Ammolite Awe Part 7 – Forging and Marquise Setting
Posted on
So far creating this piece has comprised of many basic jewelry techniques: sawing, soldering, casting and now the one of the most traditional methods utilizing a hammer and anvil – forging. Although this is a minor detail and the forging is very limited it is still essential to acquire the taper form needed. I hand forge the platinum center section which creates a nice transition for holding the marquise diamond.
Forging the Platinum Section Using square wire I use a cross peen hammer to create a taper. This has to be worked from both sides and annealed between the forging process to soften the metal so it moves and thins while striking it.
Forging the Platinum Section The center cast section needed a dividing point. I decide to use platinum for contrast and it would make a great transition to platinum bezel holding the marquise cut diamond.
Lasering the Marquise Diamond Setting The bezel set diamond is laser welded onto the forged bar.
Marquise Diamond with Platinum Stem Cleaned up the two pieces to become one
Setting Marquise Diamond At the end of the forged piece will be the marquise diamond. I will set this first. Under past conditions I would need to first weld platinum forged bar to the platinum bezel because even a diamond cannot withstand the high temperature of melting platinum. However the laser will enable me to micro-weld the two pieces and damaging the diamond. I solder the cast platinum bezel to a scrap piece of gold. This really secures the bezel during my setting process.
Setting Marquise Diamond With a setting punch I manipulate the platinum bezel to fold over the girdle edge of the diamond.
Setting Marquise Diamond I solder the marquise diamond tail onto the 22k yellow gold cast section. The diamond can tolerate the temperature of gold solder.
