Why I Cut Every Bezel By Hand

 When you look at a finished ring or pendant, the part you notice least is the bezel. It's the thin silver wall that wraps around the stone and holds it in place. But after six years at the bench, I can tell you that it is one of the most important parts of your jewelry.  It's the part that tells you whether a piece is only pretty or genuinely well made.

What a bezel does

A bezel surrounds the stones edge, and the top rim is pressed against the stones curve to secure it. Done well, it protects the stone and sits flush.

No two stones are the same. Even a cabochon that looks perfectly oval will have slight differences, such as a shoulder that's a little steeper on one side.  I hand select my gemstones from lapidary suppliers that I trust, and part of what I love about stones is exactly this individuality.

That's also why I don't use pre-made bezel cups. They are made to fit an average stone, and your stone is never average. When a stone is put into a setting that wasn't made for it, you get gaps, uneven pressure, and a bezel that has to be forced into place.

How I do it

1. I wrap a thin strip of fine silver bezel wire snugly around the stones edge, following every curve.

2. I cut the strip to the proper length. Then I shape it around the stone again to check the fit.

3. I solder the seam, taking the time to make sure that the ends meet perfectly so that the seam will be nearly invisible.

4. I check the fit again.  This is the time that I make corrections if there are any loose areas or if the bezel is too tight. Sometimes that means starting all over from the beginning.

5. I file down any parts of the bezel and/or corners that are too high for the stone and check the fit again.

Now I'm finally ready to attach it to a sterling silver backplate, do the final filing, sanding, and polishing, and set the stone!

Fitting a bezel to each stone takes more time than dropping one into a pre-made cup. In this case, I feel that the slower way is the right way. When you wear something that I've made, I want the stone to look as if it was always meant to be there. 

If you'd like to see the pieces that I've made this way, visit my shop at CK Metal Designs. You can also contact me through the shop to have a custom order made just for you.

Cat