Hi there! I need a bit of technical advice. I created a very large
cuff-style bracelet in 18 ga sterling, cut and carved to resemble tree
roots, with 14kt yellow wire / balls accents and 14kt yellow settings
for sundry stones- two small fire agates, 3 green jades, a tourmaline,
a citrine, and lg. picture jasper. I made it for a friend, my massuese
(who is with a belly dancing group in the SCA-Society for Creative
Anachcronism). Because of it’s size (it’s hinged at the wrist so the
32mm rd jasper lays on the back of her hand) I presented it to her in
a silk pouch- an elegant solution, I thought. I didn’t realize that
she was going to be going camping with this $750 bracelet thrown in
her duffle with no protection but that pouch! Most of it’s too heavy
to mind, but at the top center the roots branch and come back together
with gold wires and balls and a bezel set fire agate. This tip got
bent all the way back (at least once) and in straightening the
connection between the gold balls and the silver root gave. It’s still
attached- but now all that’s attaching it is the trailing edge of the
root- about 1/16" of low dome sterling which has been bent back and
forth (90 degrees) at least once. Within an inch on one side is jade,
within an inch on the other is green tourmaline, both bezel set. I
don’t know the heat tolerance of any of these stones, I’m leary of the
conductivity of the sterling, I don’t want to tear it all apart. I
would surely welcome any suggestions! Thank you in advance, Stephanie
http://www.golddreams.com
Laser welding! The wonder of the 21st century! One can "solder"
Victorian mourning jewelry right next to the human hair without
burning it. See if there is someone in your area who uses that
process for jewelry. (It’s not something you’re likely to do
yourself…the machine to do it costs around $10,000. Great for
production work) David, Lord of the Rings
Stephanie, Find a jeweler with a laser welder and have them repair it
for you. A laser weld repair costs more than a traditional solder, but
in the case of so many stones to remove, or to smoke, it seems it
would be well worth it. The lasers are really precise and can focus
heat exactly where the jeweler wants it making it possible to weld
very close to heat-sensitive stones. The laser costs about $30,000, so
you’ll probably not find it in a small repair shop. Good Luck! Sharon
hello Stephanie, judging from the thickness, i’d take out the
surrounding stones. the heat required could damage the surrounding
stones, and if you pickled the bracelet, it could damage all the other
stones in the bracelet. is it possible to do a cold connection like a
rivet?
also, for further protection of her bracelet, your friend may want to
ask around her shire for a leathersmith who could make an appropriate
(to period, persona, etc.) bag to further protect the bracelet.
although, if she’s a belly dancer, maybe she could aquire a box a
"gift from the sultan" so to speak.
hth,
susannah
David, Where can you get a laser weldr for $10,000?All the welders I
have been looking at run $28,000 and up.If there is one out there that
is $10,000 I would love to know about it.Thanks J Morley Coyote Ridge
Studio
All, I apologize. I was ‘talking through my hat’ about the $10,000
laser welder. I thought I had seen one at that price at a trade show,
but must be mis-remembering. I don’t own one myself, but there are at
least two of them in use in my building, and I have had otherwise
impossible soldering done with them.