Bezel Pendant

Choose your supplies Cabochon—a smooth round stone or glass piece with a flat back) Bezel wire—goes around the cabochon and forms the walls of the cup Bezel Base—goes under the cabochon and forms the base of the cup Wire—forms the scrolled pendant. You need to figure out how much wire you’ll need to make your design.

Design Your Pendant Bezel cup that holds the cabochon Wire scrollwork pendant Include a bail so your pendant will hang from a chain. Be sure it’s the correct direction for proper hanging. Wrong Right

Plan for Bezel Cup Support Plan your pendant so the bezel cup will sit on top of the wire scrollwork. It is much easier to solder. Be sure there are enough pieces behind the cup that it will sit flat without warping.

This design works well The round cup will balance on top of the wires. The interesting part of the design will show when the cup is attached. There are no thin wires sticking out that will catch on the buffer. The bail will neatly and securely hold on to a chain or cord.

This design works well The round cup will balance on top of the wires. The interesting part of the design will show when the cup is attached. There are no thin wires sticking out that will catch on the buffer. The bail will neatly and securely hold on to a chain or cord.

Cup Will Sit on Top of Wire Assembly Side view Bezel cup Notice how cup will fit flat on wire base Scrolled wire base Be sure you have all the support you’ll need under your bezel cup. You should have all the skills needed to assemble your wirework for the pendant base. If you have any pieces to solder together, use MEDIUM solder, or use HARD if you are out.

Make a bezel for your cabochon The bezel is the part that forms the walls of the cup. It should not be tight around the cabochon but should not have gaps either. When your bezel is pickling, use your time to work on the wire assembly

Trim the Bezel Ends The end of the bezel wire is probably bent up or uneven where it was cut, so flatten the end of your bezel wire with your chain-nose pliers. Cut the end straight with scissors Flatten the cut end again with chain-nose pliers.

Size the Bezel Pick up a bezel mandrel by the jewelry drawers Pre-wrap the bezel wire into a circle a little smaller than the cabochon Slide the bezel down over the cabochon and mark the bezel length with your Sharpie

Shape the Bezel Cut the bezel wire straight at the mark with the scissors Use the chain-nose pliers to flatten the end of the wire where you cut it Bring the two ends together and line them up straight for soldering You should have a Hot Tamale shape when you solder. No gap on the bezel joint.

Solder the Bezel Flatten your HARD solder and cut a 1mm piece. Solder the bezel wire together just like you would a ring, with the solder underneath the bezel. Watch out for that dull cherry red color that tells you your silver is about to become a puddle. Don’t despair if you melt down your bezel…most people melt their first one. Just stick it into your silver scraps and try it again.

Reshape your Bezel Reshape to fit cabochon after soldering by rolling on the bezel mandrel. Check to see that it fits your stone loosely but without gaps. If it is tight, stretch it out on the mandrel with a rawhide mallet, then reshape it on and check the size on the cabochon.

Flatten your Bezel and Base Sand the BOTTOM ONLY of your bezel on 600 grit sandpaper Flatten your base with a rawhide mallet on the anvil Sand the top of the base with 600 grit sandpaper When you stack the two pieces together, they need to fully touch everywhere with no gaps.

Set up your soldering area Prop your base up on a fine mesh tripod screen. Be sure you can access underneath with a torch. You may need to put the tripod together. They are stored under the rawhide mallets.

Set up bezel to solder Put flux on base Put bezel on base. Put 2 pieces of MEDIUM solder inside on top of base, touching bezel. Don’t put the solder pieces under the bezel, but next to it. Be sure you can see them when they flow.

Solder Bezel to Base Heat from under your piece, directly in the center of the base. You’ll see the solder run and connect the two pieces. Do not overheat! You run the risk of separating your standing bezel seam.

Trim and file base Trim extra base with scissors. Save your scraps for casting. File and sand seam at an angle until cup looks like one continuous piece. Only file on an angle! Be careful you don’t cut or sand through the side of your cup. DO NOT check to see if your cab fits—it may get stuck!

Make scrolled pendant Side view Bezel cup Notice how cup will fit flat on wire base Scrolled wire base You should have all the skills needed to assemble your wirework for the pendant base. If you get stuck, see the “Advanced Scroll Ring” PowerPoint. It’s basically an advanced scroll ring that is left flat. If you have any pieces to solder together, use MEDIUM solder, or use HARD if you are out. Be sure you have all the support you’ll need under your bezel cup.

Prepare to attach solder to wire Use a Sharpie to mark where your cup will sit. Slightly flatten that area. You can use a small hammer, a file, or sandpaper. This will give good contact with the cup for soldering.

Attach solder before attaching cup Lay the wire assembly on the carbon block. Add EXTRA EASY solder (X). Melt and flow the solder to the wire before soldering the cup on.

Prepare to attach the cup Move the wire assembly to the tripod. Use tweezers since it is hot. Add flux to the back of the cup. Lay the cup in place on the wire and pre-attached solder pieces.

Solder the cup Heat the cup base from beneath, being careful to stay between the wires, not heating them directly. If you get on your knees, you should be able to see the solder run, but if not, you’ll have to judge by color—dull red before turning slightly shiny.

Set Cabochon When you are ready to set your stone, bring everyone from your table up to me and I’ll do a demo for you all at once. Press cabochon down into the bezel cup. If your cab does not fit, see me and I’ll show you how to grind it down a tiny bit. Use a burnisher to bend the bezel wire over the cabochon. Be sure the cabochon is set firmly and does not rattle around.

Buff project Use your good judgment to decide how to buff your piece. You can get around your stone by folding a Sunshine cloth around a popsicle stick.

Examples by former students