Bezel silver

How many of you use bezel silver to make bezels with. I have been using sterling in 0.3mm which seems to work ok.

Hi Pat,

I use bezel silver, its what I was taught to do in my class. I'm assuming its easier to push over the edge of the stone than sterling, but I've never tried sterling to compare it with.

Sue.

Yes I was taught to use it in class, but one day picked it up by mistake.

I usually just use sheet - but it tends to be fine silver in 0.4mm. Although that might get hammered out slightly, because I often undercut bezels and stretch to size for a perfect fit. This is probably the Wrong Thing To Do - pretty sure I've not seen it on anyone's guide to making bezels.

I roll down fine silver wire to 0.4 or 0.5 mm thickness strip. This avoids tedious sawing and gives you a quick result, with spare for stock.

1.0mm round will roll down to 1.5 x 0.4mm
1.5mm round will roll down to 2.0 x 0.5mm
2.0x1.0 rectangular will roll down to 2.2 x 0.5mm Dennis.

I would like a rolling mill but cant really justify it, even at £160 at the value range price. Plus my spare bedroom would be even more full of my tools.

After a tip from Dennis I also use fine silver sheet to cut my bezels from now, but still occassionally use the 'bezel strip' with the step soldered into it as bought from Cooksons because I've got quite a bit to use up.

Nick

Likewise after listening to Dennis and others I don't use that 0.3mm fine silver strip for bezels any more. It's so thin that in the finished item it's more a case of the stone supporting the bezel than the other way round. I generally use 0.4 or 0.5, either fine silver or sterling. In sterling particularly it takes a bit more work getting the bezel hammered on to the stone, but it's worth it; besides providing much stronger retention for the stone the thicker edge can easily be filed flat then polished to give a very satisfying reflective surface.