Les

[lesmussell]

Hi, I am new to the forum and have a small problem that surfaced quite recently. As an accent to a larger Opal, I bought the Cookson goodie bag of small opals (1.5 to 3mm) then suddenly realised that I have no idea of how to set small cabochons of this size! A bezel, even if my poor eyesight allowed me to make it, would, surely, be overpowering. How does one set an opal cabochon of 2mm in size?? Silversmithing is a retirement hobby for me so please forgive me if the answer seems obvious and put it down to my great age!

[CJ57]

Hi Les welcome to the forum
I recently did much the same thing and ordered a bag of those size garnets from Cookson. They are so tiny like you I don't know what the heck to do with them so will probably pass them on to a friend who does

[ShinyLauren]

I've set 2mm opals in small lengths of tube before - can't imagine trying to make a bezel that size!

[ssssue]

I did the same - bought the bag of small mixed opal cabs with no idea what to do with them! I've tube set a couple of the larger ones so far and that seems to have worked ok so I will probably do the same with the rest. The really tiny ones might be beyond my (very basic) skill level though!!
Sue


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[Summer]

Hi Les, i got the opals, rubies. Sapphires and emeralds in the small bags, it is fiddly to cabochon set the opals but is do-able, this is one of them on the leaf, the lady had a last minute request for one adding and didn't know where else to stick it lol
The others Sapphires etc i have tube and gypsy set, just ads a splash of colour

[Stacey]

You could also buy ready made bezels from Rashbel Bellore, Kernowcraft and probably Cookson.

[Wallace]

smaller stones are my preference. Even cabochons are nice when small.

some flattened 1.5mm fine silver wire curved round some round nose pliers and soldered together and then onto some sheet will take no time at all and help with some practice too.

given that you can make a bezel from many things, you could even try and make one from a jump ring that you have soldered closed. (again, make sure it is fine silver as this is much softer metal and better with opals than sterling)


this is a 2mm opal with a setting made from flattening wire as mentioned above.
Attachment 7544

[enigma]

Beautiful ring Wallace!
I do similar to Wallace although I start out with 0.8mm round sterling or 9ct gold wire.
Make a ring on your round nosed pliers, check it on your stone,solder it together, solder on and then set it with a square pusher.
With gold I sometimes resort to using the hammer tip on my pendant motor then polish out well afterwards as that does tend to mark it, unless I want a hammer finish.
Oh and I also burr out beneath it with a round burr so the stone sits down and the wire is mostly just for pushing over.
Ive just done a 3mm turquoise cab with a hammered finish round it, not a perfect finish but not bad for a first attempt I think


ETA- just seen yours too Summer, really nice!

[lesmussell]

Thank you all for the advice there are some super ideas there and I shall have a bash even if I go cross-eyed in the process. The rings are beautiful and the opal on the leave certainly does not look out of place, one can see something similar in nature. Most of them are beyond my very basic, not long got started, skill level but the ideas are there and the rest is up to me. Thank you all once again.

[Dennis]

You can tube set tiny cabs, but they need a flat seat, or they have a tendency to turn upside down when pressured. Once the seat is started with a round burr it can be perfected with cylinder burrs which are flat ended. Walsh also sell dedicated burrs for this: https://www.hswalsh.com/product/frai...se-select-size

For accuracy I usually do that by hand with a universal handle. Dennis.