Skip to content

Tapered Rectangle Earring Tutorial

Tapered Rectangle Earring Tutorial

It has been a while since I actually sat down and did a project tutorial from start to finish. Well you are in luck. I have a project that I just finished, that I will cover in 2 posts. The first will be creating the earrings and getting them ready to set stones in them, the second part will be a tutorial on Gypsy, or Flush Setting, which will combine a step by step tutorial, AND a Video Tutorial, so let’s dive in:

The first thing I do here is select a piece of sheet silver that I made from an ingot a while back, I measured the sheet to make sure it was thick enough for the stones I want to set in them. The stone measurement from the table to the culet is 1.4mm, so the silver sheet I selected is 1.85mm, just to make sure the culet of the stone doesn’t protrude through the back of the piece and touch the ear.

 

Next I start to layout the design. I always want to start with a straight edge, so I use my JewelryMonk Jeweler’s Square to create this edge. I Scribe a line, then saw along the outside of this line. Next, I use my # 2 Hand File to bring the edge up to the line.

Using my dividers, I scribe a parallel line the height of the design I want to create. I also scribe a 90-degree line on the side, from the top and bottom to help in the layout of the design.

I want my earring to be 6mm wide, so I scribe a line down the center of each piece at 3mm. I also leave 0.5mm in between the two pieces for my saw blade width and filing. I want a tapered rectangle look, so I measure out my shape and use my Jeweler’s Square to scribe the lines. I cut these out with my saw, and file up to the line.

Now I lay the stone where I want it in the design and scribe a center mark where I want the setting to be. I use an awl to mark a dimple and use a small ball bur (1.0mm) to start a pilot hole to drill from.

Next I will stamp the backside with a Sterling Stamp on my Steel Bench Block, because if I do it later, it will scratch and distort the piece a little. You can see the bottom got distorted a little, so I file the bottom edge flat again. I also rub the earrings on a piece of 600 Grit Sandpaper to make sure the front, back, and sides are smooth and flat.

I also want a little bevel to the top of the design, so I file and sand a beveled edge to the top edge. I use my # 4 Hand File and a Snap-On Sanding Disc to get this done. I finish up taking out the scratches with a Green Silicone Knife Edge Wheel. This takes out the finer scratches and leaves a smooth flat edge.

When working on flat pieces, I will take a piece of gray polishing compound and rub it on a thick piece of paper. I make sure the paper is on a flat area, then I rub the flat pieces across the compound-loaded paper with my finger in a circular motion. This leaves a very smooth and shiny surface.

Now the earrings are ready to set some stones in them. In the next post, I will drill the stone seats, solder an earring post on them, set the stones and polish.

The majority of the tools used in creating this earring are available at a discounted price at JewelryMonk.com/tools. Most are limited quantities, and will not last long.

Make sure you subscribe to JewelryMonk.com to stay updated on all the Jewelry Making goodness that goes on here.

Now as always, thanks for stopping by.

Now, Go make something Shiny!

Doug