Awkward Bezel Setting

In the beginning there was a snail operculum (that's door to us laypeople).  And this shell wanted setting, because a client paid me to do so.  However, I have never set an awkward shape or sheer size like this - asymetrical yes, but not where one side is twice as thick as the other side with a bulky bottom sticking out.

At 2.5 cm x 3.25 cm (1 in x 1.3 in), the shell will test my silversmithing skills.  So I charged less to the client, as I typically do when a project will push my boundaries and give me a chance to learn new skills.

Please note:
This is not a how to on creating a bezel setting in silversmithing, more the journalling of my boundary pushing steps.

No settings below have been cleaned up.  This is the deep and dirty of silversmithing.

Studio Heath Showcase

At the beginning of my wire working fetish, I wanted keenly to be able to capture a stone in wire work and learn more about the "rainbow wrapping" being done by various artists in Colorado, USA in 2005.  I searched for a good, comprehensive tutorial to buy that would not only teach me the foundations of some good wire working but also enable for me to make the complicated ideas I had in my head for jewellery.

Step in Remy of www.studeoheath.com featuring her wonderful work.  She made the most amazing tutorial on exactly what I was looking for in the Woven Sculpture Pendant.

Hollow Fusion Bracelet

After completing a ton of fusing metal experiments, what do I do with all of these silver plates!  I had been drooling over the designs of jewelry artist Nancy Blair and thought about emulating the box look of her bracelets.  Why not use my fuse experiments to make up the links in a bracelet!

Fusing Silver with a torch Experiments

After getting the basics of silver smithing down of soldering, polishing and bezel setting I wanted to start experimenting in my home workshop.  After committing sterling silver (s/s) to experimentation, I decided to explore the fusing technique.  I won't go into the actual fusing process as there are may free, great videos on Youtube and other tutorials on the hows.  Needless to say, I didn't do much research and just winged it.

In all experiments, I used 1 mm thick s/s sheet.

Experiment 1: 1 silver s/s ball, one fine silver ball and 1 x 9 karat gold ball 

Fusing requires a lot of concentration and careful flame control.  In an ideal set up, I would have a bunsen burner type flame heating the back plate from underneath to get the metal hot and then use another flame to do the final melting of the top surface from above.  Sadly, I don't have a pluthera of materials in my workshop, so I used one plumbers LPG torch from above with the biggest head possible which leaves very little room for minute control. 

I learned in this first experiment that s/s melts quickly, 9 karat gold melts next and fine silver holds it shape quite well compared to the melting point of the s/s backplate.  The s/s ball and gold ball resemble fried eggs as I was trying to get the fine silver ball to finally fuse to the backplate.

Conclusion of this first experiment was to have all items I am fusing to one backplate all the same material for consistent success without complete meltdown of a feature.

Spiral Bezel Setting Tutorial

Ever wanted to trap a found object to make a pendant or dangle bead but wondered how?  If you can coil a spiral then you can do this tutorial!


Start out in affordable copper wire purchased from an electronics hobbyist shop called transistor wire.  It is cheap and coated in a clear plastic coating so the copper does not discolour.

The tutorial shows you how to start the bezel setting for the found object to sit on and the literally spiral around building up a cup that will encase the found object inside.  Then finally use the remaining wire as a simple bail.

Basket Weave Tutorial

Creating a pendant is a lot of fun, and often once a stone has been captured into wire working it would make a fantastic ring.  But how to create a nice ring band that is not too plain for the complex ring top?

Basket Weave!  A beautiful wrap that creates a sturdy, yet pretty ring band that is certainly not understated. It is easiest to start with the ring band and then use the wild wires at either end to construct the ring top.

The tutorial is only how to do the basket weave technique, not how to then go on to create the whole ring.  Make enough band to mostly get around your finger, and then use the wild bits in coils to hide the final join.

Thank you Customers

After having my shop website up from 2005 to 2013, I have decided to close the selling part of my jewellery making hobby down.  I am focusing more on the educational side of promoting the passion of jewellery making to future hobbyists.

Thank you to all past clients with whom I have had the pleasure of designing some amazing projects, it wouldn't have happen without you all.

I have added a few pages to this blog of my designs and favourite projects broken down by jewellery type categories viewable in the upper right hand corner of my home page.

My tutorials will be re-linked again shortly.