Using: Sterling Silver & Semi-precious stones

What is a cabochon stone? A genuine, natural stone Dome shaped (not faceted) Often oval, can be round or even free form in shape Most often used for semi-precious materials, but can include stones such as sapphires and rubies Can be cut in many sizes.

What is sterling silver? Sterling silver has been used to make jewelry for many centuries. It is composed of fine silver and alloyed with other metals for strength. It is often stamped with 925 (or sometimes simply “sterling”) which shows its authenticity. 925 stands for 92.5% fine silver. The remaining 7.5% is usually copper. Sterling oxidizes in the atmosphere, turning a dark gray. The melting point of sterling is 1640 ̊ F. (This is lower than many metals you’ve already used!)

Preliminary steps: 1.Choose a cabochon stone. (Tip: For the first ring, choose a larger stone. ) 2.Measure the silver bezel that will fit perfectly around the base of the stone. (It is better to be very slightly larger, then file it to fit the stone.) Watch a video of this process here. Watch a video of this process here. 3.Its important that the 2 edges of the silver bezel meet perfectly, so file carefully so that the filed edge is square with the edge of the bezel.

1 st Solder Point Watch the bezel being soldered with the first soldering! Here are a few differences you will need to make note of when you do this step: 1. We will use HARD solder for this 1 st solder point. Remember that the melting point is higher for hard solder, and it will be very easy to melt your bezel!! Use your heat very carefully! Watch the bezel being soldered with the first soldering! 2. Use the 3 rd hand to hold your formed bezel rather than letting it sit right on the charcoal block. We don’t use flat pallions of solder, we use snips of solder wire. Be sure to solder from the INSIDE of the bezel wire! 3. Place your soldered bezel into the “sterling silver pickle pot” for just a few minutes. Sand carefully (remembering that you can easily sand away sterling because of its softness.)

Next steps: 1. Shape the bezel to your stone! Watch how.Watch how. 2. This video has shown you how to solder from the outside of your bezel. You actually soldered from the inside of your bezel. File at that spot ONLY IF there’s a solder bump there! If you soldered well, it should not be necessary. 3. File or sand the bottom edge of your bezel as shown on the video. Its essential that the bottom edge be very flat so it fits your backing perfectly. 4. What if the stone doesn’t fit your bezel very well?? (There’s a video for that!!) (There’s a video for that!!)

The bezel is made. Now you will make the shank. The shank is the part of the ring that goes around the finger. 1.Design the sort of shank you would like for your ring. It can be very simple as the one shown or it can be created out of several loops of wire. 2.Size your finger. 3.Your shank may be made out of sterling wire or out of flat sheet. 4.You will shape it to fit, file it if needed, and solder it shut if needed according to your design. 5.To solder, you must use MEDIUM solder. 6.Pickle and sand lightly.

Attaching the bezel to its backing. Using a piece of sterling sheet that is a little larger than your bezel, fit the bezel to the sheet. Be sure there is good fit (no gaps) and that both pieces are clean! Be sure you do not change the shape of the bezel. If you do and solder it in a different shape than your stone, your stone will not fit when you are ready to set it. Watch the video about soldering the bezel to the backing. Watch the video about soldering the bezel to the backing. We will be using MEDIUM solder for this step. Pickle. And check to be sure there is a good solder all the way around the bezel. If there are gaps, it must be fixed before setting Saw away the excess silver sheet, but DO NOT saw right up to the bezel. Leave an edge of metal. If you don’t want it there, you will file it the rest of the way to the bezel. Important: Please resist temptation and DO NOT try to put your stone in to the setting yet!!

Putting the shank and the bezel assembly together. Since we are making a ring, the bezel assembly and the shank need to be soldered together. For this step, the final solder, we will use EASY solder. 1.Be sure the metal surfaces that will be soldered are clean before you start. 2.Turn the bezel with its back plate upside down on the charcoal block and use the 3rd hand to hold the shank. Position everything carefully and solder. 3.Pickle and sand lightly. 4.Now you have the ring made, but the stone must be set.

Setting the stone into the ring: Before you set the stone, you must prepare your bezel. If the bezel is too tall, it will create a puckery effect as you push it around the stone. If its too short, it will not hold the stone. You will sand or file the top of the bezel down to a height where it is just a little taller than where your stone begins to curve into the dome shape. Watch the video to see how to prepare your bezel for the stone. Finally! You are ready to put the stone into the setting. Don’t panic if it doesn’t exactly fit! Watch how to do this and what comes next! Watch how to do this and what comes next! The setting tool you will use is seen to the right.

The last steps: After the stone is set using the bezel setter and its secure, you will finish by burnishing. The tool you will use can be seen to the left. Watch how this is done. This step smooths the bezel right next to the stone. The last two steps are to polish with tripoli and then with rouge. Be very careful polishing. Because of the thinness of the bezel and the softness of the sterling, its relatively easy to polish the metal away completely. If this happens, your stone will not be secure or perhaps it will fall out completely!

Ta Da! The Final Product!

Citations: Soldering Video, pt. 1 - Measuring a Bezel Soldering Video, pt. 2 – Soldering a Bezel lX70eA&playnext=1&list=PL72E34DDD85BB09D0http:// lX70eA&playnext=1&list=PL72E34DDD85BB09D0 Soldering Video, pt. 3 – Shaping the Bezel k&feature=BFa&list=PL72E34DDD85BB09D0&index=25http:// k&feature=BFa&list=PL72E34DDD85BB09D0&index=25 Soldering Video, pt. 4 - Making Adjustments BB09D0&index=26&playnext=1 85BB09D0&index=26&playnext=1 Soldering Video, pt. 5 - Soldering to the Back plate – LvK8&index=7 LvK8&index=7 Stone Setting Video, pt. 1 - Preparing the bezel Stone Setting Video, pt. 2 - Setting the stone - i7yjV4&feature=BFa&list=ULkEv3fN-LvK8&index=2http:// i7yjV4&feature=BFa&list=ULkEv3fN-LvK8&index=2 Stone Setting Video, pt. 3 - Using a Burnisher D_xC4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=ULhttp:// D_xC4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL