What is bezel wire?
Bezel wire is a type of wire used to create a bezel setting for a gemstone. It is a thin, flat strip of material. Metalsmiths craft custom cabochon stone settings by combining bezel wire with a sheet metal base plate using soldering techniques. Bezel setting is a jewelry making skill that takes training and practice. Halstead offers many blog articles and videos to help you get started and fine tune your skills.


How do you choose the right bezel wire width and gauge?
It is important to choose the right width of bezel wire to ensure that the gemstone is held securely in place. The width of the bezel wire should be no more than one millimeter more than the height of the stone's edge. The bezel wire must be wide enough to cover the girdle of the stone and to cover a bit of the crown by a millimeter or more. Bezel wire is usually between 26 gauge to 30 gauge in thickness. It is important to balance the needs for malleability and enough material to handle the soldering torch without melting. At Halstead, we believe 28 gauge bezel wire strikes the perfect balance as the best bezel wire gauge.

Why is bezel wire usually fine silver instead of sterling silver?
Bezel wire is often made from fine .999 silver, which is softer and easier to manipulate than .925 sterling silver. Fine silver is also ideal for bezel wire because it melts at a higher temperature than sterling silver, so any soldering done to the piece after the bezel has been installed is less likely to melt the bezel. Fine silver is also free from fire scale, which makes it easier to clean up after soldering.

In summary, when choosing bezel wire, it is important to select the right width to ensure that the gemstone is held securely in place. Fine silver is a popular choice for bezel wire due to its softness, ease of manipulation, and resistance to melting during soldering.