End Bezels for Baguette stones => 18 photos

  When the need arises to set either a 'Tapered' or a 'Straight baguette', the technique is still the same. Plus, in this type of stone setting, there are simply NO POSSIBLE SHORTCUTS.

 The inside 'End Bezel' is GENTLY moved backwards with the aid of your pliers. This process 'will be corrected' when the stone is set. What we are doing is gently increasing access to the End Bezel for the stone-setting process.

 What must happen now is to widen the opening for the selected stone shape. If the stone is of a 'tapered shape', thus the opening must be shaped to that stone. 

 The inside of the bezel should be filed and trimmed, as all of the bezel claws must be cleaned. There shouldn't be any rough edges to be seen, as with the blue stone.

 The 'End Bezels' should be filed smooth. Both of the end claws should be filed equally on both ends.

 I think that a Triangular file #4 will be the best file to use in these tight areas.

 The "Reciprocating Hammer, Anvil' should lightly tap the bezel end claws. If the Hammer touches the stone with too much force, the stone will quickly shatter.

  Have the Anvil lightly 'tap-touch' the corners of the bezel claw first. As this will secure & prevent the stone from moving.

  I marked the metal exactly where the anvil will touch. DON'T HAVE THE HAMMER ANVIL HIT THE VERY FRONT OF THE METAL BAR.

 It is permitted to have a slight incline of the stone. Why is this? The angle of this stone will merge with the shoulder stone and the main (unsoldered) stone.

 The Hammer Anvil is not pounding the metal; it is only GENTLY keeping the stone secure in the bezel.

 You can see that the Hammer Anvil is not coming close to the stone. It is only gently moving the metal towards the stone, but not touching the soft stone.

 You can now see the stone as it blends in with the Bezel.

                        IMPORTANT NOTES ON STONE SETTING

  I suggest using a round bur to prepare a seat for the stone. DON'T LET THE STONE SEAT GO BEYOND THE  BEZEL.

  My other suggestion is to drill three little holes. These holes should not exceed the width of the stone.

 Please use a 'bud-shaped' bur to excavate the Pavilion where the stone will sit. Clean out the corners and have the Bud Bur clean all along the Pavilion of the setting.

 Clean out the plugged opening of the bezel; if not, the stone will not sit well as expected. Before the stone is finally set, it is imperative to pre-polish the bezel frame.

 The inside of the bezel should look like a long square. The Pavilion will sit accordingly, and when the hammering starts, there won't be any problems while the stone is being 'tightened'.

 From the beginning to the final finish, this will make any client happy with the results.

Go to this blog essay dated => "AUGUST 22. 2025 ESSAY". It covers the cleaning aspect of this essay.

Bright-Cutting a 'Circle' => 24 photos

This is not hard, 'it's just insanely difficult'!!!

Not one aspect of this project can be learned in one day.

 The tools needed for this essay are minimal. I use Onglet #0, #1 and #2 gravers, and a Flat graver of #40 width. 

 Why have a large and thick pointed gravers that are shown so many times by other authors? This finely pointed graver will still cut accurately.

 The 'rounded bottom' of the graver has one very important use. The purpose is to move (not push) any beads against and over the girdle of the gemstone. We shall see it in action in a few minutes.

  These are my inventory of polishing papers, which are all laid out in sequential order. The papers on the left of this row are basically Emery grit, starting with #240 up to #600 grit.

 The 'polishing papers' that will be used will serve to create a highly smooth surface on the sides of each graver. These papers are at #800 to #1,200 grit texture.

  I will keep my "Flat" graver in the coloured handle for easier identification while looking to make a flat cut.

 I thinned off much of the graver on the 'right side'. I needed this cleaning process just to thin the metal cutting.

 

 On the graver's left side, also got thinned just as I did on the right side, also for the same purpose.

 

 Preparing the circular cutting pattern involves a multitude of techniques. All of the cutting tools must be maintained in a pristine condition at all times.

                    This is where the 'metal cutting, fun starts'.

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  I cut these 4 grooves into each of the holes as they are short and well defined.

 With the thinned Onglette graver #1, I'm going to join the holes together, as shown. This is the reason why I modified the blade.

 Another technique is to cut a complete circle around this pendant. As shown here! The sides of each hole must be cleaned of unwanted metal. I suggest using a Bud-shaped bur; JUST GET THE HOLE CLEAN.

 This is the 'problem metal' that MUST BE REMOVED before anything else is to be done. The edge must be absolutely clean of any unwanted metal during this 'cleaning' process.

 You can now see how deep the cutting must be. NO SHALLOW CUTS ARE TO REMAIN.

  Starting at the two border lines, cut a 'V' shape pattern INTO EACH SIDE OF THE HOLE. You will soon see why this is important.

 Recut many times around "the circle" as the complete circle of metal is getting cleaner at each series of cuts.

 Clean away any unwanted 'graver cuttings', I'd use the Onglette #2 graver for this process. DON'T FORGET TO CUT DEEP.

 The next important cutting is to Bright Cut the little square in between the two holes. This shiny square, when polished, will look just like another gemstone.

 Blank and flat metal is not wanted; it has to be visually enhanced with a bright & shiny surface.

What are 'we' to do with the extra metal around the rim?

 The easiest method of removing blank areas of any pattern is to "Bright Cut" it. There is no need to grind it away, as this only ruins the pattern. YUK!

 Here is my Flat graver #40, starting to visually enhance that blank unwanted area. 

 This is one of the many reasons why ALL DIAMOND SETTING TOOLS NEED TO BE KEPT IN PRISTINE CONDITION AT ALL TIMES. In this photo, I'm cutting at a 45degree angle.

 I'm using my Onglette #2 graver and 'Bright-Cutting' the line of metal cutting along the holes.

  With my modified "Onglette #2, Bead-Raising" blade, I am moving the metal 'against and over' the edge of the stone.

  Those little triangles are now being put to use...as 'BEADS'!!!

 If there is any metal remaining (anywhere), you can just use your Flat graver and remove it CAREFULLY.

 I use a tapered Pumice wheel of 1,000 grit to manually polish the inside metal cuttings. Try to avoid a large cloth wheel polishing wheel.

 If you found this exercise difficult, IT IS, Imagine that it has no shortcuts anywhere. Fondest regards from Gerry Lewy!


 

BEADS! How are they created? => 19 photos

This essay is only about the formation of "BEADS"; although these photos have been repeated many times, they are important.

 These little pieces of metal have only one purpose, and that is to hold a gemstone securely. But to make them is another story!

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  These little pieces of metal must be created in an orderly fashion. Resulting in round pieces of metal 'against and over the girdle' of the gemstone.

  From a very rough metal casting, I've created a heart-shaped (pendant) item.

 When the 'beaded-pendant' has been created, the surface should be smooth to the touch and have no sharp edges to cut into the skin.

 Bead Burnishers are little steel rods with one hole in the tip; these come in different sizes. What do they do?

 They make the rough-looking bead that we just created just smooth and rounded.

 Where there is a larger space in between the holes, a pattern is to be crafted. In this pattern, I've cut a square as shown here. This square can be 'bright-Cut' in making it look like another gemstone.

 

Before any 'Bright-Cutting' is to start, all of the metal cutting tools must be sharpened. I prefer the #800 grit Polishing Paper.

 In this photo is my #40 Flat graver getting ready for loads of metal cutting.

 When the Flat graver is highly polished, the cutting result resembles another gemstone.

 The remaining metal has a new feature. Those little triangular-shaped nodules will be new beads.

 When the white gemstones are set, it will be very difficult to distinguish the metal square from the stone.

  The eye will now find it hard to distinguish which is the shiny bead from the metal carving. Isn't this interesting?

 Much of the 'bead raising' is done BEFORE any stones are set.

  Here are two Onglette gravers that are doing my metal carving. The graver on the left is an Onglette #2, and the fine, thin blade is a 'knife-shaped' #0. Without these blades, no beads can be made.

  Here is another method for creating beads. In between the two holes, a line should be cut very DEEP.

 Another DEEP line must be cut as shown here. You could use a very thin Bud Bur to cut into the + pattern. From this simple cutting, FOUR new beads will eventually be created.

 I will definitely burnish all and every bead that I've created. I don't want any rough spots to be felt, anywhere.

 I will Bright-Cut all of the metal before any stone is set.

 I used a "156C" under-cutting bur to create seats for the gemstone

 Here is another 'bead-burnisher' rounding the bead tops.

To separate every new set of beads, I'll use a Bud Bur of #1 to clean away any shallow cuts. I need DEEP CUTS TO JUSTIFY EACH GROUP OF BEADS.

 Even today, I can look at this essay and wonder why no other setters have come up with this idea of creating new beads.

 All of the space has to be used; I've created 'decorative beads' if there is extra space.