Use a personal photo or even small mementos (flowers, seeds, beads) to create a truly personal piece of jewelry.
Steps
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Select a photo bezel which will fit comfortably on the finger. Remove any bails.
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Choose a photo and shrink it down to fit into the photo bezel. Be sure the image will not “bleed” when it gets wet. Laser copies will work better than inkjet.
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Make a paper template before cutting the photo. Cut the template and try fitting it into the bezel. Gently tuck edges in with a toothpick. Avoid making it too big which will cause wrinkles or buckling. Trim down to the size you want.
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Now cut out the actual photo using the paper template as a guide.
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Try inserting the silver wire through the bezel to be sure of the fit. Do not attach wire yet.
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Carefully pour out enough of the Clear Coating solution into the mixing cup. You must pour out exactly the same amount of the Activator solution into another cup. You can check amount by using an electric metric weigh. Follow manufacturer’s instructions and mix well.
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Brush a layer of the glue to the inside of the bezel. Place the photo into the bezel. Take care to get the edges of the photo inside the bezel.
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Coat the photo completely with the mixed Clear Coating solution, using a toothpick to spread the resin evenly. Let the epoxy cure by setting it in a warm room or under a small light overnight. The epoxy will reach full strength and toughness in about 24 hours.
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Test the surface with a toothpick to be sure it is hard. If it is tacky or cracked, scrape the resin out, insert a new photo if necessary and redo the steps.
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Attach the 18g silver wire. Loop one end from one side to the other side so that the ring fits comfortably. Use two pliers to gradually twist the wire around the band. Tip: Keep the wire end going inside the ring and gradually tighten.
Things You'll Need
- Sterling silver photo bezels (with solid backs)
- Glue
- Toothpicks
- Small mixing cups
- Fine tweezers
- Paper
- Photos, printed materials or small decorative items
- Small copies of the photos (make sure they do not bleed with moisture) to fit bezel
- Clear Coating and Activator solutions
- 14g sterling silver wire or thickest wire to fit bezel (the wire needs to be this thick to be strong enough to hold the bezel)
- Wire tools
- Optional: Electric metric weigh
