He's also made some claims about they are not die pressed. But we know they are not die cast. Every professional jeweler says it wasn't dome back then, and isn't in use now. just not a good way to make jewelry , especially rings..
So how are the made? Honestly,,I don't know.. I used to think die pressed, because of the slip of a tool on the left Sig Rune left a big gash at its bottom. commonly called a die flaw... But tony says NO. They are from a mold,,and probably up to 3 molds IF I understand right [?]. OK, SO why is the flaw there. It could be fixed in a minuet if from some sort of mold for investment cast or lostwax. But Tony is not saying yet exactly how. Why leave the flaw there after the first batch? Thats a question I have..............
He also says the HR is
NOT a mass produced ring!
.... What is mass produced. How many?.. Many Private Purchase [from now on known as PP here] rings were made less than 1 thousand.
You take a kind of common ring,,one of the WestWall patterns. I know from an interview I did years ago for my project that the company that owned the master die made 500. Then knowing it was a popular design after selling out would sell the working dies to other firms that wanted to sell the ring. [Not all companies especially the real small ones did not employ a die cutter]. They would buy a working die at a good price and could make many many rings before it got worn or broke.. silver and brass are soft and were the 2 main materials used for PP rings and don't forget the HR is mainly silver according to the tests. But we're getting away from the original question,,,what is mass produced. So with some working dies out there, they too would do 500 or so to see if they will sell. A couple companies doing that and you could have a 1000 or 2 made it its patterns lifetime..
Once the market flooded and a lot of kids and people have them they fall out of favor and time for the next style! A couple thousand ]if that] and that pattern is done..
SO,, The Honor ring. Made from 33 [but not many that year and 34. ] But figure 35 to 44. Less than 10 years....
Thousands were made.. Don or someone figured it out. IF someone knows the guesstimate PLEASE post here,,,,whatever it is 3 thousand? more? ,,,that is mass produced my friends,,ask any jeweler,, For a specific pattern that remains the same design and only certain people got them,,not something you can go out and buy ,
a few thousand IS mass produced......
Well getting late,,so thats it for now... I'll continue tomorrow.. AND please,,if any of you would like to post and not be spoken to rudely which has been happening over there the last few pages please do. Questions? Answers? theories? ALL welcome here and will be addressed respectfully...If not at least we'll have the questions for posterity with no name calling and disrespect and the collectors can make up their own mind.. You see a microscope isn't always needed. The love for the hobby, years of study and yes sometimes some simple common sense will answer way more that microscopes and expen$ive tests.. The hobby has been around a long time without them. And it IS good to have them,, I'm not saying they aren't,,and I do appreciate Tonys tests. But the questions come from inquisitive minds..not computers etc.
I thank you members...,Gaspare
