Thailand Meteorite Jewelry: Cabbing & Design Tips

Question
My brother gave me a piece of meteorite that he got in Thailand. It is 18.12 G and 90.609 Cts. I would like to use it for some jewelry however I am not very experienced  in jewelry making. I do mostly cabs.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Answer
Cabbing is the only way that I use meteorites in jewelry. My favorite way is to cut the cabs essentially the same shape as the slices (to keep as much material as possible), rounding any corners to make it easier to put on the silver bezel. I dome and polish both sides of the slice, bringing the edges together enough to allow the bezel strip to go around the edge with enough material to bend over the edges to hold the cab in. This allows both sides of the stone to be visible. Before I put the bezel on the stone, I solder on a jump ring on the top for the chain to go through. After assembling, I spray a light coat of clear Krylon acrylic to prevent the iron in the meteorite from rusting and to protect the stone from sweat and wear.

I think I'll make a pendant tomorrow, taking pictures as I go and put together a web page showing the steps I use. Check back to my web page at www.moonsilver.us in a few days and I'll have it up.

I hope this helps you, if not, don't hesitate to ask!