4

Is using glue a secure and professional method for attaching fully drilled pearls and other natural beads to 18k gold jewellery pieces?

Could you provide guidance on a recommended method for carefully inserting them onto the post without using glue?

Here is an example of how the emeralds and carnelians are set onto the posts:

enter image description here
Source: Cartier (from a line called Cactus de Cartier—this specific product seems to be no longer available). Click for larger image.
Improve this question
3
  • @virolino Could you provide some guidance on the recommended method for carefully inserting the pearl onto the post without glue? I dont want to use glue
    – Maryna Said
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 10:36
  • 1
    I have no idea what kind of jewelry you want to create, in the first place. Please use the EDIT button and describe what you want to do, and maybe even post some pictures, and then we can discuss.
    – virolino
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 10:38
  • @virolino done, thank you
    – Maryna Said
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 10:46

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

As far as I know, glue is never acceptable in professional jewelry making, regardless of the materials used (usually, none of them are cheap).

In your case, I see two slightly different solutions. Both of them require you to weld the pins (poles) to the ring. The difference is when you attach the pearl: before welding or after welding.

If the pins come with the head pre-formed, then you have only one chance, to weld the pins to the ring after you attach the pearl.

To be sure that the pins will not escape the welding and fall, you should make holes in the ring, install the pins into the holes, and then weld the pins to the ring from the inside of the ring.

Note:

  • Both mechanical shocks (e.g., using a hammer for the forming of the pin head) and high temperatures (from welding) might destroy the pearls. You need to work carefully and plan ahead for everything you need to do. Jewelry making is not something to be done in a hurry and without thinking.
  • As far as I know, there is no glue able to attach the pins to the ring without the risk of losing them later. And gluing the pearls directly to the pin and to the ring sounds like an abomination - which I would never do if I were to make jewelry.
Improve this answer
6
  • 1
    Semantic clarification: In jewelry, you don't weld, you solder.
    – Allison C
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 14:46
  • 2
    @AllisonC: the expert in me does not see the difference between "weld" and "solder", but is not angry either about it :)
    – virolino
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 18:50
  • 2
    @virolino, the difference is that welding melts the base metal, while soldering doesn't.
    – Mark
    Commented Mar 7, 2023 at 22:45
  • @virolino Thank you for your opinion. How do you think about casting a ring with a pin, inserting a bead onto it, and then using a prong pusher setting tool to shape the pin head?
    – Maryna Said
    Commented Mar 8, 2023 at 9:44
  • 1
    @MarynaSaid, casting the pins as part of the ring body would be really difficult, but not the biggest issue. It would be almost impossible to form the domed heads without damaging even a single pearl or stone. Plus you get only one try on each, with a single failure ruining the ring. Theoretically, the pins could be like rivets, with a hollow or split end in the stem. That could be flared or spread to lock it in with just some pressure. But the dimensions are ridiculously small to create the pin and the tool, and it wouldn't have much strength to secure it.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Mar 8, 2023 at 18:32

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .