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Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace, Holiday Designs. Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill. As with many designs, this 4th of July piece started to be shaped differently, then changed track.

CZ Explosion Necklace

by Judy Larson
  • Category: Holiday Designs
  • Technique(s): Cutting, Filing / Finishing, Hole Punching, Tumbling, Butane Torch Techniques, Design, Drilling
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
As with many designs, this 4th of July piece started to be shaped differently, then changed track. Sometimes designs can become too busy, complicated, or maybe not easily made by students, so the components were moved around to make the project much easier to make, and as a bonus faster to make, too.

Materials

14mm round high dome cabochon
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Cabochons - Wide variety of cabochons available
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4mm Round White CZ - Pack of 5
E5-14W
  • Lesson Quantity: 7.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each
  • Price: $1.95
  • Gold Club Price: $1.46
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6mm Round Ruby Corundum - Pack of 2
E5-16R
  • Lesson Quantity: 8.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each
  • Price: $3.18
  • Gold Club Price: $2.38
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4mm Round Sterling Silver Snapset for Faceted Gemstone - Pack of 2
K2-1
  • Lesson Quantity: 7.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 4.00 each
  • Price: $1.97
  • Gold Club Price: $1.48
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6mm Round Sterling Silver Snapset for Faceted Gemstone - Pack of 2
K2-2
  • Lesson Quantity: 8.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 4.00 each
  • Price: $2.67
  • Gold Club Price: $2.00
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3mm Crystal Chaton Swarovski Round Stone - Pack of 5
A13-1088
  • Lesson Quantity: 8.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each
  • Price: $1.57
  • Gold Club Price: $1.18
Out of Stock
2.5mm colorful chatons - original suggestion by artist
  • Lesson Quantity: 8.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 8.00 each
28 Gauge 3/16" Fine Silver Bezel Wire
H9-28BZL
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $22.17
  • Gold Club Price: $16.63
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22 Gauge Dead Soft Fine Silver Sheet - 6 Inches
H9-22SM6
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
  • Price: $106.00
  • Gold Club Price: $79.50
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Silver Solder Paste Medium SS70 - 1/4 T.O.
SOL-822.15
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $18.95
  • Gold Club Price: $14.21
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Silver Solder Paste Soft SS65- 1/4 T.O.
SOL-822.10
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $16.95
  • Gold Club Price: $12.71
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Toothpick
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
GS Hypo cement
Jewelrytools.com Prod. ID GLU-105.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
CZ Cubic Zirconia Gemstones- Shop by size and color
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Tools

Master Jewelry Soldering Kit
G32-MASTER
  • G32-MASTER
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $239.93
  • Gold Club Price: $179.95
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Solderite Soldering Board 6 Inch by 6 Inch Soft
SOL-421.10
  • SOL-421.10
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.76
  • Gold Club Price: $11.07
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Basic Sawing Kit
G15-7
  • G15-7
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $34.95
  • Gold Club Price: $26.21
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Bench Block Helper with Steel and Nylon Blocks
DAP-500.30
  • DAP-500.30
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $29.95
  • Gold Club Price: $22.46
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WireJewelry Pro-Series Single Barrel Tumbler, Jewelry and Metal Polishing Kit, Includes 1 Pound of Jewelers Mix Shot and 8 Ounces of Shinebrite Burnishing Compound
G25-1-KITSS
  • G25-1-KITSS
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $173.27
  • Gold Club Price: $129.95
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Auto Center Punch
PUN-430.00
  • PUN-430.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $8.97
  • Gold Club Price: $6.73
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20 pc. 61-80 Small Gauge Drill Bits
G26-60
  • G26-60
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $4.97
  • Gold Club Price: $3.73
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Foredom K.1070 High Speed Rotary Micromotor Kit
G22-K.1070
  • G22-K.1070
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $479.28
  • Gold Club Price: $359.46
Out of Stock
WireJewelry Ultra Pro Micro Abrasive Polishing Pads, 20 pack
G9-5-20PK
  • G9-5-20PK
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $8.95
  • Gold Club Price: $6.71
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Diamond Files--10 PC
FIL-972.00
  • FIL-972.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $24.47
  • Gold Club Price: $18.35
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SANDING SPONGES ASST- 5PC- 1EA GRIT 100-400
ABR-600.90
  • ABR-600.90
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $9.95
  • Gold Club Price: $7.46
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Butane Canister 8 Ounces
GAS-1-1PK
  • GAS-1-1PK
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $9.95
  • Gold Club Price: $7.46
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Instructions
Step 1
The jumping off point of many designs starts with a focal, in this case a high dome lapis cabochon which is actually a split bead.

Why a high dome? The cabochon bezel could be wider/taller making it easier to push in around any snapsets that might be in the way-see photo in Step 16.

Also, it was the focal bead and it was a personal preference to have a higher profile than the tallest snapset.

Sketching a design is not necessary.

Lay out a variety of pieces and play with them.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Lay out a variety of pieces
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, and play with them.
Step 2
Make the bezel for the large cabochon. If you're new to bezels, this Basic Bezel Tutorial walks you through the process step by step.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Make the bezel for the large cabochon.
Step 3
Solder the bezel to a prepared 22 gauge backplate that is slightly larger than the finished design.

Level the top of the bezel when the piece is cool.

Note: This is the point where I realized that my first choice design above might become too complicated as I knew there would be a lot of fine cut-work between all the CZ's and tails for most students to want to attempt.

To not waste the constructed bezel, the backplate edge was cut and filed flush with the bezel.

It was then soldered to a 22 gauge backplate that would accommodate the new placement of the CZ's.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Solder the bezel to a prepared 22 gauge
Step 4
Make sure all the snapsets fit around the bezel.

An odd number would probably be more pleasing to the eye but seemed to be too busy so it was left with eight-first photo.

Also, once the snapsets were set out the design seemed to get too busy with the addition of a third layer of CZ's, so just one layer of 4mm snapsets were used.

Place medium paste solder around the bottom edge of the bezel (or in this case on the bottom of the bezel backplate) and position in place in the center of the prepared backplate.

Solder the bezel in place.

When placing the first round of 6mm snapsets, remember to leave room between the bezel and the snapsets to make pushing the bezel over the center stone easier-second photo.

Place dots of medium paste solder at the four cardinal points around the bezel and press snapsets into them-third photo.

Place small dots of medium paste solder centered between the first four snapsets and press the remaining snapsets into them-fourth photo.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Make sure all the snapsets fit around the bezel.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place medium paste solder around the bottom edge
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Solder the bezel in place
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place dots of medium paste solder
Step 5
Repeat the process to secure the 4mm snapsets to the backplate.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Repeat the process to secure the 4mm
Step 6
Use a toothpick to clean away as much paste solder squished out from under the snapsets as possible.
Step 7
Place the assembly on a Solderite board.

If the torch flame is too close to the assembly before the flux is burned away, it will bubble and the pieces will move around.

Therefore, until there are no more flames from the burn-away process, move the torch flame around the assembly about half an inch away from it.

When there are no longer any flames, move the flame in and around the assembly until the solder flows.

Be very careful not to stay in any one place too long as the tips of the snapsets can melt.

When the solder flows, immediately remove the heat.

Allow the piece to cool before continuing.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place the assembly on a Solderite board.
Step 8
Pickle the assembly.

If using Sparex pickle, neutralize it in baking soda water after removing from the pickle.

Rinse and dry the piece before continuing.
Step 9
Use a saw to trim excess metal away from the outer edge of the snapsets, leaving a narrow edge outside the smapsets.

Use files and sanding pads to refine the edge of the backplate.

The divots will help keep the drill bit used in the next step from skipping across the surface of the backplate.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Use a saw to trim excess metal
Step 10
Place the assembly on a bench block.

Use a center punch to make divots in the backplate between the larger snapsets.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place the assembly on a bench block
Step 11
Place the assembly on a piece of wood or a thick magazine.

Drill holes in the divots using a 1mm drill bit.

I could not find my 1.5mm drill bits, which would have been better to use with the 2mm chatons.

Larger chatons could be used.

Just make sure that the drill bit used is about 1/2mm smaller than the diameter of the chatons.
Step 12
Drilling pushed a sharp edge to the back of the backplate.

Use sanding pads to refine the holes and clean and smooth the back.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Drilling pushed a sharp edge to the back of the backplate.
Step 13
Use easy paste solder to attach a hidden bail and decorative granulation to the backing. If you're new to hidden bails, check out our Hidden Bail Tutorial.

For help with granulation, see the Decorative Granulation and Beads Tutorial.

Once assembled, place it in a pumice pan and heat it the same way as in Step 7.
Pro Tip: Scrap that was cut away from the assembly was used to make a hidden bail. Remember, the bail must accommodate the chain being used. Sometimes it is fun to decorate the back of a pendant a bit using decorative granulation. The small balls around the edge were flattened before attaching to the backplate.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place the assembly in pumice in a pumice pan
Step 14
Pickle the assembly.

If using Sparex pickle, neutralize it in baking soda water after removing from the pickle.

Rinse and dry the piece before continuing.
Step 15
Check all connections and make final refinements.
Step 16
Set the high dome cabochon being careful to avoid bending the prongs on the snapsets.

This photo shows why a high dome cabochon was chosen.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Set the high dome cabochon
Step 17
The center punch made a larger divot than the drill bit, making a perfect well in which to place the chatons.

If the well does not allow the chatons to sit deeply enough in it, tap the well with a small dap.

Place a dot of GS Hypo cement in the well of the drilled hole.

Use a tweezer to place the chaton in the well and to press it into place.

There were not enough of one color in my chaton box so multiple blending colors were used.

I should have spaced the colors out better-blame it on my dark work room!

And yes, there is more work to be done on the stone bezel.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place a dot of GS Hypo cement in the well of the drilled hole.
Step 18
Set the CZ's, starting with the larger ruby ones closest to the center stone and working outward.

To set a stone in a snapset prong setting:

Place the stone, table (flat top) down and culet (pointy side) side up, on a bench block-first photo.

Keeping the snapset level to the bench block is very important in this step.

If the snapset is not level, the stone may not set properly.

Place the snapset prongs facing down on the stone and push until a click is heard-second photo.

That is all there is to it.

Repeat the process for all the stones.

The prongs will hold all the stones securely in place.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place the stone table (flat top)
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Keeping the snapset level to the bench block
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Place the snapset prongs facing down
Step 19
When refining the bezel, I noticed that some of the CZ's jiggled in their settings.

Use bent nose pliers to tighten the snapset just below the tip of the snapset.
Judy Larson's CZ Explosion Necklace - , Holiday Designs, Cutting, Cutting Tool, Cutters, Filing, Finishing, How To Punch Holes, Hole Punching, Punch A Hole, Tumbling, Tumble, Tumbling Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Design, Drilling, Drill, Use bent nose pliers to tighten the snapset

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