Gemstone Chains Reimagined

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Intermediate

On my list for "Reimagining Gemstones" were the bezelled gemstone chains from WireJewelry.com. The checkerboard faceting makes me think of rose cut cabochons. After removing the original bezel and setting them in a heftier bezel, they have totally different, more artisan look. And of course, you can never go wrong pairing gold and silver!

Add your own special touch to make special occasion gifts for loved ones.

Emerald: May birthstone; 20th and 35th Anniversary

Sapphire: September birthstone; 5th, 10th, and 45th Anniversary

Black Spinel: August birthstone; 22nd Anniversary

Blue Onyx: Black Onyx is a 7th Anniversary gemstone and a July birthstone alternative, so why not substitute blue onyx?

Labradorite: 1st Anniversary; alternative November birthstone

Materials

Sterling Silver Chain w/Bezelled Multi Semi Precious Stones 36in. (6.8x7 to 8.7x11.2mm) - 3 Feet

C8-207U

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $79.64
Gold Club Price: $59.73

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28 Gauge 3/16" Fine Silver Bezel Wire

H9-28BZL

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $12.83
Gold Club Price: $9.62

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24 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H19-24SM6

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
Price: $48.95
Gold Club Price: $36.71

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Tools

Deluxe Soldering Kit

G15-5

G15-5
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $116.97
Gold Club Price: $87.73

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Silver Solder Paste Hard SS75 - 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.20

SOL-822.20
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $19.95
Gold Club Price: $14.96

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Silver Solder Paste Medium SS70 - 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.15

SOL-822.15
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.95
Gold Club Price: $14.21

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Silver Solder Paste Soft SS65- 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.10

SOL-822.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.95
Gold Club Price: $12.71

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Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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6 Step Barrel Plier - Pack of 1

G2-503

G2-503
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.95
Gold Club Price: $14.21

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10 Piece Diamond Needle Files - 140mm X 3mm

G14-8

G14-8
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $13.57
Gold Club Price: $10.18

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Half Round Sanding Sticks Set of 6

BUF-751.98

BUF-751.98
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $11.57
Gold Club Price: $8.68

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Multi Angle Cutting Jig

VIS-512.00

VIS-512.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $84.95
Gold Club Price: $63.71

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SANDING SPONGES ASST- 5PC- 1EA GRIT 100-400

ABR-600.90

ABR-600.90
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions for the space you are working in as well as all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies you will be using to complete the project.

Purchasing several strands at a time makes it easier to find stones that can be matched as earring and pendant sets. Start cutting the sets apart, not worrying where the connecting loops are located, just matching shapes.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, gemstone chain

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, bezeled gemstones

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, gemstones

Step 2

Once the separated gems are sorted into pairs and orphans, store the gems in small plastic bags so you don't need to re-sort them later. Save the chains and other bits, as well. They can be used to design and make fabulous jewelry!

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, sorted gemstones

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, gemstone earrings

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, earrings

Step 3

Use a flush cutter to carefully clip through the bezel close to a hanging loop on one side of a stone-first photo. Remove the bezel-second photo. The little bit of glue left around the stone will usually flake away. If not, carefully scrape it away with the sharp edge of a knife. You may be pleasantly surprised at how many of the stones will be similar in shape and size once the bezels are removed-third and fourth photos.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cutting off a bezel

Step 4

Bezel wire is unwieldly when shaping a bezel from the coil. Therefore, the bezel wire is cut a bit longer than needed to circle the stone. The length will be adjusted in Step 5.

Stones from bezelled strands are not flat on the bottom like standard cabochons. The beginning of the bezel wire should start in the center of a long, less curved, side of the stone. It will be easier to make the first curve using a large or small Wrap "N" Tap pliers or a 6 step barrel pliers-first photo. Wrap the bezel wire around the rest of the stone. Use an ultra-fine point retractable Sharpie to mark where to cut the bezel wire-second photo.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cutting bezel wire to length

Step 5

Square up and secure the starting end of the bezel wire in a miter jig and vise, with only a bit of the bezel wire showing-first photo. File the end flat.

Mark the end with a down arrow-meaning this side will be the side soldered to a backplate-second photo. Wrap the bezel wire around the stone and overlap the beginning end on top. Mark the bezel wire where to cut-third photo. Square up the bezel wire end in the miter jig and vise.

Check the bezel fit around the stone. Only remove a hair of bezel wire at a time if the bezel is too loose around the stone. Continue until a tight fit is achieved. It is helpful to use a bit of painter's tape to mark which way the stone will sit in the bezel. Here the arrow will point towards the soldered bezel seam.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cutting bezel wire

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, marking bezel wire

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, filing bezel wire flat

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, bezeling a stone

Step 6

Match the bezel wire ends, making sure no light shows through the seam and the top and bottom edges of the bezel wire are even-first photo. Place the bezel on a soldering surface with the arrow facing away from you. Add a dot of hard paste solder-second photo.

Heat the bezel until the solder flows. Tip the bezel over away from you. Aim the heat at the seam to pull a bit of the solder through the seam to the outside of the bezel. Allow the bezel to cool before moving it.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, bezel wire

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, set the bezel on the solder block

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, solder the bezel wire

Step 7

The marked arrow disappears with heating. Mark the arrow again. Reshape the bezels around the gemstones, matching the arrow on the back of the stone to the seam in the bezel.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, bezels for stones

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, reshape the bezels over the stones

Step 8

Some stones were thicker than others, so the bezel wire did not need to be made narrower. Because I was making quite a few different pieces using the gemstones from my bezelled strands, I wanted them to look similar in thickness so they could mix and match.

Place the bezel on thin plastic from something like a whipped topping lid. Draw around the inside of the bezel with an ultra-fine point Sharpe-first photo. Cut the plastic pieces out. Because the Sharpie marker can act as a solder resist, remove the marker with an alcohol-soaked pad-second photo. Place the cut shapes and stone inside the bezel to check how many pieces will be needed to raise the stone.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cut plastic to raise the stones

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, remove any marker

Step 9

Level the bottom of the bezel by running it across 320 grit sandpaper on a bench block. This process can distort the bezel shape so reshape the bezel if needed.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, sand down the bezels to height needed

Step 10

As stated before, quite a few pieces were being made at the same time. Soldering would be much easier if each bezel was on a separate backing. Since these were small pieces, I knew I could solder three at a time on one narrow backing piece.

After cutting the backing pieces apart, each can be textured on the back side, if desired. Flatten the piece after texturing.

Use medium paste solder to attach the bezels and 22 gauge 2.5mm ID closed jump rings centered on the top of the bezel.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, set up for soldering

Step 11

Gold-filled embellishments: Cut 3/16" discs from 24 gauge gold-filled sheet metal. Dome them in the two smallest wells of a metal dapping block-first photo. A domed 1/8" disk is centered between the domed 3/26" disks on the pendant-fourth photo. Place medium paste solder under the domed disks-second photo-and place where desired on the backing-third and fourth photos.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, doming metal

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, doming the metal

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, place the embellishments on the backplates

Step 12

Place the unit on a soldering surface. Heat around the piece until solder flows, nudging the small pieces back into place with a solder pick if they move during the process. If gold-filled accents were added, spritz flux on the piece once it has warmed up. The flux will protect the gold- filled pieces from getting fire scale.

Step 13

The pieces will probably look terrible after the solder flows. Not to worry. Pop them in pickle for silver-no need to use super pickle. Immediately upon removal from the pickle, put the pieces in baking soda water to neutralize the pickle. Rinse and dry the pieces. They will then look great. Dry them before continuing.

Step 14

Cut the pieces out. I chose not to leave a frame around the finished pieces so was not careful when cutting as I was going to file the excess metal away.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cut out the pieces

Step 15

File and refine the edges but do not cut holes in rings at this point.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, file the edges

Step 16

Optional: Nestle the piece in pumice in a pumice pan. Use easy paste solder to attach embellishments to the back of the pieces. As in Step 12, if gold-filled accents were added, spritz flux on the piece once it has warmed up. The flux will protect the gold- filled pieces from getting fire scale. Heat until the solder flows.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, adding gold filled accents

Step 17

Pickle the pieces. Immediately upon removing them from the pickle, immerse them in baking soda water to neutralize the pickle. Rinse and dry the pieces before continuing.

Step 18

Use a 1.5mm hole punch to make holes in the jump rings.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, punch holes

Step 19

Tumble the pieces for several hours to bring up a nice shine.

Step 20

Set the stones, including the pieces cut in Step 8 to raise them, if needed.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, set the stones

Step 21

Push bezels over edges of the stones. Smooth the top bezel edge with a burnisher.

Step 22

Use chain and flat nose pliers to attach findings. A K13-11 bail was used on the large rectangular pendant. K12-27 bails were used on the pendants with matching earrings. 6mm ball studs with separate 9.5mm backs-my favorite- were used on all the earrings.

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, set gemstone

Judy Larson's Gemstone Chains Reimagined - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, set gemstones

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!