How to Bezel Gemstone Cabochons for Jewelry Making - By: Fiona Hogeveen

Setting gemstone cabochons into a perfect shape is a critical step in jewelry making. Fitting cabochon gemstone is easier than fitting faceted gemstones because they have a usual oval shape and are flat at the bottom and back. Moreover, calibrated cabochons are even easier to fit compared to free form ones due to symmetry.

There are various types of stone settings techniques. We will be looking at bezel setting for gemstone cabochons.

Bezel stone setting is one of the oldest jewelry setting techniques. In this technique, a bezel is a piece of metal that is molded in a form of a rim according to the shape and size of the gemstone. Then the molded bezel is stuck to the piece of jewelry through soldering. Once the outline bezel is in place, the stone is put in position and a metal is rubbed on to it to hold it in place. Bezel settings provide a simplified and understated look. The rim covering protects the gemstone cabochons from dings.

How bezel setting is done for gemstone cabochons?

The size of the gemstone is measured that includes height, width and circumference of the cabochon stone. Then the shape of the stone is outlined on a thin metal sheet. The shape is cutout using a saw. The sheet is then filed neatly until it become smooth. A hole is drilled in the center of the cutout to allow space for pushing out the gemstone cabochons in case it is to be replaced.

A bezel wire is taken and wrapped around the stone to see if it fits the gemstone cabochons perfectly and that there is no gaps left before soldering it. Then the joints are soldered until any possibility of a flux is eliminated. Once this process is done, the soldered part is heated until the solder gushes out; it is then soaked in cool water to calm down the temperature. The part is further dipped in pickle, rinsed and dried. At this point a quick check is performed to see if the stone fits into the bezel properly. It should fit in tightly, if the bezel is big then it is cut and re-done, else if it is small extra wire is used to fix the problem.

Once the bezel wire is ready, it is soldered to the metal sheet. The wire is soldered to the metal sheet on the outside circumference. The bezel wire should not be soldered on the inside circumference as it will take up some space and the gemstone cabochons may not fit properly. Surplus metal sheet is filed and finally the bezel wire is fixed on the jewelry piece along with the gemstone cabochons. If the gemstone does not look lustrous, it is polished again. The result is, simple, subtle and beautifully bezel set gemstone cabochons.

About the Author

Fiona is expert on the topic Gemstone Cabochons. Her commitment to help and guide people is reflected in her writing. To buy and for more information Gemstone Cabochons please visit beadsonsale.com

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