Rose Cut Labradorite Ring
Bezel setting is a great technique to learn and is suitable for flat bottomed stones and perfect for fused glass but but this doesn’t exclude working with sparkly faceted stones. Rose cut stones have a faceted domed top and flat bottom This is a 6mm rose cut labradorite, it was a little bit fiddly due to it’s small size and it is easier to start with round stones 8mm – 14mm. (The bezel is the narrow collar of silver you can see around the stone).
I love labradorite, it’s not the most sparkly stone but it has a subtle glow with lots of interest and colours.
I, cut a disc, drilled a hole in the center to let in the light and hammered it for texture and domed it. I measured the bezel wire (this had to be cut down as the rose cut slopes in so the bezel can be very narrow) and soldered it to the disc. I formed some square wire into a ring shape leaving out a section underneath the hole in the disc (it’s unlikely to let in much light but every little helps) – the disc was then soldered to the ring.
The ring was pickled and polished and the disc given a slightly mat finish then the labradorite was set using a pusher. This is just over a R and a Half and is for sale – £24.
This is another example of bezel setting – Dichroic fused glass set into a silver pendant with copper dots. – You can see this pendant on my website – just click on the photo.
You can learn how to make bezel setting on our Stone Setting Workshop and glass fusing on our Glass Fusing – Making Fused Glass Jewellery Workshop.
Pop back tomorow for a different stone setting technique or better still follow my blog for automatic updates (see Follow Blog via Email in the right margin).