Bezel wire (also called bezel strip) is the flat metal strip you form around a stone to create the setting wall. You cut a length, shape it around your stone, solder the join, solder it to your base plate, and then push the wall down over the stone to set it in place. It's one of the most satisfying techniques in silversmithing, and the quality of your bezel wire makes a real difference to how easily it works.
We stock fine silver (999) bezel wire because it's significantly softer than sterling silver and much easier to push over a stone cleanly. Sterling silver bezel wire is harder and more likely to crack or resist when you're burnishing it down. For most stone setting, fine silver is the right choice.
Our bezel wire is 0.4mm thick and custom made for Pod Jewellery. It comes in four heights: 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm. We keep all four sizes in the studio so we have the right height on hand for most stones we work with. As a general guide, the bezel wall should sit just slightly below the height of the stone at its girdle, so the top edge can be pushed over cleanly to secure it.
The 2mm and 3mm wire is dead soft and ready to use straight from the pack. The 4mm and 5mm wire is medium hard and benefits from annealing before forming, which makes it easier to shape around your stone and gives you a cleaner result.
