Cabachon Earrings

Here It is, my next attempt at making. The Lesson, I learned to make a bezel, solder and form ear wires and set a cabochon . A bezel is the cup that a cabochon stone is set in. A cabochon is a stone with a flat back that is smooth and polished on the top and sides. The stone in these earrings is unakite. An olive green stone with brown and pink inclusions. The bezel back is cut from sheets of metal, in this case sterling silver. A very thin and delicate wall is made of fine silver bezel wire. a flat ribbon that is shaped around the stone and soldered closed. It is then soldered to the sterling sheet. The edge is trimmed and filed smooth. I attached a length of sterling silver round wire to the top of the bezel and then mounted the cabochon by placing it in the bezel and pushing the top edge of the bezel over the stone with a burnishing tool. The stone was covered to protect it and the bezel was polished. Then the wire was formed into a french style ear wire. Voila, they were earrings. Well, it took a little more time that it sounds like, but three more techniques under my belt. I hope to use the techniques to improve the quality of my Rosaries Chaplets and Jewelry which I like to imbue with Christian symbolism.