Forging is the process by which metals are worked with hammers on anvils, stakes and surface plates. Forging allows work with all sizes of metal, from the large and bulky to the delicate, and creates clear transitions between shapes and sizes in a single piece of jewellery.

Forging hardens the internal structure of the metal being worked, and repeated hammering allows the creation of durable but delicate looking textured surfaces.

Gold and silver are both suitable for forging as they are soft and malleable, but the hardening of the metal through the hammering means that it must be regularly annealed.

Gloria Carlos, Susan May and Daphne Krinos are all goldsmiths who use forging as their primary technique.