Hi all,
I know I can get some good advice from the folks here, so here’s the
deal…
I am making a white gold ring for a friend, 18K. I’ve never worked
in white gold before. I work most all in silver, but I have done a
few things in yellow gold (mostly 14K). I guess I have a few
questions. One, is there anything different about soldering in white
gold than yellow? Different way of heating it? Harder or easier to
work with in any way? I’m assuming there’s special solder for white
gold? Anything special that needs to be done to the finish when the
peice is done? Next is more of a logistical question. I am
recycling an 18K antique band, then buying pre-made settings and
soldering them in place. The current band is about a 7-1/2, and she
is only a 4-1/2, so there will be a fair amount cut off. There will
be three stones, probably oval, set long-ways along the band, not
protruding more than a mm from the width of the band. Because of her
small finger size, they will probably take up the whole top length of
the band, when looking down at the top of it. How shall I connect
these settings together & then to the band? I’ve never made a ring
with multiple settings before, and I figure they can’t exactly be
soldered together, as the prongs might collide. Do I for the band to
size, then file space for them slong the top of the band, leaving a
sliver of band on the bottom to which to solder them? Maybe file one
large length & solder a little snippet of something, perhaps
decorative, between each setting to beef up the space between a bit?
Or just file individual space for each leaving band as is between
each setting? Or make the band the size it needs to be & then cut out
the band where the settings will go on, and then what would I do?
Something else? In case it matters, the band is rather hefty, 2.5mm
wide & 1mm thick. It’s beautifully engraved with a floral design
along the top surface (thus the reason for recycling an old band,
they don’t make them like they used to!). The stones might be 3-4mm
wide or so, so they’re just a tad wider than the band, but that’s in
the center, so closer to the band width at their ends. Oh, I suppose
there’s one more. I don’t have a hammer attachment for my flexshaft.
Am I going to be able to push those prongs down manually? I know
even silver can be hard to do sometimes if they’re hefty enough, I’m
sure the gold will be even stiffer.
I really do know what I’m doing in general, this is just something a
bit new for me and I want to do it right, with the different metal &
the multiple settings lined up next to each other.
Thanks so much for any help you can provide!
Regards,
Lisa
Designs by Lisa Gallagher
www.designsbylisag.com