TEETH with Diamonds (#3) => 6 photos

 Here are 15 white gold teeth that are ready to be set with diamonds. Some of the teeth will contain 15-20 diamonds.

 These two bridges of diamonds took me 2 WEEKS of diamond setting. SPEED is not the important aspect in diamond setting.

 I'm working ONE TOOTH AT A TIME. Quality is always #1 on my to-do list!

             SPEED, QUALITY & COST.....pick two! 

                                                   ENJOY THE PHOTOS!

 

Teeth with DIAMONDS (#2) => 12 photos

 In this unusual essay, we will be describing how these little diamonds will stay in the metal.

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 In the center of the tooth there will be an invisible line running from the center, to the base of the tooth. This line will be the starting point of the diamond and its '8 beads'.

 You can see that all of the beads are eminating from this one point, agree? I engraved a line, but decided against it as you can see.

These four drilled beads are the starting point, as I mentioned. These beads must never be just drilled in a rough pattern. There will be a symetrical pattern throughout all of the 17 teeth.

 Even the four beads must be in a exacting pattern. From these 9 diamonds, the setter can layout an exacting design. From this point the setter can proceed further.

 As you can see the band of teeth must rest against the bench-peg. Many times this repositioning, will take continuous changing. 

 

 Never assume that the bridge of teeth is of one 'layout'. The tooth (or teeth) must be in the centre of the shellac-stick, as I will work on one tooth at a time.

 Ensure that all of the diamonds are of the same depth. The 'Table' of the diamond must be flat with the surface of the surrounding metal. Don't bead-set too many diamonds at one time, I prefer 4-5 stones at one session.

RULE #1:The beads have to be symetrical around the center stone.

 RULE #2: There must be no spaces anywhere on any tooth.

 

 You notice that at the base of each tooth, I chose to have a uniform area that will allow me to engrave a line, (if needed).

  I prefer to keep all of my setting tools in close proximitry to each other.

 The time involved in stone setting, is of no concern. We are dealing with 100% perfection!

 

Photos of teeth with DIAMONDS (#1) => 15 photos

 This wooden shellac-stick has one purpose. That is to literally hold the band of gold teeth against my bench-peg while I'm working.

Here in this photo are lightly drilled spots where holes will be drilled. If I approve of the spacing, then and only then, will I proceed to use my twist-drill and drill further into one tooth at a time.

 If I'm pleased with the semi-drilled holes and the spacing. I will proceed to drill through the metal.

  I will not cut into the metal BUT proceed to create beads around EACH OF THE DIAMONDS.

 I left one hole unset, why is this? I might set either a small, or maybe a large stone, this will be my "judgement call" at the last moment for spacing.

 Spacing & positioning, is very critical for a new tooth. Even the bead-layout must be thought of ahead of time.

 

 The sizes of diamonds for each tooth is critical. As in this photo, there are four (4) sizes of diamonds to work with.

One hole is off-center, this is where accidents might occur. In this case, I'll use a bud-bur and will reposition the "last drill-hole" and then the "drilling" will come to a stop!

 Occasionally, I must reposition the band of teeth on the shellac-stick. The flame must be on a low-heat.

 The bead-raiser should be monitored at all times. I use a #800 grit paper.

 I will attempt to remove any defects in the metal prior to any stone setting.

 If the tooth is oval, then I must decide where the stones will be set. Here you see 3 rows of stones AND 2 rows around the center stone.

Even the spacing has to planned ahead of time, WHEW!

  There are 8 diamonds AND another row of 6 stones around this center diamond. Many times I will pause my drilling until I've completely decided that the drilling is satisfactory.

 

As you can see that there are 12 burs of all sizes. I used a small sized "156C" to Under-Cut any stone if needed.

 

 Can you see just how many sizes of stones there are in this one tooth? I have 15 more teeth to work on in total.

 

Do you want to read all of the details? => 12 Photos

           Teeth are very important and so are these photographs.             

  You are now starting to view 40 photographs taken from my setting bench.

 =>NONE OF THESE PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN PLAGURIZED FROM OTHER JEWELLERY SOURCES. 

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 With this Onglette, Bead Raiser and Twist-Drill, these are my only setting tools that I'm working with.

  Including my setting tools is the shellac-covered, wooden-holder are my basic tools to help me to gently create this 'piece of art'.

   Every hole was drilled and executed with precision that it was a challenge for me. This project lasted 2 weeks of stone setting plus deciding which stone would to be placed where.

 

  Every hole was not just drilled...It was marked in the metal, using a metal scribe and I was carefully pondering where to drill each hole. Once the hole was drilled. I used a bud bur and enlarged each hole to allow each stone to fit into the hole accurately.
 

 The first hole was more than a hole, it was the first step in a pattern of future stone settings. 

  Every metal tooth had a "center-point", from that center-point I guaged where the next group of stones will be set.

  I wanted every beading tool to be able to move metal over the girdle of each diamond.

  My shellac-stick had one task, that one task was hold the row of teeth securely. I wanted the tooth that I was working on had to be in the centre of the shellac stick.

 The shellac-stick had to have a slight recess in the shellac. That 'recess' was against the bench-peg and had to be held steady as a I wanted no movement while I was working with it.

 I chose the best sizes for EACH TOOTH. The center of each tooth had to have the largest stones.

 On the edge of each tooth will be the smallest diamonds. I WORKED ONE TOOTH AT A TIME.

 The center of each hole is where the Pavillion and Culet of the stone will be located. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BEADS ARE SITUATED. Now you can see the gradual pattern of the beads taking place for each stone.

 The beads were further apart and closer together near the centre stone.

 After two hours for the individual stone marking, drilling of the holes, choosing which stone to be set first and then the actual setting of the stones. This was not a simple stone setting project.

Photos of TEETH (with no cavities) =>3 photos

  My client gave me an interesting project which was to set 165 diamonds into 14karat 'tooth coverings'.

 

 The next many photo's will explain just how those teeth were set into 14 karat gold.

NOTHING BUT TEETH => 4 photos

These next few essays are all to do with setting diamonds intoTEETH, (just say ahhh!) and enjoy the photos!