Bezels can show evidence of metalworking talent. Early Native-made rings often had bezels made with sawtooth edges, and the results were clean and symmetrical in finish. Small stonework often calls for a thinner, often serrated bezel made with a checked file. Pre-1900 bezel mounts were heavier, changing over with better finishing. Commercial bezels appeared in the 1920s; pre-cut bezel strips on a roll can now be bought at supply houses, usually made from 28-gauge silver.

Fact: Native-made bezels often rise high so that the stone setting is flush with, or rises only slightly above, the lip.