Help with brooch

[Mila Jewellery]

I've been asked if I could set a cameo for someone. I've found a few silver mounts I can use but I've never set one before - any hints or tips on the best way to do this? x

[Di Sandland]

Um, carefully! Sorry for being silly - I really don't have a clue but you know as well as I do that one of the others will turn up with an answer ;)

[Mila Jewellery]

lol that was my first thought! I know they are fragile and I don't want to end up cracking a family treasure!

[reeves]

In the trade you set them how you would any other stone,a trick of the trade is to use jewellers cement(special glue) and then set accordingly but you don't have to apply to much pressure due to using jewellers cement then let the cement set at least overnight. hope this helps

[Mila Jewellery]

oh brill, thanks for the tip ;)

[ben b]

The main thing about setting cameo's is that they are often wonky, particularly the large shell ones.

They are almost always bezel (or 'rub over') set.

Place on a table or flat surface, and look at, and measure its highest point. This, plus 2 or 3 mm, to go over the edge and set it, depending on how thick its actual edge is! is you bezels width, so cut out or roll out...however you make your bezel strip, one of the right height, and, the right circumference...you can place binding wire around the cameo to measure its circumference. After the usual solder and resolder and minute adjustments, and you've got your bezel strip oval, and tightly fitting the cameo, and, its 'hard' in this position which means youve bent in and shaped it so that it its in this position, NOT just forms it when pushed onto the cameo! you lightly go over it with a torch, to gently anneal it...and check its fitting again.
Then, solder the bezel to your backing, which will be an oval of exactly the same size, but out of thick wire, which you have hit, once oval and soldered! to give in effect, as if it were cut out of sheet, overlapping on inner and outer edges of your bezel strip. This outside can be filled away, or left to form the base of a ring decoration, such as twisted wire. The inner one of course forms part of the seat for the cameo, but if its curvy...you will also need to solder inside bits of wire, at at least 12 and 6 oclock positions, you can place the cameo in its mount, and mark with a scribe, its curving on the inside wall of the bezel...then, by observing its thickness, solder bits of wire the right distance below the marked line as the all important 'seat' for the cameo to sit on!

Then, solder on any pin or fitting needed, and any edge decoration.

Then sit your cameo in its mount, and file away carefully the bezel...so it runs parrallel in hieght to the cameo all around leaving enogh to rub over, in a neat, and level line. Level, to the curves of the cameo, that is!

Then gently rub over, bit by bit, by going round the cameo at least 20 times, pushing down more each time...dont rush to bend the metal down!

:carolers:

[lorraineflee]

A slightly 'noddy' tip is to put a small length of dental floss under the item that you are bezel setting, with the two ends protruding over the edge, then, when you test the fit of the item, you can easily remove it by pulling gently on the two ends and the item won't get stuck! Well, it works for me!

Lorraine