Jewelry-Making Tutorial: How to Attach a Cabochon to a Bezel

Share:

When I published a blog post three years ago about how to attach a cabochon to a bezel tray with UV resin, I had no idea that article would become one of my top posts.

I had tried to turn my art into jewelry to sell in my event booth, and I failed. Multiple times. Enough that I threw in the towel and told myself it was a lost cause. I wasn’t happy with the quality of products I was producing and didn’t feel right about selling them.

It seemed like sealing an image between a bezel tray and cabochon should have been an incredibly simple task, but I just couldn’t get it right. Jewelry glue interacted with the ink. Super glue seemed to dry clear at first, but then over time, the jewelry developed pockets and silver flecks that worsened as more time passed.

I gave up.

That is… until I crossed paths with a vendor at a market who gave me the secret I’d been missing—UV resin. I wrote that original blog post to share my experience with others who might be facing a similar struggle. My goal was simply to educate and hopefully save others from wasting time and money. I had NO idea how many people would find it to be valuable!

And yet, it wasn’t detailed enough. The first post wasn’t a step-by-step tutorial. I still get comments on some of my social media posts asking me questions such as, “How much super glue do you need to attach the image?” and “How do you shrink the artwork to the right size?”

So, it’s time for a follow-up with a tutorial video showing you exactly how I use UV resin to create necklaces, pins, magnets, and earrings with my art.

**Note: This article contains affiliate links to help support the artist. To learn more about how these links are used on this website, read the affiliate disclosure.

Adhesives NOT to Use

---

As I mentioned, super glue and jewelry glue were my first failures, as you can see in the photo below:

Super glue (left), jewelry glue (middle), UV resin (right)

Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Attach Cabochon to Bezel

The products I use are shown/linked below. Here are the steps from the video:

1. Size your images to a 1″ (25mm) diameter. I use Photoshop to create the template, which I then send to my local Walgreens for professional printing.

2. Cut out the images. You can use scissors, but trust me, it will save you a LOT of time to use a 1″ hole punch instead, and the quality will be much better since you’ll have a clean circle.

3. Glue the image onto the bezel tray. All you need is a tiny drop of super glue. If needed, depending on the type of bezel tray, you might need to press the image into the crease with your fingernail or a toothpick. Some bezel trays are a snugger fit than others. Give it a minute to dry in place so the image doesn’t move out of place when you’re working with the cabochon.

4. Apply a small amount of UV resin to the image. It’s better to have too much than too little. Excess resin can be wiped away, while an insufficient amount will create air pockets that are difficult to remove. The more you practice, the better you’ll be at estimating the proper amount of resin you’ll need.

5. Remove any air bubbles. You can use a toothpick to work them out and spread the resin across the surface. Fire (optional) will pop the bubbles, but remember to use caution with a lighter, and don’t keep the flame on the image for too long. You don’t want to catch anything on fire!!

6. Attach the cabochon to the bezel. You’ll likely have a few little bubbles trapped when the glass settles on top of the image; spin the cabochon side to side to work those bubbles outward to the edge and push them out. If possible, tilt the bezel to inspect it from different angles and look for bubbles/flecks. You need to get these out during this phase because once they go under the UV light, they’ll be there permanently.

7. Wipe off any excess resin with a piece of toilet paper, tissue, or paper towel. It’s okay if the resin smears on the cabochon; you can clean that later. Be sure to check the edges for bubbles or pooled resin, as those imperfections won’t be easy to fix.

8. Put the cabochon/bezel under a UV light for at least 60 seconds. If you’re struggling with air pockets, you might need to apply pressure on the cabochon with your finger for a few seconds to keep the air pushed out while the resin hardens.

9. Polish with rubbing alcohol. If any external resin is still visible on the cabochon, scrape it off with your fingernail, toothpick, or a blade. (Carefully!) I sometimes use the edge of scissors if my fingernail isn’t cutting it, and I haven’t had any issues with scratching the cabochon or bezel.

10. For magnets, use a small amount of super glue to attach the magnet to the back of the bezel. I prefer to use a smaller magnet size (20x2mm) so there’s a small lip around the edge, making it easier for people to grasp and remove the magnets. If you want the edge of the bezel to be flush with the magnet, buy 25mm instead (but be cautious about too much super glue oozing out the side and being visible).

Featured Products w/ Links

A – Necklace Bezel Kit (trays + cabochons)

B – Brooch/Pin Bezel Trays + Butterfly Clasps

C – Flat Bezel Trays

D – Glass Cabochons

E – 20x2mm Magnets

F – 1″ Hole Punch

G – Let’s Resin UV Resin

H – Basic UV Light

I – Gorilla Super Glue

J – Rubbing Alcohol

K – Toothpicks

L – Toilet Paper (paper towel or tissues will also work)

M – Lighter (optional)

Earring Bezel Trays (not pictured)

Hypoallergenic Stainless Steel Earring Hooks (not pictured)

---

That’s it! After trial and error, this is the method that ended up working for me when it comes to attaching a cabochon to a bezel tray. Of course, you can tweak the techniques and products to suit your unique art.

I hope this follow-up tutorial was helpful and saved you from some of the headaches I dealt with in the beginning before I figured out how to perfect the process. Good luck with your crafting!