DIY Network

Soldered Silver Pendant From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-105

This same technique can be used with any type of stone to create a pendant design you'll love!

Host Jackie Guerra takes a lesson in soldering silver from guest Bill Gallagher.

Materials:

Cabochon stones
Pure silver strips for bezels
Solder for silver
Sterling silver sheet for backing, 22 gauge
Silver jump rings
Tripoli buffing material
Jeweler’s rouge
Flux
Solderings
Safety glasses
Acetylene torch
Wire grid to hold silver
Pliers
Jeweler’s saw
Jeweler’s drill
Polishing machine with assorted buffs

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	Figure A
	Figure B

1. Choose the stone to be used in the pendant.

   
   

2. Take a strip of pure silver and form it around the stone to create the bezel. Trim the excess bezel, remove it from the stone and solder the joint. To solder, place the bezel on a silver backing plate that has been coated with flux (to keep the metal from oxidizing). Add small pieces of solder to area to be joined.

   
   

3. While wearing safety glasses, solder the bezel with torch.

   
   

4. Cut out the foundation for the pendant -- the bezel and the silver backing (figure A) -- with a jeweler’s saw.

   
   

5. Bend the bail (the part through which the chain or neckwire will slide) back and solder it to the backing of the pendant.

   
   

6. Attach the piece to the other element(s) of the finished pendant.

   
   

7. Insert the stone into the bezel, and push the bezel over the stone using a bezel pusher (figure B).

   
   

8. Polish the pendant, first with tripoli, then with jeweler’s rouge on cotton or muslin buffs on an electric motor.

GUESTS :

Bill Gallagher
Owner
BillyBob Nonessentials
Email: info@billgallagher.net
Website: www.billgallagher.net