Blue Topaz Bezel Ring with Cutouts

by Raina Erwin
(Morrisville, NC)

I made this ring with a 3mm blue topaz, 4mm wide x 1mm thick sterling bar, and 16 gauge sterling wire (and a smidgen of 20 gauge sterling to go under the stone).

There are still faint tool marks inside and a few at the edges but overall I'm pleased.

It's my first bezel setting, and I had to hammer 16 gauge wire flat to make the outside of the setting (I didn't have any bezel wire or sheet silver to use).

The thin strip that I had on hand to make the band was too short to make the entire band, so I wrapped the setting between two pieces of wire to bridge the gap and soldered it to the ends of the strip (but the rest of the world doesn't need to know that I was kluging it, lol!)

I used a square diamond file to shape the "cutouts" (really the places between the wire and the strip/bezel).

Of course I lost the ring that same night while rushing around the house trying to find some clothes for my stepkids! Arrgghh! :-@

At least I got the pictures before I lost it. Hopefully it will turn up soon.

Raina Erwin
Kiliari Designs