This tutorial teaches how to make a gold-rimmed bezel for a faceted stone. I demonstrate how to attach it to a ring but the bezel can be attached to anything. The goal is to teach a principle that can be applied in many ways rather than the creation of a finished project. It assumes the student knows how to set a stone and solder with confidence. It’s appropriate for intermediate and advanced students.

Materials:

Faceted stone

      22k gold wire .5mm x 1.1mm (20 gauge round wire rolled flat to 24 gauge. Enough to make a bezel wrap around the circumference of your stone.  If you don’t have a rolling mill I’d be happy to make some bezel and mail it to you. Just email me.)

      3mm thick sheets large enough to solder bezel to (Maybe thinner or thicker depending on your stone.  Sheet should be at least as thick as the distance between the girdle and culet of your stone) 

      Hard silver solder        

        18k yellow hard solder

Tools required (along with Rio Grande part number):

Note: There are lots of versions of these tools. The Rio numbers are just one example.

  Round/flat pliers  #: 111190

Flat files (coarse and fine) #: 114700 #: 114702

Leather pad (Mine’s from an old leather apron)

Scribe #: 118459

Flush cutters #: 111033

Parallel jaw pliers #: 111117

Barrette needle file #: 114356

Titanium Solder Pick  #: 503019

Prips flux  (Not available at Rio but Otto Frei and many other suppliers provide it.  Also, any flux and

method of application are fine, this is just what I use)

Hypodermic bottle for flux  #: 504005

Sanding sticks in 180, 320 and 600 grits (I make my own but they are commercially

available) #: 337595

Iron wire birds nest (see my free tutorial to make your own) 

1mm drill bit #: 341273

1mm ball bur #: 344507

Jeweler’s saw #: 110041

2/0 blade  #: 110206

Round needle file #: 114950

Bezel roller #: 113063

Ring Clamp #: 113105

Bench block #: 112069 (Might not be necessary)

Flat-faced hammer #: 112475 (Might not be necessary) 

Half-round hand file #2 cut #: 114929

Rubberized abrasive wheel on mandrel for flexshaft #: 33262110

Bezel mandrel corresponding to shape of stone (totally optional) 

I’d advise having a complete needle file set in #2 and #4 or #5 cut but not absolutely necessary