I love your style here, Rob. (I may be a little biased – Easily Distracted by Shiny Objects - Alec Kercsó - #39 by Alec) But truly, a beautiful bracelet.
I’ve struggled as well about epoxy adhesive. I don’t know how to create an otherwise invisible connection. In the following piece, I did exactly what you describe, roughing the bezel and the base of the cab to create a stronger mechanical bond. So far, it’s been very stable.
Interestingly, I was recently looking at the SWAIA standards for Santa Fe’s Indian Market entries, and for chip inlay jewelry, they prescribe a ratio of no less than 85% stone to 15% adhesive.
Best,
Alec