Trying another stone setting

So, the Unpleasantness has left me with a little extra time on my hands and I purchased a couple of online tutorials from a maker who's out in Kuala Lumpur. Very informative and clear they are too. One of them was how to create a textured bezel setting as in all of my scouring the Net for free info I've never seen anything that was like this and I don't think I'd have come up with anything like this by myself.

It meant finally getting my hammer handpiece out, something I've been putting off for some reason - possibly because it's just a cheapo one (as is my pendant motor - I know the wisdom is to buy the best you can afford but I couldn't justify the cost of a known brand + the hammer handpiece. £60 for both is more like it, although I did buy a couple of proper anvils as the one that was sent was just cheap plated copper and was going to be useless). It's not like I make every day so this will do for now!

So here's my attempt; 1mm bezel wire on a square wire shank - I did try adding a bit of light reticulation to the square wire but it wasn't quite enough to be honest, never mind - with a faceted marquise moss kyanite stone that has a beautiful sparkle down in its depths, set and textured with a slightly modified hammer handpiece anvil and with a couple of 1.5mm CZs in the band for good measure. I've got some dust like 1mm CZs that I may add in later this week.

This was also the first time making a marquise shaped setting - I know it looks a wee bit wonky but in my defense the stone was a wee bit wonky so it is an exact fit!

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Thanks for looking!
Deb

Love the textured setting and it looks a really well fitted stone to me, can't see any wonkiness. I love thick bezels, would like to try it one day :)

Thank you. I can see it's a teeny bit off but like I say, so was the stone. I love thick bezels, I'm quite fond of using 1mm fine silver wire and hammering it slightly flatter before forming it to use with smallish stones like this labradorite that I set with the culet up.

Attachment 12575

In the other tutorial I bought she gets you to use ball and cone burrs to add texture to slightly wider backplates, this was my first attempt that that with a little tanzanite.

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These techniques have been great to try out - I feel like I need to stop worrying about what will happen if I just let rip (but I'm always mindful of how much the raw ingredients cost). I need to experiment more and stop getting caught up!

What an adventure Deb. Well done you. Dennis.

Thanks Dennis; not so much as an adventure as a reconnoitre.

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Originally Posted by misspond

Thank you. I can see it's a teeny bit off but like I say, so was the stone. I love thick bezels, I'm quite fond of using 1mm fine silver wire and hammering it slightly flatter before forming it to use with smallish stones like this labradorite that I set with the culet up.

Attachment 12575

In the other tutorial I bought she gets you to use ball and cone burrs to add texture to slightly wider backplates, this was my first attempt that that with a little tanzanite.

Attachment 12576

These techniques have been great to try out - I feel like I need to stop worrying about what will happen if I just let rip (but I'm always mindful of how much the raw ingredients cost). I need to experiment more and stop getting caught up!

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That's why i've been enjoying using beach found glass and china, don't need to worry about the cost. I feel I can now go back to more expensive items and worry less. I love your labradorite ring. I could easily buy that. I love it being set upside down. When you slightly flattened your 1 mm wire did you then solder it to the base plate end on?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheen

That's why i've been enjoying using beach found glass and china, don't need to worry about the cost. I feel I can now go back to more expensive items and worry less. I love your labradorite ring. I could easily buy that. I love it being set upside down. When you slightly flattened your 1 mm wire did you then solder it to the base plate end on?

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Once I've bashed the wire slightly flatter and made the bezel I then sand one side a little so that it's completely flush with the backplate. And thank you for the compliment about the labradorite ring. I was all set to keep that one but it sold very quickly after I popped it up onto my Facebook page, I should make myself another one!