Setting semi Precious stones

Hi

Im new to working with silver and have done quite a bit of soldering and cutting and ring making but wanted to work with stones and wanted to no if it is easier to set a stone on a ring with bezel silver strip wire or silver sheet as im new to this but really want to make a ring with a large stone setting made a small one but used to thick silver sheet and there was a gap between the stone and sides which no matter how much pushing i did would not close drove me insane looking at it so want to start again and have seen in cooksons bezel strips and thought that may be easier, can anyone help me please michelle

Hi Michelle, this thread answers some of your questions and may give you some other ideas too: http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/sho...ghlight=bezels

I also have a pictorial "how to" on my blog which you might find helpful: http://kwantessentials.blogspot.fr/2...zel-strip.html

Kwant has answered the 'how to' question, and you will see that it is important to get the bezel to fit well , otherwise the result will be ugly. In fact once you have gained experience it is prettier to use thicker sheet for large stones. However if you have to try in your cabochon before you are ready to set it and there is no hole in your back plate, you are liable to get it stuck.

The remedy is to lay in one or more strands of dental floss with the ends protruding, before inserting the stone, so that you can yank it out again. Hope it goes well, Dennis,.