Setting a Trillion shaped stone

[theresa]

Hi, can anyone offer advice on making a setting for a trillion shaped stone. I am really finding it quite difficult to get the right shape and then hold it together while soldering. Is the best way (as described by Jinks McGrath) to work out the shape/size geometrically, and then form it by scoring the bezel and folding etc or is there another way that may be less complicated? Any suggestions will be gratefully received.
Thanks guys
Theresa

[Di Sandland]

Does it have to be a bezel? Would claws be out of the question, or even a part bezel?

[Di Sandland]

I just tried to find an example of part bezels in my inspiration files but they're all in my journal rather than on my computer. Jewelry Artist features lots of part-bezel settings and I've been using them a lot too - they are far more stable than you think they will be. What I've found particularly attractive and useful is to use a part bezel alongside a couple of claws. So for your trillium I would place a bezel under the bottom curve of the stone and then put a claw on each of the other two sides. I hope that makes sense otherwise I'm gonna have to scan me journal pages!

[Kwant]

I just wrap the bezel round the stone while it is face down on the bench, making sure my join is along one of the sides and not a corner, because doing it this way the corners are slightly rounded and not sharp angles and I have found if I make the joint on a corner it is inevitably sharp compared to the other two. Then solder it together put it back on the inverted stone and push the "bowed" sides in with a bezel pusher, to make the corners less rounded (though I also file off the corners anyways for a neater look).

Having said this, the last trillion I set, I set in a round tube with three little notches in to support the stone and then three prongs soldered to the outside of the tube, it was quite effective (well it sold in less than a week).

[Di Sandland]

sounds nice Kwant x

[Dennis]

OK, some of this has already been said and I apologise for any repetition. First of all, Assuming that this is a faceted stone, turn the stone upside down and keep it in place with a small blob of new Blu Tack. My mini light box (yesterday’s post) is helpful.

The bezel is infinitely superior if it tapers slightly, so cut a bit of postcard or stiff paper to a curved strip, using a 17mm bread plate as your outer curve and cut the inner curve by eye, making the strip slightly wider than the height of the stone.

Now fit the strip around your inverted stone, cut all but a little excess and stick it together with a drop of rapid glue. Once the glue is set you can adjust the paper with scissors and then cut it through in the middle of one of the sides, as Kwant suggested. This is now the template for your bezel and can be glued onto your metal, or just drawn around. Make sure you keep a copy.

For a beginner I recommend the strip be cut from 0.4 mm fine silver sheet or if practicing, from copper.

The stone must be kept level, not difficult with a taper, and only a half to a third of a mm of metal left to push over. If a pucker starts at the corners file a little as you go.

On the other hand if you are setting a cabochon then all you need is a straight strip cut from sheet , tall enough to grip its bulge(usually 1.5-2.0mmwide).

If you have trouble keeping the ends together for soldering, it just needs annealing until it is quite passive. Below is an old picture I just happened to have. Now I'd fuss with the edges more. Dennis.

[Kwant]

That leathery texture on the silver is just lovely Dennis.

[mizgeorge]

That ring's lovely Dennis. I particularly like the textured band and raised edge. And what a lovely stone :)

[Kwant]

Not in the same league as Dennis but after your question Theresa, I knocked up this one, it being a little easier as the trillion was fat and rounded, and Dennis note the much hated bail of the stone setting vid Di posted last week, it is the one I made as a practice having seen the vid, nothing gets wasted here :0)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7976639903_b6bbfc1b85.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/7976639903/)
Smoky quartz trillion pendant1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/7976639903/) by kwant (http://www.flickr.com/people/12340604@N02/), on Flickr

[Wallace]

Now I'd fuss with the edges more. Dennis.

beautiful finish... puts mine to total shame! You can also set your piece with a raised inner wall and get the stone to sit on the wall too. 3849

[Kwant]

ah but Wallace that is in every way a lovely piece

[Wallace]

Not in the same league as Dennis but after your question Theresa, I knocked up this one, it being a little easier as the trillion was fat and rounded, and Dennis note the much hated bail of the stone setting vid Di posted last week, it is the one I made as a practice having seen the vid, nothing gets wasted here :0)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7976639903_b6bbfc1b85.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/7976639903/)
Smoky quartz trillion pendant1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/7976639903/) by kwant (http://www.flickr.com/people/12340604@N02/), on Flickr

ah but Wallace that is in every way a lovely piece

that is a lovely setting and I love how you updated the bail - nice fresh look. I know I said it earlier, but you do make Smokey Quartz look lovely.


Ps... you sweet talker:flowers: xx

[theresa]

Thank you ever so much everyone - you are all brilliant. The stones I have are all faceted and the look I was aiming for was as Wallace, Dennis & Kwant have shown. I can see I am going to be busy practicing.
Thank you again
Theresa

[caroleallen]

Love that ring Dennis

[Dennis]

Thank you, I didn't mean to hijack Theresa's thread. The roll texture is from a sample of hand made paper my o/h made on a course at that time. Every one thought the silver looked just like skin.

When I wrote the piece above I had to back-track and delete my references to three sided triblets. I have two, a sharp one and a cushioned one and they make perfecting the collet a doddle.
Now they are quite rare and I could only find one shape, for a cushioned trillion, at Euro Mounts and Findings, but no price.

Cornelius, have a good holiday 'Over The Border' btw, . Dennis.

[Dennis]

I now have permission to view the prices at Euro Mounts and Findings, and the cost of a trillion mini-triblet is £51 plus VAT. That is serious money considering mine were £9 and £16, only about five years ago. Gradually all the useful tools for which there is little call are being discontinued.

[theresa]

Makes perfect sense Di - I like those settings too - something else to try!
Theresa

[theresa]

I now have permission to view the prices at Euro Mounts and Findings, and the cost of a trillion mini-triblet is £51 plus VAT. That is serious money considering mine were £9 and £16, only about five years ago. Gradually all the useful tools for which there is little call are being discontinued.

Dennis - I saw a small triblet on Ebay from Jewellers Tools for £12.50. Size is 4mm to 10mm over 11" length. Do you think this would be of use?

Theresa

[solitarysmagick]

Dennis - I saw a small triblet on Ebay from Jewellers Tools for £12.50. Size is 4mm to 10mm over 11" length. Do you think this would be of use?

Theresa

I have a set of these in all different shapes that I bought on eBay. I think I paid about £30 for 6, and then I bought an individual one for about £9. Certainly pays to have a quick search through to try and find a bargain! I find them very useful for doing small fiddly items, although I have so far only used them a couple of times. Hoping to get round to some more stone setting practice soon :)

[solitarysmagick]

I have a set of these in all different shapes that I bought on eBay. I think I paid about £30 for 6, and then I bought an individual one for about £9. Certainly pays to have a quick search through to try and find a bargain! I find them very useful for doing small fiddly items, although I have so far only used them a couple of times. Hoping to get round to some more stone setting practice soon :)

hmm.. seems my phone doesn't like adding pound signs in posts :) just in case it looks funny to other ppl reading this too it should read 30 pounds and 9 pounds :)

[MeadMoon]

A set of 6 different shaped "bezel mandrels" from Proops is £23.44 (+VAT). I bought a set at one of the Rock & Gem shows last year.

[solitarysmagick]

A set of 6 different shaped "bezel mandrels" from Proops is £23.44 (+VAT). I bought a set at one of the Rock & Gem shows last year.

ah that's who I got mine from through eBay, couldn't remember the sellers name earlier!

[Kwant]

added the proops set to my wish list :0)

[Dennis]

You know Wallace, I missed your contribution and it took a search to find it so modestly placed on the top right. There is certainly a lot going on there-I reckon you had a ball with it. Dennis.

[Dennis]

Dennis - I saw a small triblet on Ebay from Jewellers Tools for £12.50. Size is 4mm to 10mm over 11" length. Do you think this would be of use?Theresa

Yes, but there are at least eight shapes, so only buy those you think you will use. Dennis

[Dennis]

Yes it looks as if they are still available and even if they are not well hardened, you are unlikely to bash them much, so I would go for these. http://www.proopsbrothers.com/cgi-bin/sh000002.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww.proopsbrother s.com%2facatalog%2fsearch.html&WD=mandrels&PN=Mandrels.html%23aJ1028#aJ1028. Of course here they are called Bezel Mandrels.

Thanks for finding them, Dennis

[medusa]

.....

~swoons~ not a ring person, but that is beautiful!