Fused Mosaic Brooch/Pendant

by Aleris Hart

Intermediate-to-advanced jewelry-making project.

In the 28 years I have been a metalsmith, my work has evolved from highly reflective polished forms to the textured, fused pieces I have been creating in the last few years. These pieces are produced by fusing small pieces of sterling silver and 22K gold onto a larger base. The resulting "mosaic" patterns appear to be moving and dancing across the piece. The technique of fusing is a challenge because in order for the metal molecules to intermingle and bond, the pieces are brought perilously close to meltdown temperature.

The pieces are additionally textured by imprinting with fabric or lace.

2" 18-gauge sterling wire 3" half-round 8-gauge sterling wire 1-1/2" x 1-1/8" 22-gauge sterling sheet 3/4" by 3-1/2" 24-gauge sterling sheet 1/2" x 1/2" 24-gauge 22k-sterling bimetal sheet (reactive metals) 1/8" fine silver bezel to fit stone Tourmalinated quartz cabochon or cabochon of your choice Biwa pearl, approx. 1-1/2" Pin parts, 2-1/2" stem Torch Soldering pan with fine gravel Soldering brick Rolling mill Bench shears Files	Drill bit, .040 Riveting hammer Rawhide mallet Pliers Steel burnisher Bench anvil 5/8" red Cratex wheel Flexible-shaft machine Hole punch Brass brush Paste flux Medium and hard silver solder Soldering tripod with heating frame Manila folder Lace Window screen, aluminum Wood swaging block (block with graduated grooves for shaping metals) 3/4" wood dowel
For information on supplies, please see the Annual Buyers' Directory.

STEP 1.
Make a bezel for the cabochon. Solder the seam with hard solder, then pickle and rinse. Using the narrow face of the riveting hammer, gently pound lines into the manila folder, then cut into a 1" x 4" piece. Using the rolling mill, print the manila folder onto the 3/4" x 3-1/2" piece of 24-gauge sheet (Part A).

Trace outline A on metal and saw out. File edges until smooth.

STEP 2.
Lay piece A lengthwise in the swaging block. Lay a 4" length of the dowel over the piece and, using the rawhide mallet, sink it into the block.

Roller print the lace onto the 1-1/2" x 1-1/8" piece of 22-gauge sheet. Trace part B onto 22-gauge and saw out. File the edges. Roller print the screen onto 24-gauge bimetal and use the bench shears to cut the metal into various-sized triangles. Punch out circles of 24-gauge sterling scrap using the hole punch.

STEP 3.
Flux the entire surface of Part B and temporarily set the bezel in place. Arrange the small gold triangles and circles in a pattern radiating out from bezel. Remove bezel before fusing.

STEP 4.
Place the piece on a soldering brick. Begin to heat with the torch, concentrating on one area at a time until the surface of Part B begins to shimmer slightly, indicating that fusing has begun. Pull the torch away quickly to avoid melting the mosaic pieces. Move to the next area and repeat. Pickle and rinse.

STEP 5.
Heat the piece with your torch and pickle several times to clean surface oxides. Additional heating and pickling bring the fine silver up to the surface and prepare the piece for a brush and finish. Look closely - properly fused pieces will be completely sealed on the edges. Any pieces that show a dark edge are not completely fused and may pull off later during wear. Flux and fuse these areas again, then pickle and rinse.

STEP 6.
Place part B on the soldering frame and tripod. Flux, then put bezel in place. Heat medium solder chips on the soldering brick until they form balls. Place the balls approx. 3/16" apart around the inside of the bezel. Using the torch, heat from underneath. Doing this protects the bezel from melting during soldering. Pickle and rinse. Hold the bezel up against the light to check for any gaps in the seam. Resolder if necessary.

STEP 7.
Slightly flatten the 14-gauge round wire in the rolling mill. Fit the flattened side along the top edge of part B, using the triangular file to cut a notch at point C. The notch enables you to form a crisp bend.

STEP 8.
Place the face sides down in a gravel- or kitty-litter-filled pan. Fit them together, then flux and solder using medium solder balls. Pickle, rinse, and repeat until the seam is completely soldered.

STEP 9.
Place the half-round 8-gauge wire on the edge of your steel bench anvil. Using the narrow face of the riveting hammer, make texture along whole length of wire. Now fit the wire along the long edge of part A, placing the flat side of the wire to the edge of part A.

STEP 10. Lay the pieces face side down in gravel pan. Flux and solder using medium solder balls, then pickle and rinse. When you have completed the seam, smooth the ends of wire with the Cratex wheel on your flexible-shaft machine.

STEP 11.
Begin fitting part A and B. The wire on part A should touch part B at point D, and part A should touch part B at point E. Lay the pieces face side down on the gravel, and solder contacts together using medium solder balls. Pickle and rinse.

Cut a 1" piece of 18-gauge round wire and hammer flat on both ends. Cut in half. Using medium solder, solder the flat ends to the back of part A, centered along the edge approx. 1/2" apart.

Solder the findings with medium solder. Make a 1/2" loop of 18-gauge wire approx. 1/4" long. Solder on back part B at top peak point C. Add pin hinge 1/2" below point C. Add pin catch 2-1/4" lower on part A. Pickle and rinse.

STEP 12.
Drill holes approx. 1/8" deep into the side of Biwa pearl, corresponding to the distance between the pegs soldered onto part A. Adjust the length of the pegs.

Using soapy water and a brass brush, put a brush finish on whole piece, including the back. Using the burnisher, set the cabochon in the bezel. Place the pin stem in the hinge and close with pliers. Using 2-part epoxy, attach the pearl to pegs.

Aleris Hart's work has been reviewed in such periodicals as Craft Horizons and The New York Times. She has participated in shows in such galleries and museum exhibits as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Butler Art Museum, and Concepts gallery. She taught college art for 14 years at Kent State University and Monterey Peninsula College.