Wire Basket Cluster

This is a project from Stage 10 of the Apprentice program at Jewellery Training Solutions, the final stage of the training program. This one was a fun, yet fiddly and challenging, project. Just one final project left to go, and that one is a real doozy!

What were the challenges?

There were several challenges with this project. The first is that the spacing of the stones has to be very precise or it makes it very difficult to set. Soldering on all of the prongs was also a challenge - I lost count of how many I melted. I was trying out a different flux, and since it reacted differently than I was used to, I had a real issue. At least that’s the excuse I told myself. In reality, it was probably less the flux than it was the person holding the torch. Lastly, setting the outside stones was a real challenge.

Where could I improve?

I was so happy with how this turned out. I was very careful when orienting the back bezel so it lined up with the seat for the stone, and I thought I had it spot on. Unfortunately, once everything was soldered and I took a closer look, I realized that the seat itself was crooked, so the bezel is crooked. Very crooked. So frustrating. Otherwise, I was very happy with how the spacing of the stones turned out. The stone setting could definitely be improved. I had trouble picking up a bead on the inner claws - the bead kept breaking off. I got better toward the end, but by that point I had tried so many times on the first ones I set that there wasn’t very much left of the claws! I definitely plan to try this project again after I complete the program.

What did I learn?

I learned a lot on this one. While a couple of the other projects required setting the stones close to the claws, this is the first time I think it all finally clicked for me. It’s closer than close - I think I could have even had it snugged up more. Also, this is the first time I picked up a bead from the inner claws. I think I got the hang of it by the end, but it’s challenging, for sure.