BASIC

RUB OVER SETTING

THE STONE
Begin with a round stone, prac@ce this a few @mes, then progress to an oval stone. Choose an en cabouchon cut stone. This has a at boJom and domed top. 6mm 10mm round will be the easiest.

Metal
Now look at the height of your stone. The Sterling Silver strip you choose should be wide enough to come up just above the hips of the stone. We will be using 0.3mm thick Sterling Silver. Now choose between the 3mm wide strip and the 5mm wide strip.

HOW MUCH METAL TO CUT?

FIRSTLY: Make sure you are cu[ng from a straight line when you measure. If in doubt add 1mm or 2mm for error un@l you become accurate.

HOW MUCH METAL TO CUT?

Round stone: D + thickness of metal, then add the thickness of your metal (i.e. 0.3mm).

HOW MUCH METAL TO CUT?

Oval stone: Length + width 2, then mul@ply by and add thickness of the metal (i.e. 0.3mm).

THE OTHER WAY

When in doubt! Simply wrap the bezel strip carefully around the stone and measure it that way.

NOW
Check the strip of metal you have cut. File the ends straight. Form it into a circle or oval. Does it s@ll t the stone? Not @ght and not loose.

 Form into a circle. The edges must abut perfectly. Any error here will stand out on the nished product.

SOLDERING
Is the bezel strip clean? Flux the joint. Solder with a very small piece of HARD solder. Watch your temperature. This is a @ny piece of metal!

 Allow the bezel to cool to avoid COLD WATER SHOCK. Pickle, rinse and dry. Rub the base of the bezel on some emery paper to make it completely level. Round/oval the bezel perfectly, then check for t again.

DECISIONS!

WHAT IS GOING BEHIND YOUR BEZEL?

THE STONE WILL SIMPLY FALL OUT THE BACK IF NOT SUPPORTED FROM UNDERNEATH!

 If your bezel is going to be soldered onto a suppor@ng back simply solder the bezel (using EASY solder) onto the back.

For example

 If there is no support for the boJom of the stone you will have to create one. There are two main op@ons.

Op@on 1:
Create your own solid back plate. Use a scrap of Sterling sheet (0.8mm or 1mm thick) that is slightly larger than the bezel. Solder the bezel onto this (EASY solder).

 It is beJer to use lots of small pieces of solder, rather than one or two large ones. Solder should be posi@oned on the back plate, pressed up against the inner bezel wall

Op@on 2
Create an internal ring for the stone to sit on. Make your bezel as before, then take a length of 0.8mm or 1mm round or square wire and create a jump ring to sit perfectly inside the boJom of your bezel. Solder together using EASY SOLDER.

VIEW FROM BENEATH

Bezel Wire support Easy Solder strip

OTHER IDEAS
Once you gain in condence you can create individual op@ons to create a support.