"Circle of Light"- Brooch (or) Pendant

 This "Circle of Light" was a gift for my wife, Sheila and it's used only on the 'best' occasions. She likes it more because I made it for her. 😍

 After the silver-casting, I placed this brooch on a shellac stick for an easier gemstone setting. The famous word is "easier" and not to be having any difficulty in the setting process.

  I used a large Bud-Shaped bur to core out the Pavillion facets of the stone. I don't want to have metal interfering with the actual placing of the stone. 

 The inner-claw area must be made clean of any residual metal. The claws must be made clean for the setting process, I will use a Pumice Wheel #180 grit, only for this inner-claw cleaning.

 I would use a 156C (Carbide) bur, BUT the chances of drilling too deep can be a major problem. Therefore, I use the bud bur to have a 'controlled undercutting' at all times.

This is "what and where" the bud bur will used.

 This gemstone setting process is a "Shared Claw" setting. It gives a nice impression of having "two claws holding the two stones". 

 I want to have the stones sitting at the same level, or height. I must use a Brass, or Copper metal pusher to move the claws together.

 If I use a steel pusher, there will be remnants of the teeth will be leaving those marks on the sides of the claws. The VERY UGLY thing to see!

 There are still marks on the sides of the claws from using those 'pair of pliers', bad move agree? Therefore I must use a Pumice Wheel #180 grit, in an attempt to clean up those awkward indentations.

 This is the "pair of pliers" I used just for this demonstration, now you can see the many problems in the cleaning processes. 

 Just before I place the stones into their "New Home", I need to make sure that there are no residual shavings of metal left in the claw setting.

 As this is a "Shared Claw" setting, where are the claws going to be positioned? This is another different technique. Pull the claws together, but DO NOT MOVE THEM FROM ONE CORNER TO THE OTHER, not diagonally.

Basically, you will having "two claws, holding two stones", 

 After all of the claw tops - the tips have been cleaned. just use your hand-held Polishing wheel to gently buff the tops.

 When you are finished, clean off the shellac and use your larger ROUGE buffing wheel to clean the underside. YOU ARE NOW FINISHED!

   Email me, anytime: gerrylewy18@gmail.com