I am currently undertaking a big project, where I am going to be
using closed back bezels for stone sizes:
the stones are 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm. I would also like to find
(some of which correlate to the previous sizes), for diamonds:
…005ctm .01ct, .02ct, .03ct, .05ct, .06ct.
Closed back is especially important, and I have seen products that
use them but seem to be unable to locate them myself. Open back
bezels are available for most of those sizes, but I really need
closed back!
I just can’t seem to find them anywhere, in 14k, 18k, and platinum.
Anyone know of that supplier who can rescue me?!?
Your diamonds, as well as any other clear stones, are usually set
into open-backed bezels, or set with a pilot hole behind each stone
to allow for cleaning of the stones. Ultrasonic cleaning and steaming
is required to clean behind these stones. After wearing set stones
for some time, they will eventually collect grime, dirt, skin oils,
moisturizers, you name it, beneath and around those stones and
settings. A closed back bezel will make it really tough to clean
those diamonds after they start to look dirty…
You can buy tubing, or make your own, and draw it down to the sizes
you need for your bezels. I’d go with a heavy wall tubing, if you can
find it. A light walled tubing will thicken up nicely as you draw it
down, however. Once you have the tubing sizes drawn down to fit your
stones, you can solder each tube onto a back plate, and cut the
excess off the tubing to form your closed back bezels.
I can describe in detail the stepped and tapered “plug” you will
need to solder into the end of the tube to be drawn down, if you
decide to go that route.
You’ll also want to use a draw machine to draw down tubing of any
size, unless you’re pretty strong. The larger hole drawplates are
pretty inexpensive, and vital for drawing down tubing.
A lot more work than buying bezels ready-made, but some stones just
don’t have mountings ready-made for them, so sometimes you just have
to make them by hand.