The Mystic Bezel, Part II

Part II - Completing the bezel setting designed for a free-form cabochon.
by Tom & Kay Benham, Contributing Editors

• Part I of the Mystic Bezel.

• Make the Mystic Turquoise Cabochon.

In June 2003, we created a free-form turquoise cabochon. In November 2003, we began the bezel setting for this cab. Here, we will complete the bezel setting.

Photos courtesy of the author.

. . . . . . . . . . . .
	• 80/20 reticulation silver, 20-gauge • Sterling silver sheet, 20-gauge • Fine silver bezel wire, 3/16" x .013" • Sterling silver square wire, 14-gauge • Sterling silver square wire, 10-gauge • Silver solder: hard, medium, and soft • White paste flux • Liver-of-sulfur, solid or liquid • Dental floss • Masking tape • Torch with medium tip • White firebrick • Copper tongs • Pickle pot with Sparex • Small paintbrushes • Solder pick • Stainless steel pins • Jeweler’s saw and blades • Files, half-round and flat • Bench pin • Scribe • Fine-tip marker • Fine brass brush • 1" round wooden dowel • Bench plate • Rubber mallet • Cross peen hammer • Vise • 3/8" round steel rod • Bezel roller • Drill and assorted drill bits • Emery paper, coarse to fine grit • Renaissance wax
Search for products and materials in our Annual Buyers' Directory. Always ask for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for any materials you buy, which will give you reactivity, health hazard, and safe handling data.

Contributing Editors Tom & Kay Benham teach metalsmithing in the Tampa Bay area and intarsia at the William Holland School of Lapidary Arts (GA) and at Wildacres Retreat (NC) for the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies. They are also co-editors of the Florida Society of Goldsmiths Newsletter and active in the Pinellas (FL) Geological Society.

To fabricate the heavy outer border, anneal a length of 14-gauge sterling silver square wire. Using your fingers and a section of 1" wood dowel, bend the square wire around to fit the shape delineated by the blue tape. File the ends to produce a square and tight fitting joint for soldering.

Place the outer border on a firebrick, flux, and then solder with hard solder. Cool and then pickle.

Lay the outer border on a steel bench plate, then flatten using a rawhide mallet. Check that the outer bezel still conforms to the original shape. Reshape with your fingers and dowel as necessary.

Remove the blue tape from the reticulated silver sheet and saw around the outside of the marked outline.

Carefully fit and file the reticulated silver until it just fits the inside of the square wire outer border.

Push the reticulated silver down until its bottom is flush with the bottom of the outer border.

Turn the reticulated sheet and border wire upside down on a firebrick.

Flux and place pallions of hard solder at eight places around the joint, then solder. Cool the assembly and pickle to remove any oxidation.

In preparation for sweat soldering the reticulated assembly to the front of the backplate/bezel assembly, place the backplate assembly on a firebrick and flux it.

Place several dozen medium solder pallions on the area of the backplate between the bezel and the outer border. Heat until the solder just slumps, then allow to cool. We know that we’ve used an excess of solder but the back of the reticulated sheet is very rough and uneven and we couldn’t depend on capillary action to help the solder flow.

Flux both parts and position the reticulated/outer border assembly over the bezel and onto the backplate. Push down for a tight fit then heat the assembly with a torch until the solder flows.

Use your solder pick to push the reticulated sheet into tight contact with the backplate. Allow the assembly to cool and then pickle to remove the flux and oxidation.

Carefully saw around the outside of the outer border, then file until flush and smooth.

To fabricate the bail, cut several inches of 10-gauge sterling silver square wire.

Spread one end of the square wire by hammering with a cross peen hammer.

Clamp the spread end in a vise and bend to a right angle.

Using your hands, bend the square wire 180° around a 3û8" diameter steel rod clamped in a vise.

Clamp the other end of the square wire in the vise and bend 90°. Cut this end to the same length as the first end.

Use a cross peen hammer to spread the second end to match the first end.

File and sand the bail to sculpt it to a smooth and pleasing shape, making both ends symmetrical.

File the bottom so the bail lies flat on the backplate.

Make a depression in a firebrick to support the inverted bail. Flux the bottom surfaces and place a pallion of easy solder on each of the two bottom pads.

Heat with the torch until the solder just slumps.

Flux the backplate and bail. Position and center the bail onto the back surface, then solder to the assembly. Cool and pickle.

Brush the entire finding with a fine brass brush, soap, and water to produce a satin-brushed surface.

Mix a pea-sized chunk of liver of sulfur in a cup of hot water, then use an artist's brush to apply the liver-of-sulfur solution to the reticulated surface only. Once you achieve the desired color, rinse in fresh water and dry. Wax the surface with Renaissance Wax to seal and stabilize the color (patina).

Set the turquoise cabochon in the bezel using a bezel roller. Go around the bezel several times to insure a tight fit. We hope you've enjoyed your adventire using reticulated silver to create the finding for your turquoise pendant.

<< Back to Part I (Steps 1-13) of the Mystic Bezel