Setting stones question

[Mollymoojewellery]

Hello, have been a member of the forum for a few years, and have found lots of useful information. Can anyone help me please, I really like the look of the pear shaped stones that are set with a bezel around the sides only, can anyone tell me how to do this, none of my setting books mention what type of setting this is, usually they are used in earrings and pendants with a jump ring at the top.
many thanks
Sally

[Dennis]

On the whole this will be easiest to do using strip cut from fine silver sheet, 0.4mm thick would do. The width will depend on the height of the stone.

Wrap the bezel around the stone to meet at the point and hold together with tweezers or a clip. Lift or drop out the stone and solder the pointy bit.
For a cabochon the stone will have been the right way up. For a faceted stone it will have been turned upside down.

Now you have a bezel, you still need a bearer to support the stone and stop it dropping through. This can be another narrower pear shaped strip fitted inside, but need not be complete at the pointed end. It could also just be a wire. But for a cabochon, it can also be a thin backing plate, soldered on and trimmed. Then for lightness, the centre can be cut out leaving just an internal rim.

As you see, there are many variations and you just choose what appeals to you.

Finally, going back to the beginning for a faceted stone, if you start with a slightly curved strip and when you pinch your bezel at the point of the stone you do so at a angle, you will end up with a tapered bezel, narrower at the bottom.
This means the stone can't drop through and is self supporting. To get this curve I scribe around the edge of a 19 mm bread plate, cut out the curve and scribe the second line from that with dividers. Dennis

You might try this with thin copper first, or even card from a post card, because once you have it right you can use that as a template for your silver.

[Mollymoojewellery]

Thank you very much for your reply, I will have a go with copper as you suggested.
Sally

[willem parel]

Important with pear shaped stones is when you are setting those form of stones to relieve the sharp point of the stone by making space in the bezel with a round burr.( just cut a little hole in the corner, not entirly true the metal, just half way)
Otherwise the point of the stone will break easely.
I hope I you understand my explanation in my poor Dutch/ Englisch interpretation....

[Dennis]

Hi Willem, how've you been? If we are going to give even more advice, I think that the most common problem for beginners is that they leave far too much metal to push over the stone.

The edge of the metal should already be smooth and might well be lower at each end, but for cabochons only just taller than the fattest part of the stone, by no more than half a mm. For faceted stones even lower, so that you push over only about a quarter of a mm. Dennis

[Patstone]

Thats my problem Dennis, I leave too much then have to file it down to fit properly. With my sight impairment its difficult to judge distance, and this woman drives a car -- on the road!!!!!! LEGALLY !!!!! Seriously, I nearly always find the bezel too high, and of course mine, however carefully I file and sand it can look distinctly chewed around the edge.


Hi Willem, how've you been? If we are going to give even more advice, I think that the most common problem for beginners is that they leave far too much metal to push over the stone.

The edge of the metal should already be smooth and might well be lower at each end, but for cabochons only just taller than the fattest part of the stone, by no more than half a mm. For faceted stones even lower, so that you push over only about a quarter of a mm. Dennis