Daily Wire Tip March 28: How to Make a Ring Out of a Cameo

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
March 28, 2010

Question:

My question is, what is the best way to make a ring out of a cameo?  Can one be made with prongs or is it better to use the cabochon (pharaoh) method?  Please let me know the best way for this to be done.

Answer:

My favorite way to incorporate a cameo into a ring is to use the Pharaoh’s ring design. Usually I recommend using all half-hard wire for this particular design, however when setting a cameo, I personally use soft wires only for the ones that will be going across the top of the cameo (which would be the outer most wire on each side of the ring bundle). In this way, the softer wire can more easily be moved to the outer edge of the cameo, so the piece is ‘framed’ more than cutting across it.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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5 Comments

1. 

   Margaret Bubner

   March 28, 2010 at 6:56 pm

   Hello ,

   Please can you let me know where I can see the Pharaoh’s ring design?

   I keep hearing about it but do not know what it looks like

   Is it on one of your tapes?

   many thanks

   Margaret
   South Australia
   • 

     dalecgr

     March 30, 2010 at 8:41 am

     Pictures of a Pharaoh’s ring can be found in two locations on the site. (At each location, scroll down a bit) Here is what is termed ‘classic’, using an 18x13mm cab http://www.wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-making-dvds/Beginner_Series_Part_7-7441-126.html and on this page a variation is shown using an 18x13mm pear shaped cab http://www.wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-making-dvds/Ring_Series_Part_2-7443-126.html
2. 

   Lynne

   March 28, 2010 at 7:01 pm

   What is a “pharaoh’s ring” design? Searched the tips, but didn’t find any picture.
3. 

   Dean Andrews

   March 29, 2010 at 6:35 am

   I’ve done the cabochon ring by Preston several times and I can’t keep the stone from coming out when finished. It just doesn’t want to get tight enough. Do you have a better pattern for a cabochon rint?
   thank you Dale.
   Sincerely,
   Dean Andrews
   • 

     dalecgr

     March 30, 2010 at 8:43 am

     Hi Dean, although I am not familiar with his particular version of this ages old design, the reason may be that you are using soft wire as opposed to half-hard.