ware ▁they ▁are ▁making . ▁ ▁After ▁forming ▁and ▁casting , ▁the ▁various ▁pieces ▁may ▁be ▁assemble d ▁by ▁sol der ing ▁and ▁riv eting . ▁ ▁During ▁most ▁of ▁their ▁history , ▁sil vers m ith s ▁used ▁char co al ▁or ▁co ke ▁fired ▁for ges , ▁and ▁lung - power ed ▁blow - pip es ▁for ▁sol der ing ▁and ▁an ne aling . ▁Modern ▁sil vers m ith s ▁commonly ▁use ▁gas ▁burning ▁tor ches ▁as ▁heat ▁sources . ▁A ▁newer ▁method ▁is ▁las er ▁beam ▁w eld ing . ▁ ▁Sil vers m ith s ▁may ▁also ▁work ▁with ▁co pper ▁and ▁br ass , ▁especially ▁when ▁making ▁practice ▁pieces , ▁due ▁to ▁those ▁materials ▁having ▁similar ▁working ▁properties ▁and ▁being ▁more ▁afford able ▁than ▁silver . ▁ ▁Rel ated ▁and ▁over la pping ▁tr ades ▁▁ ▁Although ▁j ew el ers ▁also ▁work ▁in ▁silver ▁and ▁gold , ▁and ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁techniques ▁for ▁working ▁pre cious ▁met als ▁overlap , ▁the ▁tr ades ▁of ▁j ew eler ▁and ▁Sil vers m ith ▁have ▁distinct ▁histor ies . ▁Ch ain - making ▁and ▁gem - setting ▁are ▁common ▁practices ▁of ▁j ew el ers ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁usually ▁considered ▁aspects ▁of ▁sil vers m ith s . ▁ ▁The ▁tradition ▁of ▁making ▁( ir on ▁/ ▁plate ) ▁arm or ▁was ▁interrupted ▁som etime ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century . ▁Sil vers m ith ing ▁and ▁g olds m ith ing , ▁by ▁contrast ,