Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Setting Swarovski Crystals Part 2 - Glueing

With wedding jewellery still my focus this week, I'm going to show you the second method I've used to include Swarovski crystals in these special pieces - using adhesive. I'm using chatons (sometimes known as pointy backs and V crystals) in a brass cup setting or brass stamping. The chatons have a foil backing which enhances the crystal's cut to create its reflective sparkle. When selecting an adhesive, you need to keep this in mind and choose one that will not affect the foil. For a special piece like the ones I'm working on that need to last a lifetime, I've chosen a 2 part epoxy adhesive. In this instance I'm using Swarovski's own CG 500-35 because it has more working time than regular 5-minute epoxy. The extra time will mean I only need to mix one batch of epoxy but the drawback is that it will take longer to grip. But one of the major benefits of using Swarovski's own 2-part epoxy is it's ability to absorb shocks by up to 500% compared wit...
Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Tips for Setting Swarovski Crystals Part 1 - Claw Settings

One of the wonderful things about creating wedding jewellery is that lots of sparkle is good. I'm working on some gorgeous wedding jewellery at the moment using Swarovski crystals. Apart from regular stringing techniques, I've also included some crystals which are placed in settings. There are a couple of different methods I use and they depend on the type of setting I'm using. Today it's the claw setting (sometimes known as a tiffany setting). These settings have a deep well inside to accommodate the pointy back of the crystal and a number of claws which wrap over the top of the crystal. You use your pliers to press the claw against the surface of the crystal to hold it in place. That sounds really easy, right? Well yes.... and no! Crystals can be fiddly to set - they have a habit of flipping upside down or not sitting properly level in the setting so here's a couple of tips I use when I'm setting them. Firstly, getting the crystal into the setting. If ...