I once put a romantic note behind a turquoise bracelet for a
girlfriend. Had to take it apart a year or so later to prove it,
which was actually to MY delight. Many reasons for many things…
sliv
1 Like
Hi Richard,
I agree with you that it is not deceptive to use closedbacks for
doublets or stones that have been backed with black, colored or foil
backings if they are disclosed to the customer. Unfortunately, many
sellers neglect to disclose assembled stones and enhancements.
In addition, doublets are not just made for strengthening materials
such as opal and ammolite, they are also made to deceive people into
thinking they are getting a larger or better single stone than they
are paying for. For example, two sapphires may be glued together in
order to get a higher per-carat price for the stone, or a natural
stone may be glued to a synthetic stone to deceive buyers into
thinking they are getting an entirely natural stone.
In my previous post, I stated that if I were setting an attractive
solid natural gemstone or buying a jewelry piece with one, I would
prefer an open back. I used the word “attractive” to indicate that
the stone was well cut. Well-cut faceted stones do not have windows
that allow you to see your skin or clothing through them. They are
cut to reflect light and color back to you so that no backing is
needed.
I think it is good for buyers to select jewelry that can easily be
sold on thesecondary market even if they plan to keep it. It’s
easier to authenticatejewelry with open-back settings, which in turn
makes it easier to sell. Anybody buying second-hand jewelry or
jewelry from an unknown vendor should be suspicious of closed-back
settings. And as others have stated, it is alsoeasier to clean open
settings effectively.
Renee Newman
With transparent stones, I polish the inside of the bezel and keep
it closed. I work with only silver. To me shiny silver is a more
attractive and reflective backing than either skin or clothing. If
the setting around the bezel of the stone is tight it should exclude
air, therefore not tarnish and retain the shine. Recently I opened a
bezel on a ring that I did about eight years ago. It still had the
shine. if you want to be good and sure you could always coat the
inside with clear lacquer or wax. - Mike Brenner, NY
Elliot and Leonid-
The only exception to this rule is star sapphires. The bottoms are
often pretty ragged looking. I assume this is to get the star
oriented just right in cutting the stone.
Newbies beware… If a star saph. is smooth and polished on the
bottom it’s a synthetic. Often with a little cursive L on the bottom
for Lindy the synthetic star saph company.
And @ James Newton, Tim and I are with you on that one. We hate all
the micro pave bling with no clean out holes. It seems lazy to me.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com
The only exception to this rule is star sapphires. The bottoms are often pretty ragged looking. I assume this is to get the star oriented just right in cutting the stone.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but in order for there to be
strong asterism in corundum there needs to be so much rutile in the
material that is is next to opaque. Thus there is no interior
reflection off the back of the stone and polishing is not necessary.
And since sapphires and rubies are sold by weight…
Elliot Nesterman
elliot@ajoure. net
Hi Richard,
Closed back settings suggest that something is being hidden such as a colored backing, afoil backing or a bottom half of a doublet that is a different material than the top portion.
I want to ask your opinion.
I used a nice boulder opal pair, and set them on onto a piece that
was reversible. There’s no practical way to view the backs, this was
due to the design.
In a design where a pair of solid opals are back to back would you
still try to have a way to expose the backs of the opals?
Regards Charles A.
Don't know where you get your cabs, but where I buy mine O'Neils Affiliated in OZ, they are ALL polished on the back.
You should give Lilo Stadler a call, she’s known as the pair Queen,
because she sells solid opal pairs.
A very nice lady to talk to and very helpful.
I got some really nice opals from her.
Kindest regards Charles A.
Hi Jo et al
The only exception to this rule is star sapphires. The bottoms are
often pretty ragged looking. I assume this is to get the star
oriented just right in cutting the stone.
NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS IMHO
If a star saph. is smooth and polished on the bottom it’s a
synthetic.
Not always.
This is why natural star sapphires and star rubies should be set open
backed. And pointed out to the client that this is a characteristic
of such stones. And provide a certificate from the gem dealer.
Richard
My only quibble with this is that jewelry is not necessary; I like
my work to be as beautiful as I can make it and that includes
polished backs of cabs. To me, it shows that someone cares enough to
do it. If there is a reason not to do it that would make the stone’s
appearance better and therefore my jewelry better, then I would
accept unpolished backs. I am not perfect and therefore my work will
not be perfect and I accept that. I can try to approach that. “To
try” is the meaning of my family name in Gaelic.
Barbara on the Island on a cooler day, thankfully.
I usually pierce the backs of closed bezels with geometric designs
or something that in some way complements the shape, color or type of
stone. The only exceptions might be when the stone needs a reflective
surface behind it to look it’s best, or if a plain, closed back is
what the customer wants. Even then, I like to do something to make it
look like I care. Maybe dome it slightly, something. Anything.
I usually don’t like plain closed back bezels. Unless something is
done to them, at least a texture or something, they just look
unfinished to me.
Dave Phelps
1 Like
I generally try to get quality gemstones and cabs, but sometimes I
end up with old stock, with unpolished backs. A lot of times, I have
to set a client’s stone, and even if it is a piece of crap, I have
to work withit. I just try to make it look good. If it is really
bad, I will use a lapping machine to improve the back. Ditto for
really odd stones - Iwill alter the edges to make it easier to set.
One thing I try to avoid is sea glass. What is it about sea glass
that people are so rabid about? I swear, I have students who bring
huge boxes of sea glass, and they want to bezel set it. I hate to
break their heart when I tell them, half of the glass is unsettable.
Personally, give me a really nice piece of fused glass and I’ll set
it. I’ve been working with glass, and tailoring it so I can bezel it
and treat it like a gem. I’m a little bored setting cabs these days.
Joy, who never can get away from the big pile of stones needing to
be set.
1 Like
As others have said, it depends.
Sometimes I cut interesting designs in the back of a bezel,
sometimes I leave it open, and sometimes it has to be closed, as in
the example of a silver ring I recently made for a customer.
It was his stone, so he knows how thick it is, and an open back
wouldn’t have been in keeping with the chunkiness desired by the
customer.
When I do closed backs, I often write stuff in there for the next
jeweler to see. I fill my closed backed bezels with lignum vitae
dust because that wood doesn’t rot. I never use glue.
Here’s some raw pictures of the ring in question. There’s no web
page; it’s just an index page. Click on the file name and the
picture shows.
Please forgive my sloppiness.
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80ei
Paf Dvorak
You should give Lilo Stadler a call, she's known as the pair Queen, because she sells solid opal pairs.
Contact info?
Paf Dvorak
Hi Charles
with these design parameters I would take photos before the
assembly.
As each opal is unique it is easy to show the loose stones are the
ones which have been set.
The customer would like the extra detail/trouble of taking the
photos.
If you wanted to get excited you could put the piece with the stones
unset on scales and take a photo.
The do the same with the stones set.
If I could take quality photos, I try but are truly crap, I would do
this during construction of my one off pieces.
I think the customer would like a photographic record and you would
have one for your portfolio.
Richard
Xtines Jewels
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80ei
That’s a beauty Paf! Thanks for sharing your careful documentation
with us. Superfab! What a blessed customer! Barbara
there have been things I wanted to write in jewelry too - like when
the woman came back 17 times asking me to change something in the
design after it was made. Boy, did I want to write something.
Barbara on a blue sky day on the island, finally getting the little
summer studio in order, thanks to friends
You should give Lilo Stadler a call, she’s known as the pair Queen,
because she sells solid opal pairs.
Contact info?
Hey Paf,
Sure, here’s the info :-
Lilo Stadler
Gone Bush Gem Co.
P. O. Box 1830
Noosa Heads
QLD 4567
Australia
lilo [at] gonebush.com.au
lilo [at] bolda.com.au
ICA JAA QBOA
She’s a very nice lady, and extremely helpful. I already checked
with her and she was okay for me to give out these details.
Kindest regards Charles
If I could take quality photos, I try but are truly crap, I would do this during construction of my one off pieces. I think the customer would like a photographic record and you would have one for your portfolio.
That’s an interesting approach, that design I was talking about did
win at Winton, but I’m wondering if I’d found a way to expose the
backs of the opals, it may have been a more satisfying win?
Regards Charles A.
If I could take quality photos, I try but are truly crap, I would do this during construction of my one off pieces. I think the customer would like a photographic record and you would have one for your portfolio.
I take photos of all my work. I use a digital camera (it’s a canon
sx500is), but when I bought it I tested the macro to see if it could
easily photograph Lincoln sitting on the back of a (US) penny.
And I set the camera for the largest sized photo it can make. Better
to shrink down a large picture than to try to make a tiny photo
bigger.
Since I do a lot of to-the-trade repairs, I photo document
everything such as missing stones or broken metalwork before, during
and after the repair.
Paf Dvorak
I’ve been finding this thread quite stimulating, especially since
I’ve onlyrecently begun making open backed bezels myself. I’d be
particularly interested in seeing some of the ways people have found
to decorate the backsof bezels, whether open or closed.
Linda in central FL
1 Like