Cabochons are really popular when it comes to designing rings, earrings and pendants. For men, these gemstones are perfect for accessories such as tie clips, tie bars, cuff links and cabochon gem rings. Today, most of the gemstones which are regarded as high quality are faceted and not cut into the shape of cabochons. But, there are some which are too opaque or have special optical traits and therefore they are given the shape of cabochons. Although cabochons have a long history, they are not outdated when it comes to designing fashionable jewelry today. While many modern jewelry designers will not agree to this, I believe that cabochons can be used to create some of the most amazing and stunning jewelry pieces.
But, the thing is that unlike other gemstones, you need cabochon settings to set your cabochons. In this article, I will tell you how I use cabochon settings in my jewelry creations. Whenever I create jewelry, I don’t create individual earrings, necklaces or bracelets, but I create matching sets. Along with a beautiful necklace and pendant, I create a stunning pair of earrings and a matching bracelet. Sometimes, I create two or more bracelets to go with the set, especially if the design I am creating is bold and chunky.
Before I decide on my cabochon settings, I choose the gemstones that I want to include in my creations. I pick a nice color and choose cabochons for the pendant, earrings and bracelets. The size of cabochons I choose for the pendant is usually bigger than those I choose for my earrings and bracelets. The earrings have the smallest cabochons and medium sized cabochons are suitable for bracelets. Sometimes, I mix and match the color and sometimes, I choose based on a theme. But, once I am done selecting the stones, it is time to choose the cabochon settings very carefully.
I ensure that the size of cabochon settings match with the size of the stones perfectly. This is very important because if the setting is bigger or smaller, the stone will either not fit in the setting or look very awkward.
When I have my cabochon settings ready, I clean them using a soft cloth or tissue and prepare them for the stones. Using the right adhesive is also very important because you don’t want your stones to fall off when you wear your creations. I use E-6000 adhesive and it sticks nicely without even leaving behind any residues. I am also very careful as to how much glue I put on each of the stones because I don’t want the glue to ooze out when I press the stone against the setting. It is important to consider the size of the stone and the setting before applying. When I apply glue, it is always at the back of the stone and not on the setting itself. This ensures that only the required amount of glue is applied to secure the stone to the setting. Any extras on the stone can easily be wiped off with alcohol.