Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay (Precious Metal Clay / PMC or Art Clay Silver and Gold)
Natural and lab-grown gemstones can add color and life to your metal clay designs!
Precious metal clay - best known by brand names Precious Metal Clay® (PMC®) and Art Clay™ (Silver or Gold) - is an amazing material to work with. You can create unique handcrafted jewelry and other items that, after firing to burn off the organic binders and water in the clay, are fine silver (.999 silver) or 22K gold!
You can set many different kinds of gemstones - synthetic, lab-grown and even some natural gemstones - into the unfired clay. Other gemstones that cannot survive torch-firing or kiln-firing can be set after firing.
The first step is determining whether your stone can be fired successfully. The next step is deciding among the many different ways in which stones can be set in metal clay, both pre- and post-firing. Fortunately, several people have test-fired a wide variety of both manmade and natural gemstones, which is a good starting place for choosing appropriate stones to fire. (I'll share links to the test results in this lens.) :)
This lens will help you learn about many of the most popular techniques and will direct you to some of the best information on this subject, including books, videos, and other web sites.
Enjoy! :)
Margaret Schindel, Senior Editor
What's In This Lens
Jump directly to the section you're interested in!
- Gemstones that can be fired in place vs. set post-firing
- Gemstone firing tests
- Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay (Quick Field Guide)
- Setting Gemstones in Fresh Clay
- More Ways To Set Gemstones In "Wet" Metal Clay
- Designing From the Stone - Recommended Book
- Setting Gemstones in Dried Clay
- Bezel Settings For Cabochons That Will Be Set Post-Firing
- Prong Settings for Faceted Gemstones That Will Be Set Post-Firing
- Prong Settings For Cabochons That Will Be Set Post-Firing
- Settings for Pearls and Half-Drilled Beads
- Blessed by SquidAngels!
- Setting Stones in Metal Clay - Recommended Book
- Learn The Art of Stone Setting in Metal Clay
- More Information on Setting Gemstones in PMC and Art Clay
- Related Useful Information
- Recommended Tools, Supplies and DVDs
- Recommended Suppliers
- Books About Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay
- Videos on Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay on YouTube
- Cabochons on eBay For Your Metal Clay Designs
- Additional sources for gemstone cabochons to set in metal clay
- Feedback, Suggestions, Comments
Gemstones that can be fired in place vs. set post-firing
Fireable vs. non-fireable stones for metal clay
There are no hard-and-fast rules, only guidelines about which gemstones will survive torch- or kiln-firing in metal clay without changing color or fracturing/breaking at certain typical firing schedules. However, there are some tips for minimizing the risk and also several excellent resources for determining which gemstones, natural and mandmade (i.e., lab-grown gems or synthetic stones) are good candidates for firing in (or with) metal clay, based on gemstone firing tests performed by various people.Always ask your suppliers whether the CZ and/or lab-created stones they sell have been tested for firing in metal clay.
Try to buy from suppliers who test their gemstones and stand behind them as being "kiln-safe." The product descriptions for many of the stones on the Gem Resources web site include metal clay firing results from gemstone firing tests performed by artist Judi Weers.
Whenever possible, test-fire an identical stone (from the same shipment from the same supplier) by itself or, preferably, embedded in a small piece of the same type and formula of metal clay of the piece in which you want to fire to see whether it fractures or changes color. (You may wish to cover a loose stone with a piece of fiber blanket to contain the fragments in case the stone shatters during the firing test.)
Caveat: Fire any stone at your own risk! Following these tips and guidelines, especially the excellent charts of stone firing tests below, will help you minimize the risk of fired-in-place gemstones changing color, fracturing or breaking after firing in metal clay. However, each stone is unique and there are no guarantees, especially for natural stones. Even a stone identical in appearance to one that you test fired successfully may not react identically to the tested stone, especially if the stones are natural gemstones. Also, even a stone that appears to survive a test firing successfully may be weakened and fracture later on.
Gemstone firing tests
Which stones tested safe to fire in place in metal clay
Several people have performed firing tests of natural and manmade gemstones at typical metal clay firing schedules. These are extremely helpful in determining how risky it is to fire a particular type of stone in place.
Not every stone produced identical test results in the different firing tests, and the tests also vary in terms of whether the stones were tested loose or embedded in metal clay, the types of clays in which the stones were embedded, and the firing schedules tested, so I usually consult several of the charts before deciding whether or not I think a particular stone is a good risk for firing in place in the type of clay and at the firing schedule I plan to use.
Not every stone produced identical test results in the different firing tests, and the tests also vary in terms of whether the stones were tested loose or embedded in metal clay, the types of clays in which the stones were embedded, and the firing schedules tested, so I usually consult several of the charts before deciding whether or not I think a particular stone is a good risk for firing in place in the type of clay and at the firing schedule I plan to use.
- Gemstones in Metal Clay
- This fabulous guide by Mardel Rein of Cool Tools shows which natural and synthetic gemstones can be fired successfully in metal clay, by what methods (kiln and/or butane torch), and at what temperatures. It's formatted as a PDF file for easy printing, and you'll want to keep a copy in your work area for frequent reference
It includes tests at the longer/hotter BRONZclay and COPPRclay firing schedules, and is the gemstone testing chart I turn to most often. - Firing Gemstones and Natural Stones
- This PDF from Art Clay World USA provides tips for selecting stones suitable for firing in metal clay and for testing stones.
- Bling, Bam, Boom, and Things That Go Poof in the Kiln
- If you're a Member of the PMC Guild, get this wonderful article on gemstones by Deric Metzger, G.J.G. A.J.P. in the Fall 2004 · Volume 7, Number 3 back issue of Studio PMC Magazine.
- Lab Grown Gemstones and CZs You Can Fire in Place
- Mary Ellin D'Agostino of MED'A Creations has a separate page of lab grown gems and CZs that she has found safe to fire in silver metal clay at 1650F and those that she has found safe to fire at 1110F. (The length of time at which the stones were held at each of these temperatures is not specified.)
- Natural Gemstones You Can Fire in Place or Set Afterwards
- This page from Mary Ellin D'Agostino of MED'A Creations lists natural gemstones that can be fired in place successfully as well as some that should be set after firing.
- Natural and Synthetic Gemstone Tests
- Kevin Whitmore of Rio Grande put together this seminal chart of his test results on natural and synthetic gemstones, both dry-fired and fired in PMC3.
Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay (Quick Field Guide)
Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay. A Bench Resource Manual.
Amazon Price: $30.99 (as of 05/26/2012)
List Price: $34.95
Used Price: $30.94
Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay by Deric Metzger GJG AJA AJP is an essential reference guide for metal clay artists who wish to incorporate natural gemstones in their metal clay jewelry (or other metal clay art). It is packed with detailed information about 107 unique natural gemstones and dozens more varieties of each of those stones. A smaller, condensed "Quick Field Guide" version - a handy, pocket-sized reference that highlights the key information about each stone and is small and light enough to keep on your work table or bench - is sometimes available as well.
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Setting Gemstones in Fresh Clay
Make sure you use stones that can withstand the firing successfully!
Check the depth of the stone vs. the clay thickness. You'll need to add enough clay in the setting area to cover the stone's girdle or shoulder.
Simplest setting. If the clay where is deep enough, just press the stone in so the girdle or shoulder is about 1mm below the clay. It's preferable to cut a hole in the clay slightly smaller than the stone first.
Clay ball settings I. Cut a hole in the clay slightly smaller than the stone's diameter. Roll a small ball of lump clay and flatten it slightly into a disc a bit wider than the stone. Place the disc over the hole and, using a tweezer, place the stone into the center of the disc. Press the stone into the disc until the girdle is covered and the table is level. Note: Hattie Sanderson explains how to make a nifty bezel-making tool out of polymer clay in her excellent instructional DVD set, "Contemporary Metal Clay 1."
Clay ball settings II. Create a ball of clay about twice the size of the stone you are going to set. Moisten the main piece and press the ball of clay onto it. Use a pencil, pointed clay shaper, etc. to make a cone-shaped hole for the stone. Press the stone into the hole so the girdle or shoulder is about 1mm below the surface.
Syringe bezels. Cut a hole in the clay slightly smaller than the stone to be set. Extrude a line of syringe clay to create a rim surrounding the edge of the hole. If necessary, add a second or third line of syringe clay to make the bezel tall enough to cover the girdle of the stone. Using a tweezer, place the stone in the setting and gently press the girdle into the syringe clay until the stone's table (top) is level and the girdle is covered by the syringe clay. You can also add syringe decorations on top of the bezel (and even draping over the stone) for added security.
Syringe prongs. Start with the "simplest setting," above. Moisten the clay around the stone and add syringe prongs over the stone.
More Ways To Set Gemstones In "Wet" Metal Clay
There are too many methods to fit them all in one Squidoo module! :)Coil settings. Roll a coil of lump clay and brush it lightly with water. Let the water soak in for a few seconds, then form the coil into loops just slightly smaller than the stones you want to set. Using a tweezer, place the stones in the loops and press them into the clay so that the girdle is covered and the table is level. This technique is explained and illustrated extremely well in "Introduction to Precious Metal Clay" by Mary Ann Devos.
Alternate method: Press the stone into the clay and add a line of syringe to cover the stone's girdle.
Layered cutout setting. Moisten the area where you want to set the stone and add a small clay cutout (made with a knife, straw, aspic cutter, etc., from plain or textured clay). Press to adhere and wick a little water around the edges of the seam. Use an appropriate sized drinking or cocktail straw to remove a plug of clay slightly smaller than your stone from the center of both layers. Press in your stone to cover the girdle or shoulder. (It's sometimes easier to set the stone into the top layer before cutting it and then center the cutter over it.)
Faux pavé settings. Press tiny faceted stones nearly touching into a narrow coil of clay to create a faux pavé effect. Roll out the clay for the main body of the piece and cut a slit slightly longer than the "pavé" strip. Brush some slip or paste over the coil and lay the clay slab on top, carefully opening the slit just enough for the row of stones to show through. Press the seam gently and smooth the edges with a damp brush and some paste or slip. When dry, turn over and apply a generous layer of paste or slip to the back of the seams. Special thanks to Angela B. Crispin for sharing this technique with me.
Open-back bezel setting for marquise-shaped stones. Lorrene Davis of Lorrene Davis Designs generously shares her free tutorial on how to bezel set a marquise-shaped stone. The free tutorial is a two-page excerpt from her excellent self-published book, "Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay."
Designing From the Stone - Recommended Book
Designing From The Stone: Design Techniques for Bezel Setting in Metal Clay Using the Stone as Inspiration
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 05/26/2012)
Lisa Lynn Barth has written a wonderful book sharing her methods for designing and creating bezel settings in metal clay inspired by the design of the stones themselves. She does beautiful work, most of which involves embedding fine silver bezel wire into silver metal clay and then embellishing it to complement and enhance the stone. In this book she is extremely generous with not only her philosophical approach but also specific techniques and tips for success. And Lisa is a truly lovely person as well as talented artist and author! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Setting Gemstones in Dried Clay
Gypsy settings. Make sure the clay is thick enough so the girdle of the stone will be covered after pre-finishing. When the clay is bone dry, pre-finish it (sanding, etc.). Use a very small drill bit in a hand drill/pin vise to drill a pilot hole all the way through the clay. Replace the drill bit with a jeweler's stone-setting bur approximately 10% larger than the stone you will be setting, or use a drill bit that's the same size as the stone but drill a little deeper than usual. Test-fit the stone in the hole to make sure that the girdle is slightly below the surface of the clay. If necessary, remove the stone and enlarge the hole slightly. Carefully brush off any loose dust from the clay and from the gemstone. Clean the stone thoroughly, then place it back in the hole. Make sure it's level and clean the top of the stone with alcohol and a sponge-tipped cosmetic applicator or cotton swab. Note: If the stone is set on a curve, use white glue to hold it in place on the way to the kiln.Optional step (but I find it really helps to make sure the stone is shrink-locked securely after firing): Using an applicator tip with a tiny hole, extrude a very fine line of syringe just inside the edge of the drilled setting hole. Alternatively, brush a little paste clay inside the setting hole. Place the stone into the hole as described above, then wipe the edge of the setting with a damp brush to make sure no syringe or paste clay squeezed out above the stone. Let the paste or syringe clay dry completely. If any clay ends up on top of the stone, scrape/flake it off the stone gently once it has dried. Clean the top of the stone with alcohol and place in the kiln.
Idea: Create a photopolymer plate to impress starter holes in the clay where the stones will be set.
Special thanks to Mary Ellin D'Agostino, Tonya Davidson, Maggie Bergman and Priscilla Vassão for their advice on this technique!
Bezel Settings For Cabochons That Will Be Set Post-Firing
Here are several types of settings for gemstone cabochons that will be set after firing the metal clay.
Fine silver bezel wire. Wrap a strip of fine silver bezel wire around the base of a cabochon. Test fit and adjust the bezel over your cabochon on a flat surface. There shouldn't be any gaps but the stone should slide in and out of the bezel easily. When you have a good fit, mark the spot where the wire overlaps. Cut it flush (err on the side of too long vs. too short) and file the ends, if necessary, to create a tight seam when the ends are butted together. Check the fit again before sealing.
Method 1: Embed the bezel into the clay and seal the joint neatly with paste clay. (Keep most of the paste on the outside of the joint so you don't change the fit of the bezel.) Let the clay dry, fill any gaps, dry and fire.
Method 2: Seal the joint of the bezel with paste clay or, better yet, Art Clay Oil Paste. When dry, fire the bezel separately, file the seam smooth and embed in "raw" clay as above.
Tips:
1) The bezel wire must be wide enough to hold the stone in place securely after burnishing, plus 1mm to embed in the clay.
2) Scuff/sand the area of the bezel that will come in contact with the metal clay to give it some "tooth."
3) With a fine-tipped marker, draw a guide line scant 1mm away from the lower edge of the bezel wire to help you embed the bezel in the clay to an even depth.
Paper-type or sheet metal clay bezels for cabochons. Beautiful custom bezels can be created with paper-type (sheet) metal clay to accommodate cabochons of any size and shape. This technique was pioneered by metal clay artist Jennifer Kahn. Her excellent chapter in the superb book "PMC Technic" (see "Books About Setting Gemstones In Metal Clay," below) explains in detail how to size the bezel setting so that it fits correctly after firing and offers some variations.
Embedded silver bezel cup settings for calibrated cabochons. For calibrated cabochon stones, you can embed either 1) fine silver bezel cups or 2) sterling silver bezel cups that have been "depletion gilded" (heated and pickled repeatedly to bring the oxides to the surface and remove them, leaving a layer of fine silver on the surface). The settings must be embedded securely into the clay in such a way that the clay can shrink-lock them into place. For depletion gilding sterling silver findings, you can use a traditional pickling product like Sparex, or Silver-Prep from Cool Tools which is supposed to be safer.
Fine silver bezel wire. Wrap a strip of fine silver bezel wire around the base of a cabochon. Test fit and adjust the bezel over your cabochon on a flat surface. There shouldn't be any gaps but the stone should slide in and out of the bezel easily. When you have a good fit, mark the spot where the wire overlaps. Cut it flush (err on the side of too long vs. too short) and file the ends, if necessary, to create a tight seam when the ends are butted together. Check the fit again before sealing.
Method 1: Embed the bezel into the clay and seal the joint neatly with paste clay. (Keep most of the paste on the outside of the joint so you don't change the fit of the bezel.) Let the clay dry, fill any gaps, dry and fire.
Method 2: Seal the joint of the bezel with paste clay or, better yet, Art Clay Oil Paste. When dry, fire the bezel separately, file the seam smooth and embed in "raw" clay as above.
Tips:
1) The bezel wire must be wide enough to hold the stone in place securely after burnishing, plus 1mm to embed in the clay.
2) Scuff/sand the area of the bezel that will come in contact with the metal clay to give it some "tooth."
3) With a fine-tipped marker, draw a guide line scant 1mm away from the lower edge of the bezel wire to help you embed the bezel in the clay to an even depth.
Paper-type or sheet metal clay bezels for cabochons. Beautiful custom bezels can be created with paper-type (sheet) metal clay to accommodate cabochons of any size and shape. This technique was pioneered by metal clay artist Jennifer Kahn. Her excellent chapter in the superb book "PMC Technic" (see "Books About Setting Gemstones In Metal Clay," below) explains in detail how to size the bezel setting so that it fits correctly after firing and offers some variations.
Embedded silver bezel cup settings for calibrated cabochons. For calibrated cabochon stones, you can embed either 1) fine silver bezel cups or 2) sterling silver bezel cups that have been "depletion gilded" (heated and pickled repeatedly to bring the oxides to the surface and remove them, leaving a layer of fine silver on the surface). The settings must be embedded securely into the clay in such a way that the clay can shrink-lock them into place. For depletion gilding sterling silver findings, you can use a traditional pickling product like Sparex, or Silver-Prep from Cool Tools which is supposed to be safer.
Prong Settings for Faceted Gemstones That Will Be Set Post-Firing
Embedded pre-made silver prong settings for irregularly-shaped cabochons. These findings are embedded in clay similarly to bezel cups (see above). You also can make your own custom prong settings by embedding fine silver wires (see "Prong Settings for Cabochons That Will Be Set Post-Firing," below) and then trimming the wires, rounding the ends with a cup bur, and filing notches to seat the stone's girdle firmly.
Prong Settings For Cabochons That Will Be Set Post-Firing
Embedding wire prongs. You can set large or unusually-shaped cabs with custom wire prong settings. Fold lengths of fine silver wire in half (but don't crease the wire at the fold). Bend the ends of the wires at 90-degree angles to form "legs" (these will ensure that the ends of the wire are securely shrink-locked into place. Place your cabochon on the "raw" clay and embed the "legs" of the prongs into the clay around the edges of the stone. (The wire prongs won't shrink, but the clay into which they're embedded will, so leave a little space around the stone to allow for shrinkage.) Remove the cabochon. Seal and strengthen the area where the wire enters the clay by using paste clay and, if desired, some syringe clay. After firing, place the stone inside the prong and gently bend the prongs over the cabochon, taking care not to twist the prongs.
Variation: Before firing, decorate the prongs with syringe clay, paper-type clay cutouts or other metal clay adornments secured with paste clay or syringe.
Variation: Before firing, decorate the prongs with syringe clay, paper-type clay cutouts or other metal clay adornments secured with paste clay or syringe.
Settings for Pearls and Half-Drilled Beads
Settings for pearls and half-drilled beads. The easiest way to add pearls or half-drilled beads to your design is to securely embed a length of silver wire (either fine silver or depletion-gilded sterling silver) into the clay, leaving a piece exposed to serve as a post or peg. After firing, epoxy the pearl or bead onto the wire. Alternatively, you can embed a fine silver (or depletion-gilded sterling silver) earring post into the clay and then add the pearl or bead with epoxy after firing.
Blessed by SquidAngels!
I am honored and grateful that this lens has been blessed by the following wonderful SquidAngels:
Moonlitta
KarenTBTEN
Ashly_Rain
SheilaSchnauzies
JoyfulReviewer
Thank you all!
Setting Stones in Metal Clay - Recommended Book
Setting Stones in Metal Clay
Amazon Price: $22.85 (as of 05/26/2012)
List Price: $27.50
Jeannette Landenwitch has written a fabulous book dedicated entirely to the various approaches for setting stones in metal clay. This book will show you literally dozens of ways to set stones in metal clay in much greater depth than I can cover here. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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Learn The Art of Stone Setting in Metal Clay
from expert Jeannette Landenwitch
- CRAFTCAST: Learn the Art of Stone Setting in Metal Clay
- In addition to buying Jeannette Landenwitch's excellent book, "Setting Gemstsones in Metal Clay," you also can purchase and download the recording and PDF handout from Nettie's live, online CRAFTCAST class from January, 2011, "Learn The Art of Stone Setting in Metal Clay". It's a great way to see her demonstrate many of the techniques from the book and to get some bonus information, such as her tips on using PMC Pro.
More Information on Setting Gemstones in PMC and Art Clay
These are the best online resources I know of for learning about setting gemstones in metal clay.
- Jennifer Kahn's Lapidary Journal Article on Metal Clay Bezels
- Jennifer Kahn - Celie Fago's former apprentice and a wonderful metal clay artist in her own right - developed a terrific technique for making accurately-sized bezels from PMC+ paper type clay for cabochons that can't be fired in place. Her excellent step-by-step instructions was published in the May 2005 issue of Lapidary Journal. Unfortunately, LJ no longer sells reprints of the individual article, but this link will take you to the magazine's online store for back issues and you can order the May 2005 back issue as long as they still have copies available. Otherwise, check your local library. It's well worth the effort to track this down!
- Attaching And Setting Stones Into Pure Silver Settings
- From Jackie Truty at Art Clay World USA, this terrific PDF provides clear, detailed instructions on how to successfully embed fine silver settings into metal clay and how to set the gemstones in the settings properly after firing.
- Tips on Creating Jewelry with Titanium and Metal Clay
- This superb tutorial by Holly Gage is focused on creating fine silver settings for use with titanium, which can't be fired with metal clay, but it is equally valuable for creating settings for any stone or inclusion to be set after firing.
- Setting Dichroic Glass in Art Clay Silver, Precious Metal Clay, ACS, PMC, Metal Clay
- If you're interested in learning how to add dichroic glass cabochons as well as gemstones to your metal clay designs, Lisel Crowley's informative Squidoo lens is a great place to start.
Related Useful Information
- Basic Gypsy (flush mount) Setting
- An article by metalsmithing guru Charles Lewton-Brain on the traditional "gypsy" stone-setting method for metals.
Recommended Tools, Supplies and DVDs
- Silver Prep citric pickle (Cool Tools)
- Silver Prep is designed as a safer alternative to traditional pickling products for depletion-gilding sterling silver findings for use with metal clay. Cool Tools owner Mardel Rein has posted an excellent video tutorial on YouTube that shows how to use Silver Prep to prepare sterling silver for firing in metal clay.
- Hattie Sanderson's Instructional DVDs
- Metal Clay Supply carries Hattie Sanderson's instructional DVDs, including "Contemporary Metal Clay 1" which demonstrates a bezel-making tool you can create from polymer clay.
Recommended Suppliers
Most of the following suppliers of gemstones and supplies for setting in metal clay are companies I have dealt with personally and can recommend based on those experiences.
- Art Clay Canada
- Art Clay Canada is run by three of Canada's first Senior Art Clay Instructors: Carrie Steele, Dick Tse and Cara-Lee Ireland. The company carries sterling prong settings that can be fired in place with silver metal clay. The real treasure here is the selection of cabochons and faceted stones, natural and manmade, fire-in-place and non-fireable. They test-fire all their manmade fireable stones to ensure that they will hold their color after firing. They've posted a very handy gemstone size reference chart as a PDF that you can download from their site, which contains true-to-size images of various different stone shapes in a range of sizes.
- Art Clay World USA
- Art Clay World offers a fine silver prong settings in a wide range of shapes and sizes, as well as some sterling settings with attached, serrated "tongues" that can be embedded in low-fire clay so that the setting portion extends from the clay. Art Clay World sells a very nice selection of CZs, also in a good range of shapes, sizes and colors, as well as some lovely natural gemstone cabs (to be set after firing) and limited quantities of gorgeous abalone shell slices designed to be embedded in, and covered with, UV resin (also available on the site). You'll also find the Metal Clay Veneer kit, which can be used to create textured clay bezels for your stones.
- Cool Tools
- Mardel Rein is one of the most knowledgeable people in the field about which stones are safe to fire in metal clay. In addition to offering a very nice selection of CZs, lab gems, natural gemstones, dichroic glass, fine silver bezel, tube and prong settings and bezel wire, and lacy sterling silver gallery bezel wire, she also sells Silver Prep citric acid pickle, which can be used for depletion-gilding sterling silver findings so they can be fired in PMC3™ or low-fire Art Clay™ Silver.
- Gem Resources International
- Shirley is incredibly helpful and honest, and her prices for CZs and lab-created gemstones are fantastic. She also sells natural faceted and cabochon cut gemstones, some of which can be fired in metal clay, and the product descriptions for all her stones that have been test-fired in metal clay show the test results, which is extremely helpful. Get on her mailing list to be notified of the terrific monthly special deals!
- Metal Clay Findings
- Anthony at Metal Clay Findings has developed a fabulous line of fine silver findings specifically for metal clay artisans.These include .999 fine silver bezel settings and bezel wire with tabs that can be embedded securely into metal clay, ring bands and ring liners (onto which you can add metal clay embellishments, including gemstone adornments) that ensure a perfect fit every time, embeddable earwires, flared bead cores that can be used with metal clay (as well as lampworked glass, polymer clay, and other media), "artist kits" with project instructions by well-known metal clay artists and instructors, and much more. I've written a product review of the Metal Clay Findings product line.
- MetalClays.com
- David Nemeth and his wife, artist Liad Wischnia-Nemeth, carry a very nice assortment of CZs that can be embedded in metal clay and fired in place successfully. They also sell an extremely handy tool for stone setting called the Stone Picker Pro, that makes it easy to pick up and place even tiny faceted stones on your metal clay components. And they sell the Makin's® Professional™ Ultimate Clay Extruder™. extra extruder discs and ClayCore™ extruder adapters (great for tube settings) at a significant discount.
- Metal Clay Supply
- Metal Clay Supply carries Hattie Sanderson's excellent instructional DVDs, a nice selection of kiln-safe stones and dichroic glass cabochons, half-drilled freshwater pearls, fine silver bezel cups and bezel wire (plain, scalloped and serrated), the Makin's® Professional™ Ultimate Clay Extruder™ (great for tube settings), Jay Humphreys' Metal Clay Veneer kit (for making textured clay bezels), stone-setting burs, and much more.
- PMC Connection
- PMC Connection offers a great selection of CZs, a nice assortment of lab gemstones, and synthetic star sapphire cabochons. The company carries fine silver prong settings, bezel wire, and Jay Humphreys' Metal Clay Veneer starter kit. They also sell 24K gold and fine silver casting grains that can be embedded in the clay.
- Rio Grande
- Rio carries not only a huge selection of CZs and natural gemstones (including half-drilled freshwater pearls), but also fine silver bezel wire, bezel cups, setting tools, Embeddables™ pre-notched embeddable settings for metal clay, sterling settings and Sparex® pickling solution for depletion-gilding them, stone setting burs, and much, much more.
- Whole Lotta Whimsy
- Tonya Davidson offers a huge selection of CZs and lab gemstones in absolutely gorgeous colors, as well as excellent stone assortments. She also carries fine silver bezel cups and bezel wire, bezel rollers, and Jay Humphreys' Metal Clay Veneer kit (and refills), which can be used to create flexible texture sheets that can be cut into textured silver clay "bezel wire" for setting stones. Whole Lotta Whimsy carries a huge and frequently expanding product selection and offers excellent prices, especially to certified artisans.
Books About Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay
All books about working with metal clay have information about setting gemstones in the clay. I have found the following books to be exceptionally helpful on this subject.
More Books About Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay
Even More Books About Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay
Cabochons on eBay For Your Metal Clay Designs
Most of these should be set AFTER firing your clay!
Additional Cabochons for Setting in Metal Clay - on eBay
These need to be set AFTER FIRING!
Even more cabs for metal clay on eBay
Additional sources for gemstone cabochons to set in metal clay
- Tao Gems
- Affordable, attractive gem cabochons cut from a nice variety of minerals. Tao Gems offers unusual and interesting matched earring cabochon pairs as well as a large selection of freeform designer cabs. Rough and slab available for those of you with lapidary skills and equipment.
- Cabs by Mitch
- Affordable, attractive designer cabochons and matched pairs hand cut from drusy chrysocolla, cuprite, azurite, eudialyte, serpentine and other interesting minerals. Some are cut from unique materials found and mined by Mitch himself. Inventory is updated with new cabs every Friday at 5:00 P.M. CST.
Feedback, Suggestions, Comments
I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this lens! :)
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designsbyharriet
Apr 28, 2012 @ 2:27 am | delete
- I searched the internet for info in faceted stones in PMC and was taken to this lens. I found just what I needed to set a diamond cz and I can't wait to try it.
Thanks.
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MSchindel Apr 28, 2012 @ 3:22 pm | delete
- I'm delighted to hear that you found exactly the information you were looking for in this lens! Thanks so much for letting me know. :)
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Kim
Apr 5, 2012 @ 9:20 pm | delete
- great lens Margaret, thank you!
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- Kim, I'm so glad to hear from you (on FB) that you learned about a new gemstone setting technique from this lens. Thanks for letting me know! You know I'm a huge fan of your metal clay art. :)
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Kim
Apr 5, 2012 @ 9:20 pm | delete
- great lens Margaret, thank you!
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- Thanks so much, Kim! :)
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moonlitta
Mar 26, 2012 @ 2:20 pm | delete
- As beautiful as it is practical it may be. Loveable lens!
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- Thank you SO much for your wonderful comment and your SquidAngel blessing! I am honored!
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designsbyharriet
Feb 19, 2012 @ 10:06 pm | delete
- A very informative lens,but I wish their had been more pictures of set stones. The video is great, but I learn a lot more from images within the description. Hope you do that in the future. I love your lenses and have been reading them to learn more about PMC and how to work with it.
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- Harriet, thanks very much for your helpful feedback! I will definitely add your suggestion about adding more images to my to do list. :)
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sanjeevkumaaar
Feb 10, 2012 @ 2:40 am | delete
- HI MSchindel, It's really great lense about gemstones, I also love to write about gemstones. Have a look at once on my gemstones related lense.
Thanks :)
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- Thank you! I will.
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KarenTBTEN
Sep 13, 2011 @ 9:19 pm | delete
- It's good to see a content expert using the platform to put up materials that are original, show a lot of care... and are posted in just the one one place. In a world where it's tempting to put up quick internet signposts, this is an example of professionalism. Blessed by a questing SquidAngel.
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- Karen, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback as well as your kind blessing, which I value and appreciate deeply. You truly are an angel!
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Freakingcat
Aug 18, 2011 @ 2:39 am | delete
- Great lense!
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- Load More
Ratings and Feedback
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If there is anything you think would make this lens more valuable, a topic you would like to see added, or any feedback of any kind (what you like, what you don't, what you'd like to see more of), please let me know! Just click on "Contact Me" under "Look Who Made This Lens!" in the top right-hand column. Thanks!
If there is anything you think would make this lens more valuable, a topic you would like to see added, or any feedback of any kind (what you like, what you don't, what you'd like to see more of), please let me know! Just click on "Contact Me" under "Look Who Made This Lens!" in the top right-hand column. Thanks!
Link To This Lens
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http://www.squidoo.com/gemstones-in-metal-clay/
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Copyright and Terms of Use
This lens is copyrighted by the author and is protected by a Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial" license. You are free to share this lens and to adapt the content with proper attribution and for non-commercial use.
Exception: If you are teaching a class, you are welcome to distribute unaltered, printed copies of this lens along with the link information.
This
work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.
©2009 Margaret R. Schindel. All rights reserved.
Exception: If you are teaching a class, you are welcome to distribute unaltered, printed copies of this lens along with the link information.
This
work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.
©2009 Margaret R. Schindel. All rights reserved.
This So Crafty page written by
MSchindel
I'm the Senior Editor of Metal Clay Artist Magazine, the author of more than two dozen Squidoo lenses (three of which have been selected for the coveted... more »
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A Book Worth Owning!
Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay. A Bench Resource Manual.
Amazon Price: $30.99 (as of 05/26/2012)
Derek Metzger's book "Natural Gemstones in Metal Clay" is the result of extensive research and test firings on a wide variety of natural gemstones. It is extremely well organized and a valuable source of information about the use of gemstones in metal clay. Buy a copy if you plan to do much setting of gemstones in your metal clay pieces!
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