Class board 2/23

Sheet Prongs

Prong settings are good for gemstones-especially rough or faceted stones, irregular shaped objects, thick stones, and any stone or item where you want to see as much of it as possible. Traditionally used for setting diamonds and stone where the sparkle or fire of the stone is important as prongs allow the maximum amount of light to reach the stone.

Lesson: Sheet Prongs- good for flat backed gemstones, drusy stones, glass or objects

• Similar to cutting out a bail tab, cut out the shape for your stone to sit on and tabs for each prong you want to have.
• Consider cutting out a pattern in the area that will be underneath that accents the design of the piece or a quality of the stone/object.
• Anneal the piece.
• Do any soldering to connect setting to a larger piece or jewelry or band.

To set:

• Bend each tab up approx 90 degrees.
• Place stone in setting.
• Using burnisher or chasing tool, push the prong tabs over the stone.
• The stone should be secure in the setting with no movement.

Wire Prongs with Gallery

Lesson: Wire Prongs with Gallery- good for cabochons, faceted stones, stones you want lifted off the surface and set with prongs rather than a bezel, but the bottom part protected like a bezel.    

• Create a seat for the stone to sit on top of- just like the inside part of a seated bezel. The stone should sit evenly on top of the seat and the outer edge of the seat should be even with the outer edge of the stone.
• Mark where you want the prongs to go on the seat.
• Use your round needle file, flexshaft, or graver to carve a shallow channel up your seat. This will help anchor the wire while soldering
• Cut wire and form into a U shape.
• Fit U over the seat so that the 2 arms of the U form the prongs.
• Solder wire into place
• Clip off excess wire, file, sand.
• Do any additional soldering at this point.

To set:

• For a cabochon, clip off prongs to appropriate height. Use a cup bur to round off the ends. Push into place with a prong pusher.
• For a faceted stone, mark where the prongs touch the girdle. Clip off the prongs to correct height and use a cup bur to round off the ends. Using a hart bur, cut a groove about 20-30% of the way through each prong where your mark is.
• Use prong pusher or nylon-jaw pliers to push tips of prongs over stone.

Class board 2/16

Project 2

Project 2

Create a piece that has at least one prong set stone. You may also use any other settings we have gone over and any other skills you know.

For inspiration, think about light. Prongs are designed to let as much light as possible contact the stone and bounce around in the facets. How can you use light in other ways in your piece- choice of materials? Colors? Surfaces? Challenge yourself to interpret light in a piece of jewelry. If you get stuck, think about forms of light- sun, rays of light, electric, fire, etc.

For next week- Have 10 designs or maquettes of pieces as well as the stone(s) you are planning to use. Sketch to scale- especially when working with stones- this helps the layout and fabrication tremendously/

Important Dates:

Designs due February 16.

Project due beginning of class March 23. 

Class board 2/2

Class board 1/26