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Thread: Bullet shaped gemstones

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    43

    Default Bullet shaped gemstones

    Hi, I am wondering if anybody knows how a bullet gemstone is set?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
    Posts
    1,902

    Default

    It really depends on what you are making, also the size and type of bullet shape gemstone you are referring to. Try to add a photo of the stone and design and you may get clearer answers.


    James

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    43

    Default

    Thanks James,

    I'm hoping to make a torc bracelet (3mm round wire) and have the following bullet-shaped peridots set on each end. I was thinking that a 4 x 6mm stone could work nicely but don't know how the setting works.

    Thanks!

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    116

    Default

    Having set (or in some cases failed to set) some 'Bullet' shaped cabs recently, I can honestly say that it depends on the shape of the 'Bullet'. Some have parallel or near-parallel sides up to near the final tip and are impossible to set in a rollover bezel setting without high walls covering the sides until the stone starts its final taper, which IMHO is pretty pointless. Others start to taper inwards just above the base and are in reality high-domed but pointy round cabochons and these can be rollover bezel set in the same manner as ordinary round cabochons. I pondered about getting a groove cut near to the base of the parallel walled variety and rolling a bezel into the groove or using a hidden sprung setting, but time is too precious to waste it on such fiddly operations on the small low-valued samples I had experimented with. I haven't tried, yet, but I would expect the same wall profiles would also restrict how a claw setting would need to be constructed to hold them.

    Edit: By the time I posted this, a picture had also been posted. That looks very much like one of the types I had some success with, not parallel walled but near-so with just a slight taper for quite a lot of the depth. From my experience, you can get these types firmly set in a reasonably low bezel setting, but it has to be as tight as tight can be, so you will probably need a thicker walled bezel than you expect so that it doesn't spring back as you roll it over, as thin-walled bezels can tend to. Note: I have only tried these bullet cabs with sterling silver and gilding metal, maybe fine silver would produce the tightness required, but would it last?

    Paul
    Last edited by Paul Kay; 08-09-2016 at 12:53 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Cardiff
    Posts
    988

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    I have had mixed success with bullets. Power to your elbow, a deeper than usual setting and filing the bezel top third more than usual seemed to help me. Mostly biceps though!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    The problem is leverage. A normal cabochon is rounded and by its very nature resits removal from a well fitting bezel. The bullet can be worked on by repeated bumps to loosen it

    This can be countered by making a taller bezel as suggested by Lydia, grooving the stone just below the bezel edge and/or applying a little slow setting epoxy glue prior to setting. Dennis.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    4

    Default

    i found that some stones also have a slightly rounded base to add to the problems of movement and need a wee bit of epoxy to fix
    t

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    668

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    Quote Originally Posted by tm* View Post
    i found that some stones also have a slightly rounded base to add to the problems of movement and need a wee bit of epoxy to fix
    t
    or a quick grind? the base is hidden

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