A shimmering work of art to wear fresh from your designer’s case is a thing of beauty. Catching your sparkle as you walk past a mirror…how fun is that! But how to hold on to that glow, you ask? Preventative measures and simple, quick maintenance are best bets for keeping almost any jewelry glimmering for a long time.
SIMPLE DAILY CARE FOR SILVER JEWELRY
Hammered Silver Cuff (image by Paul D’Andrea)
1. Keep it safe when it sleeps – most jewelry can stay together in the same space, separated with some soft cloth to keep scratches at bay. Pearls, strung beads, and thin neckwires should lay flat. 2. Keep it from breathing – store in a drawer in cloth bags impregnated with anti-tarnish agents, or plastic baggies. Don’t store items in plastic anywhere too warm, and don’t use this tip for pearls. 3. Wash-n-Wear – Wearing your silver jewelry often is a good way to keep it from tarnishing. So does washing it once in awhile – easy! Go to the sink. Use the sink stopper. Turn on the tap. Wet hands. Squirt a little hand soap on jewelry and gently wash. Rinse under running water, and dry very well on hand towel. My mom keeps a lint-free towel near her kitchen sink for this purpose, but you can use whatever you have. REMOVING TARNISH FROM SILVER JEWELRY 1. Sunshine Cloth – it’s what many jewelers use, including me. Simply wipe and you’re ready to go. For chains, fold the cloth in half and pinch the chain in the fold. Draw the chain through gently using your free hand. Avoid pearls or stones. 2. “Dips” are for dips. They are caustic, smelly, and not good for children and other living things. Before I knew better, I used one of these products and found sparkling bits of silver that had been stripped off my lovely handmade jewelry. Live and learn. If it’s really dirty, tarnished, a family heirloom, or you’re just not sure, take it to a reputable jeweler for a good cleaning. Most will polish your piece up for no charge – as will I. It’s a good opportunity to get your item inspected and cleaned by a pro. And yes, we want you there in case you are in the mood for more sparkle and shine!
Apollo Necklace with Hematite, photo by Paul D’Andrea
After my last post regarding Gypsy stone setting (also known as flush-setting), thought I’d share the steps my friend and fellow metalsmith, Ginger Meek Allen, demonstrated as I learned how to set a stone Gypsy-style.
NOTE: This post was updated in October, 2021, with additional tips and my own approaches that I have developed over time.
First, you must know the anatomy of a gemstone in order to be able to decipher some of the instructions. This image was downloaded from the Gemological Institute of America’s website.
Gypsy-setting, step-by-step
1 Select a well-cut stone, viewing with a loupe to study its cut – a straight pavilion angle (rather than a curved one) is easier to set. To start out with, select a stone that is between 2-3 millimeters and make sure you have stone setting burs that will accommodate your gemstone sizes. Try using CZs as your first stones – you can purchase a bunch for just a few dollars to help you hone your skills.
2. Measure the depth of the stone and select metal that is deep enough hold the stone.
3. Use a center punch to make a dent in the metal in your chosen location for the stone. Have lubricant ready for your drill bits and burs, and use it often each time you drill.Using a drill bit placed into a drill press, Flex Shaft, or Dremel tool, drill a hole smaller than the width of the stone all the way through the metal. Be sure to keep your drill bit level. The drilled hole should be less than ¾ the width of the stone.
4. Flip the metal over and touch the drill bit to the other side of the hole, to remove any bits of metal and create a clean looking reverse.
5. Select a stone setting bur the width of the stone. Set the stone pavilion-side down on a flat work surface. Place the jaws of a measuring tool over the girdle of the stone. Tighten the jaws of the measuring tool. Tools you can use for this are a brass sliding millimeter gauge or a digital gauge. Carefully ease the stone from between the jaws of your measuring tool. Use this measurement, already handily held for you in the jaws of your measuring tool, to locate a bur that fits into that measurement. This is the size of stone setting bur that will make a perfect seat for your stone. A too-large setting bur will create a “slippery seat,” and it will be impossible to secure the metal around the stone.
Brass Sliding Millimeter Gauge Digital Gauge
6. Change out the drill bit for the stone setting bur. Place the bur over the previously drilled hole while your drill is turning, and drill down just deep enough so the girdle of the stone sits even with or just slightly below the surface of the metal by about .5 mm. Not a lot!
7. Place stone in setting and check fit, re-drilling bit by bit as needed for a good, level seat. A ball bur or bud bur may be used to refine the seat if the stone’s girdle has roundness to it or if the stone isn’t seating properly.
Flush mount stones in textured band
8. Press the stone into position using a piece of brass or copper rod, horn or bone.
9. Use clear adhesive tape to cover stone, then masking tape to cover the metal on either side of the stone, strapping it to a tiny anvil or other appropriate metal work surface.
10. Create a “moat” of metal around the stone: Using a tiny punch held straight down, and chasing hammer, gently tap around the stone at 12 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock then 3 o’clock, and the spaces in between, alternating sides as you go (as one would in cabochon setting). Check progress by lifting edge of the tape from time to time to make sure things are on track.
11. The moat now needs to “flow over” the girdle of the stone to hold the stone in place: Hold the punch at a slight angle pointed towards the stone, and go all around the stone again, in the same manner as above; check progress and continue tapping gently around the stone until you are assured that the stone is hugged by the metal.
12. Remove the tape. Burnish the rim of metal near the stone using a steel burnisher. Do not touch the steel to the stone.
Sweat Test: turn the work over and insert a toothpick into the reverse side opening and push – if the stone remains in place, you’re done setting. Clean your work and admire it! If it pops out, flip your work back over, re-secure it with tape and continue tapping and testing until your stone is secure.
Art Jewelry Magazine sent me a newsletter today, and it contains a video with a young lady using a jeweler’s saw – for the first time! She is an editor at Art Jewelry Magazine, and was testing out a new product from Thomas Mann and being a good sport about it, too. This is particularly relevant to me and my students at the Indianapolis Art Center, as we have been working on jeweler’s saw techniques the past couple of “Jewelry Smorgasbord” classes – listening for the “ping” of success! Watch, learn, and enjoy! P.S. I don’t especially like the body positioning shown in the video – I think the body should be squared to the saw frame, and the left wrist should not be at such an acute angle. Also, the strokes are on the short side. I always remind my students that they paid for the whole saw blade and to feel free to USEÂ the whole saw blade! However, this is a beginner after all – she’s still learning AND my techniques are not the same as every instructor’s technique… Note: Mann teaches “no lubricant on the blade” in his classroom!
