How Do They Make Fingerprint Jewellery? | Creating Unique Fingerprints on Jewelry

Instructions for taking Fingerprint Moulds

A fingerprint captured in Silver is a lovely memento for any Parent and an extremely popular gift-item. However, please be sure to inform your customers that children younger than 6 months do not have a well defined fingerprint. Therefore, there may be little or no detail in children under 6 months of age. However, there will be a unique fingerprint impression belonging to the particular child. Sometimes, older Babies, even up to a year old can have undefined fingerprints, particularly if they are premature or fairly dainty! Every Child is different! Please make your customers aware that you cannot be held responsible for any lack of definition, due to the Baby’s age.

Taking The Fingerprint Moulds

We suggest that you take two fingerprint moulds from each child, so that you can work from the best mould.

1. Ensure the baby’s fingers are clean and dry before starting. Also it is advised to ensure the child’s nails are cut. (Please also ensure that you haveclean/dry hands).
2. Take out a small amount of Silcone Moulding Compound from the white pot and roll it into a ball. We recommend around 5mls of each for a small child’s print. (This is around the size of mushy pea - but about half the size of a Malteser!)
3. Do the same for the blue pot (but please keep the blue and white completely separate until you are ready to start taking the mould! Because, as soon as the blue and white compound combines, it will begin to set).
4. Repeat step 2 again, so that you have four balls of putty – two blue and two white! Please ensure that they are all equal in size – even if it means discarding a little from some of the balls.
5. Take one white ball of putty and one blue ball of putty and mix together using your fingers, or roll between your hands, until it is a consistent pale blue colour. Take care to ensure that it is mixed evenly, with no streaks (light or dark patches) or bumps. Once it is mixed it will start to harden so is important to move to the next stage quickly! If the putty starts to set before making the impression then the fingerprint will lack definition.
6. Once the putty is evenly mixed, roll it between your palms to make a smooth ball.
7. Pop the ball of putty on a sheet of paper or card, using a placemat or book as support qnd then press your baby’s chosen finger into the ball and hold forabout 30-40 seconds. Keep the child’s finger straight (it is recommended to use the index finger but you can use any finger or thumb!)
8. Press the finger deep into the putty without going the whole way through – this gives a nice deep impression for you to work with. Beware not to press to hard through to the table or surface though, otherwise this would result in a flat, distorted fingerprint mould
9. If you are unhappy with the fingerprint or if you do go all the way through the mould then start again by rolling it into a ball. (Although, be aware that it may start to set very quickly now - in which case the putty will become hard and unusable, in which case you will need to return to step 2.
10. Repeat steps 2- 6 with the remaining two balls of putty (so that you end up with two sets of moulds per child)
11. Now – you will need to allow the moulds to set for about 10 minutes. (setting time will depend upon the temperature of the room or atmosphere). Ideally,
12. leave the moulds to set for at least 10-12 minutes without moving them.
13. Do not be tempted to pick the moulds up before they have set, otherwise you will distort the shape
14. The moulds will be ready and safe to pick up, when they are completely firm and you can press your fingernail onto the outside of the mould without making an indentation.
15. For safe-keeping, particularly if you are taking multiple moulds at an event we recommend you taking the prints on small piece of card (or Teflon Sheet) labeled with the child’s name. This way you won’t loose track of whose fingerprint belongs to whom whilst they are setting
16. Then when the moulds have set, we suggest that you put the moulds from each child into a clear grip-seal bag, clearly labelled with the child’s name and
17. order number.
18. Staple the grip seal bag (containing the moulds) to the appropriate orde form in your receipt or order book, so that they do not get lost
19. File all of your Customers moulds in a safe place, preferably in some sort of order, either alphabetically or by order number until you are ready to start making the Jewellery.

Making the Reverse Fingerprint Moulds

1. Prepare your work-table and lay-out all of the original fingerprint moulds that you now wish to create Jewellery from. Make sure that you place each of the moulds on a card, Teflon sheet, or on the grip-seal bag detailing the child’s name. (If you are working on several items at a time – you do not want to risk forgetting whose fingerprint mould belongs to whom!)
2. When you are ready - mix together equal quantities of the blue and white Silicon Fingerprint Moulding Compound (as before) until well blended, with no streaks or bumps, as described earlier).
3. To make a reverse mould of the child’s fingerprint – you will need to push this ball of mixed silicone mould into the child’s original mould, as demonstrated during your Fingerprint Jewelery Training Course.
4. To avoid air-bubbles, we suggest pushing the ball of putty from one side of the original mould, smoothing it firmly down into the centre and then back up to the other side.
5. Alternatively, you can try starting with the putty at the bottom of the mould and then pushing it up into the print, to push out any air. (This will prevent creating any ridges or air-bubbles in the mould.)
6. Once the reverse mould has set, carefully remove it from the original mould. Warning: you need to leave enough time for the reverse mould to set sufficiently, i.e.approx 8-10 minutes. (Do not attempt to remove the mould before it has set. you can test this by pressing your fingernail into the mould. If it leaves an indentation it has not yet set. Equally Important: Do not be tempted to leave the mould to over-set–otherwise it will become rigid and adhere itself steadfast to the original mould
7. Once the reverse mould has set (but no over-set) – remove it from the original mould and cut it down to a manageable size to push into the clay. Remember to cut down any jagged edges with a craft knife.

That’s it! Now you’re ready to begin making your Fingerprint Jewellery! I hope that you have found this quick guide helpful, but if you need any further help, please check out our Ultimate Fingerprint Jewelry Course.