I have had several pieces of Aqua Aura. They look like clusters
of quartz crystals, only an aqua color, with hints of gold
throughout. I incorporated them into sculptures, and sold them,
but the one I have left has darkened somewhat over the years. I
was just told that gold molecules in solution had been
electrostatically picked up by the quartz. I haven’t had time
to dig out my old chemistry book to see how that works.
On another line, could anyone suggest a way to bezel set a
faceted stone into the surface of a flattish, large pearl? I
have thought about setting the stone first in a bezel earring
stud, then gluing it in a hole in the pearl, but I’m not sure
what type of gluel would be safe, and wonder whether the stone
would go “dead” without light coming in from the back. I would
like the stone to be flush with the surface of the pearl. I
also thought of setting a stone into a tube setting long enought
to go right through the back of the pearl and then flaring the
back end, like a tube rivet. Would the setting just come out the
back side then? Any ideas? Thanks
I don�t know about the appearance of the stone but there is no
reason for it to fall out of a tube mount that is also a tube
rivet. The tube neads to be wider than the stone but not so
small as to let the stone fall through.The seat that is carved
permits the stone to rest securely. Marilyn Smith
Cynthia suggests that you get a tapered tube setting from
Stueller (800-877-7777) and solder a piece of straight wall
tubing on the bottom of the tapered tube setting that is the
diameter of the small end of the tapered setting and long enough
so the finished tapered tube and straight tube is longer than the
pearl is thick. Set the stone, drill a hole through the pearl
the diameter of the straight wall tube and flare the area the
tapered setting is to go with a flame burr. Once you get a
good, tight, seated fit on the top/stone side and the tapered
setting, flare the straight tube on the back to lock the set
stone unit in place. For safety, use a bit of pearl glue under
the tapered setting to keep the set stone from spinning in the
pearl.
Just one way to skin the cat!!!
John and Cynthia/MidLife Crisis Enterprises
Maiden Metals/C. T. Designs/ Bloomin’ Wax Works. etc.
PO Bx 44, Philo
CA 95466
Ph 707-895-2635 FAX 707-895-9332
Sitting still and wishing makes no person great.
The good Lord provides the fishes, but you must dig the bait.
On another line, could anyone suggest a way to bezel set a
faceted stone into the surface of a flattish, large pearl?
I … wonder whether the stone would go “dead” without light
coming in from the back.
This should be no problem. A well-cut stone of good quality
doesn’t need light coming in from the back, it gets its
brilliance by reflecting and refracting light that enters
through the front, i.e., top. (Think about channel-set
diamonds, for example.)
That’s the easy answer. Of course most commercially cut gems
are of such abysmally low quality that many people have never
seen a well-cut, high-quality gemstone.
If you don’t have the budget for custom-cut stones, then stick
to something light. Stay away from dark garnets and such, and
you should be okay.
Marilyn, I didin’t mean that the stone would fall out of the
tube. I meant that the tube might fall out of the pearl–it
would be flared at the back of the pearl, but how could it stay
in place so it couldn’t come out of the back of the pearl, if the
diameter of the tube is unflared at the front, where the stone is
set? Is this clear as mud?
Hello: My comment would be that the reason for having an opening
at the back of the stone is more for cleaning purposes, not as
much for light. A bezel or tube set stone sealed off in the back
will fill up with water and oil and “meatloaf” and you could not
get it out. So, well cut or not, you will lose the AIR/STONE
interface and hence dullen the stone, Diamonds anyway.
wonder whether the stone would go "dead" without light coming
in from the back.<<
If the stone’s pavilion is cut properly it won’t make any
difference. On properly cut stones the majority of the light
enters through the crown & is reflected back out the crown. It’s
based on a bunch of laws of physics (Refractive index & critcal
angle).
I would like the stone to be flush with the surface of the
pearl. I also thought of setting a stone into a tube
setting long enought to go right through the back of the pearl
and then flaring the back end, like a tube rivet. <<
The tube or earing basket idea sound good if there’ll be a metal
back to attach it to.
I’m confused about how the pearl is being mounted. If it’s going
to be backed by sheet, why not solder the tube setting to the
sheet, and then saw the sheet from the center of the tube. Then
the pearl can just be dropped on from the front.
If the tube is a bit more narrow than the bezel mounting, it
will lock in that end and the other end would be flared after
insertion. It is so frustrating not to be able to sketch. Try
this …make a separate bezel mount and solder it to the tube
which will be the rivet. Drill the tunnel for the tube. Enlarge
the proper end to form a seat or socket for the bezel part.
Insert tube through the large end. Flare the small end and the
rivet should be secure.
The pearl is going to be a pendant, with no backing to it. The
setting is to be in the center of the pearl, which is rather
flat, front and back. I had another idea to run past all of
you, to see what you think:
A thin tube could be soldered inside a larger tube, close
fitting, only at the end where the stone is to be. The solder
would be only at the end inside the pearl. The outer tube would
be notched in 4 or 6 places, so it could be flared out after it
is placed in the pearl. The stone would be set in the interior,
smalled tube. The tube would be inserted, the back end flared,
and then the front, outer tubing would be flared, holding the
whole gizmo in place. It might look like a small flower!