Does anyone know of a good tutorial on how to fabricate this type of bezel?
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Do you want to see both sides of the coin?
I have mounted coins several different ways. They all leave the back open so that you can see both sides of the coin. In the picture that you have posted, the coin appears to be mounted in a simple, very thin, gold bezel with both sides folded over the edge of the coin and then burnished in with a hand burnisher. Make the bezel just a bit wider than the coin and so that it just fits over the coin. You need to account for any irregularities in the coin as is the case with older coins. Orient the soldered jump ring to the shaped bezel and solder it in place. This is a good time to do some prepolishing of the bezel before you mount the coin. Then pass the coin through the bezel enough to do a rough folding of the back of the coin. Then do the same on the front. You are trying to secure the coin so that there is the same amount of bezel folded on both sides. Continue to work the bezel into place on both sides using a pair of parallel jaw pliers if you have them. If not, a flat nose plier will work. Take your time so that it stays even and you don’t cause any dents that can’t be removed when you finish the piece. You can finish moving the bezel with a hammer and bezel punch to get it nice and snug. When you polish, protect the coin with masking tape as you don’t know how it will react to polish and other abrasives and you don’t want to alter the aged finish on the coin. Following are front and back pictures of several coins that I have mounted. Let us know how it goes. Good luck…Rob
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Rob has some good advice. I’d like to stress the importance of not over handling the coin. Many of the ancient coins that I set were for collectors and they can become quite upset about disturbing the patina on the coin. After one client got really bent out of shape over the patina, I made sure that the new customers understood that there would be some change to the patina because of the jewelry making process. If they weren’t okay with that, I wouldn’t make the piece. On a collectors coin, the patina can effect the value greatly and if the coin is very valuable, it probably shouldn’t be used for jewelry.
On very old coins the adhesive from tape can damage the coin, and remove the patina. I would use cotton gloves to handle the coins that I had concerns about, until I was ready to do the final mounting.
On Jewelry I made with ancient coins, I would try to make the front of the piece, as clean and finished as possible, and like Rob, set the coin from the back, generally with prongs. On coins I used for my inventory, I would use coins that were nice, but not gem, and then i could use an antique finish. It’s very hard not to damage a coin setting it from the front, and I would not recommend it, if its a customers coin.
TJones
Goldsmith
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this is one I did for a client.
There are tiny tabs on the back and the coin swivels so you can easily see both sides when wearing it.
Judy H
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Judy…Nice piece, is there a stop of some sort inside the tube to allow the coin and surrounding pieces to swivel or does just the coin swivel? thanks…Rob
Great advice, I will be even more careful how I handle the coin in the future…Rob
Thank you so much for the info and for sharing your photos. I’m having difficulty folding the bezel evenly and was wondering if a tool exists to create a channel in the bezel to make it easier to fold over the coin?
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I am assuming that you have elected to just use a thin bezel strip, maybe in the 24 - 28 gauge range. If you have elected a different mounting method, let us know. Before you start folding, you need a jump ring or something to attach a bail to. Once that need is taken care of, just take your time using what tools you have to carefully and evenly fold the bezel. Pliers, parallel if you have them, will work to get the rough folding done. After that you will need to fine tune the setting with a burnisher or, as I suggested in a previous reply, a hammer and bezel punch. Be careful of the coin that you don’t damage the patina. Good luck and share your results…Rob
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Thank you, I will be patient and give it a try!
I can’t remember - looking at the picture doesn’t help either.
Judy
Thank you so much for this information, i have just been asked to mount an old coin for someone so this is invaluable. Especially the information about caring fir the coin.
Thanjs
Patsy
Would channel wire be an option for this project? I’m considering making a similar opened bezel using channel wire for some baubles, certainly not as precious as an antique coin.