dec 2026.

  • Mon 2 Nov 2026, 6:30pm-8:30pm
  • Tue 3 Nov 2026, 11:30am-1:30pm
  • Mon 9 Nov 2026, 11am-1pm
  • Tue 10 Nov 2026, 2pm-4pm
  • Wed 11 Nov 2026, 3:30pm-5:30pm
  • Mon 16 Nov 2026, 2:30pm-4:30pm
  • Mon 23 Nov 2026, 2pm-4pm
  • Mon 7 Dec 2026, 2pm-4pm
  • Wed 16 Dec 2026, 3pm-5pm
  • Fri 18 Dec 2026, 11am-1pm
  • Tue 29 Dec 2026, 11am-1pm
What you'll get
  • Wax soldering irons (temperature-controlled)
  • Assorted casting wax sticks and sheets
  • Ring mandrels, acrylic sheets, masking tape
  • Assorted stones suitable for stone-in-place casting (e.g., lab-created, nano, CZ)
  • Wax sculpting tools, scalpel, tweezers
  • Demo pieces for inspiration
  • The finished silver pieces
Knowledge required
Beginner-friendly. No prior experience needed.
Location

CLAW Creative, 120-122 Alexandra Parade, Fitzroy VIC

Private Organic Claw Setting Workshop: Wax Build-Up Technique location
Verified reviews

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Recent reviews of Private Organic Claw Setting Workshop: Wax Build-Up Technique

  • 5/5 from Oskar Holocene, attended Nov 2025: Right from the beginning, Jaf was so warm and welcoming. As a neurodiv person, it was such a breath of fresh air to finally have a teacher for a workshop who was asking the important and caring questions (so naturally too) to ensure I was comfortable. It's the little things that go so far in making a comfortable experience for someone like me being an NDIS participant. Whether it was with pacing, showing me around the studio, the level of sun light in my eyes, where my spot was originally placed versus what was more comfortable for me etc. This combined with Jaf's skills, passion, relaxed friendly energy and straight forward communication and guidance that wasn't the usual cookie cut "first you do this, then you do this", a made the activity and the craft as a whole very accessible and approachable. I had such an amazing time and highly highly recommend people do any of the workshops that Jaf has to offer. I'll definitely be back because I've for sure caught the wax casting bug! Thanks so much :)!
  • 5/5 from Olivia Hines, attended Jul 2025: Nice venue and lots of creative freedom with Jaf! Snacks and water were provided. Great value.
Your teacher

Jaf Elias
Jaf Elias

5.0 (46)
female Women-owned

Hi, I’m Jaf, the artist behind jaf.elias Jewels, a Contemporary Jewellery designer and artist based in Naarm (Melbourne). My work reflects the stories, emotions, and experiences that shape me. To me, jewellery is more than an art form; it is a language through which I express the intangible, the personal, and the deeply felt. I create pieces that go beyond adornment, becoming vessels for memory, spirituality, and transformation.
As an empath, I find inspiration in whimsical, fantastical, and magical realms, drawing on the beauty of imperfection, nostalgia, and the fleeting moments that shape our lives. My work invites people into these worlds, offering a space to connect with something beyond the ordinary.
My creative process is intuitive and deeply personal. I combine intricate hand fabrication and complex soldering with the free-flowing nature of lost wax casting, allowing metals to take on organic, unpredictable forms. This balance of precision and spontaneity gives my work a raw, almost ancient quality, as though each piece has been unearthed from another time, carrying its own history and mystery. I am drawn to textures, layers, and the interplay between polished surfaces and rugged, untouched edges.
Rings hold a particularly special place in my heart, rooted in childhood memories and the sentimental weight they carry. Beyond rings, I create jewellery that tells a story: pieces that feel like heirlooms from an imagined past, infused with meaning, wonder, and emotion.
Through my work, I hope to offer more than jewellery. I want to create small, wearable worlds that invite curiosity, evoke emotion, and remind us that even in the most delicate details, there is magic.
jaf.elias Jewellery Workshops
As my jewellery practice continues to grow, so does the interest in my workshops. To welcome more students and offer greater flexibility with class dates and times, I am expanding my teaching practice into "jaf.elias Jewellery Workshops".
This expansion means that, alongside teaching myself, I will be welcoming a small team of instructors trained by me to lead selected classes. Each instructor is guided by my teaching methods, techniques, and approach to jewellery making, ensuring that the quality and learning experience remain consistent across our workshops.
"The heart of the experience remains the same." Our classes continue to be held in a private, personal setting, with individual attention and guidance throughout your creative journey. Your instructor will depend on availability, but you can feel confident knowing that each teacher has been trained under my guidance and follows the same standards I have established.
With more instructors joining the workshops, we can offer more class dates and greater opportunities for you to explore jewellery making, develop new skills, and bring your creative ideas to life, all while keeping the intimate, hands-on experience that makes our workshops special.
Whether you're a complete beginner or an aspiring jeweller looking to develop your skills, there will be more opportunities to learn, experiment, and discover the magic of making jewellery by hand.
I look forward to welcoming you into our little world of creativity and sharing the art of jewellery making with you.
Achievements
  • Finalist, Profile 2025 Competition — Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia (JMGA NSW).
  • Featured in Radiant Pavilion — highlighting contemporary jewellery and the creative community in Naarm.
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class 0 V48I01Z33L 34c052b7f77f35dccea660a6ce51910d 1 production melbourne Melbourne VIC AU melbourne