Wax carving workshop in Lisbon where you sculpt your own ring design in wax using a technique that has been at the heart of fine jewellery making for centuries. Over three hours, guided by specialist artisans from Ignis Jewellery, you work with different types of wax and professional tools to shape a ring that is entirely yours, learning to check measurements, understand the differences between wax types and calculate the estimated silver weight of your finished piece. No prior jewellery experience needed.
The process is both technical and deeply personal. You begin by exploring the wax, understanding how it responds to different tools and approaches, before moving into the sculpting itself. Lia and her team guide you through every step, from the first cut to the finished wax model, explaining the lost wax casting tradition and how your piece will be transformed into silver after the session. The optional silver casting is available at an additional cost depending on weight, typically between 45 and 120 euros with an average of 60 euros, and your finished silver piece will be ready within two to four weeks.
What you’ll learn
💍 The principles and history of lost wax casting in fine jewellery
💍 How to work with different types of jewellery wax using professional tools
💍 How to sculpt and refine a wax ring model from scratch
💍 How to check ring measurements and calculate estimated silver weight
💍 How your wax model is transformed into a finished silver piece through casting
What’s included
🪡 All wax types, tools and materials for the full session
🪡 Specialist guidance from Ignis Jewellery artisans throughout
🪡 Your finished wax ring model to take home or send to casting
🪡 Optional silver casting available at additional cost (typically 45 to 120 euros)
What you leave with
A wax ring model sculpted entirely by your own hands, and if you choose casting, a finished silver piece ready in two to four weeks, a genuinely timeless object made from scratch in Lisbon.
I am Lia Nogueira, founder of Ignis Jewellery, a maker’s brand where every piece is designed and built by hand using ancestral techniques to tell contemporary stories. At Ignis we believe that creating a piece of jewellery is never just about the object. It is about the memory that goes into making it and the individuality it carries from that moment forward. That is the feeling we bring to every workshop.
This experience is ideal for solo travellers, couples and groups of friends looking for something creative and meaningful to take home from Portugal. No prior experience with jewellery or wax carving needed.