"Can you put a square stone in a round hole?"

 I've written essays on "Princess" square stone setting in Engagement rings and as well as Channel setting. But nothing on 'setting a square stone into a round hole', until NOW!

 (As I previously admitted  to you) "I DON'T BURNISH ANY STONE IN A GYPSY/FLUSH SETTING!" it's just not in my vocabulary. That was not the way I was taught 6 decades ago!

"I only deal with perfection, and perfection is what you're going to get!"

The Difficulty Scale is an 8.5 out of 10!

What tools do you need?
Round burs: As seen in these two packets, the sizes range from .003 to .026 mm's
Flat Graver #40: This is only used after the stone is set and is needing cleaning.
Onglette graver #1: I use this basically once, just to cut the corners in the finished hole.
Bud shaped burs: These are only used to open up the hole for the Pavilion & Culet Facets.
Wax Dob: This is only used to hold the stone while moving it from your bench to the Table top!
Ink marker pen: I use this technique all of the time just to scribe lines without ruining the surface.
Riveting (lightweight) hammer: Instead of burnishing, I use only the 'correct hitting approach'.
Steel Mandrel: I hold the ring on a metal surface, on leather the "hitting power" gets 100% absorbed!

  In brief, this diagram shows what this essay is all about. 

 Here are the cubic zircon's I chose to use, but only one size will fit,  the smaller size @2.5 mm's.

 After finding the center of the ring, I drilled a hole and proceeded to open the hole wider. Keeping the opening at the center of the ring.

 I chose a bud-bur the size of the stone, but refused to use it, as it would have removed too much of the required metal. You will soon see just why!

 I preferred to file the cutting surface FLAT only for now. I'll file it into a 'rounded shape' later on!

 On the flat surface, I drew an "X" around the initial opening, I need this for the next step!

Again, don't use a round but the exact size of the stone!!!

 Use a bur that is  about 75% smaller that the stone, (you can do the math). This bur is still too darned large!

 Now this is the correct size to use in starting to 'open' up the setting hole!

  Do you now why I scribe the "X" on the metal?  This is the first cut in carving of the four corners!

  I continually cut out the opening and at the same time cutting much deeper into the recess.

  Don't yet erase the ink-pen markings. I used a series of smaller shaped bud-burs to cut the four sides equally!

 Don't forget to open the Pavilion and the lower tapered sides, why? This stone is tapered and so must be the four tapered sides of the hole.

 Just for your curiosity, place the square stone over the new hole! It should be sitting with the sides overlapping the hole.
 That 'over lapping', is where the stone will be sitting INSIDE THE METAL!!!

 Keeping the four-corners in-line with the stone's pointed corners, you are starting to see some interesting processes.

 Keep the sides of the opening in-line with the ring. At no time would the sides of the stone be off-set or out of alignment with the ring, or you will have a crooked stone sitting basically out of shape.

 I'd use an Onglette graver and cut the inside corners or edges, 'sharp'. I need to know just exactly where the edge or rim of the hole is in proportion to the stone.

 I would VERY CAREFULLY attempt to cut the upper sides of the hole "square". I'd use a Flat #40 graver for this delicate maneuver.

 For the four-corners of the stone, I will NOW use a round bur (that is larger than the point of the stone) and carve out a place for these corners to rest! 

 I would cut at least 30% down from the top of the square-hole opening!

 This is the very tricky part of the setting process. This is almost frustrating as you are now "attempting to get that stone into the square hole".

 Making the side of the stone much more deeper into the side of the metal opening up the corners more and more re-drilling the bearing cuts..on & on & on! (your time is never wasted)!!!

 But here is a better shot at some finicky moments doing this setting!..:(

 I'd now ask you to use a round bur (larger) than the girdle of the stone. I don't want any metal squeezing the stone as it's being set, or it will just shatter and get broken...:>(

 I'd use the same wider round bur to make bearing. I prefer to have some 'play' and have some flexibility with movement, while the stone is being secured.

 The Princess stone is now finally sitting into its new 'home'. As you can see that the "Table-facet" is well below the surface of the metal, where it should be.

 I neglected (on purpose) to measure the depth of the ring to the depth of the stone. Hence, the Culet is sticking through the bottom of the ring. This will happen if no measurements are being taken prior to the first cut!

  I want to ink-pen mark the top of the setting area, this way you can see where the 'hammer hits' are taking place.

 The starting of the hammering step is now! Place the Culet into the recess of the steel mandrel and gently hammer on the sides.

   Hammer now on all four sides, but not letting the hammer get too close to the Table-Facet.

 Very gently tap the metal over and onto the four corners. Examine where the hitting is taking place, I'd use my 10x power loup and making sure at all times, that the stone is level.

  I'll just tap on the metal where it's needed. As stated, this is not an easy setting process. It DOES TAKE MUCH PRACTICE and nothing in this setting can be rushed just to get it done fast!

 As you can see where the Culet facet is positioned in my "Inside Ring Clamp"!

 I can see how irregular the sides of the metal look, it needs much cleaning. Don't expect to use a file or any bur, these techniques will never work!

 Only a Flat #40 graver will accurately clean up the four sides of the opening. Just make sure that the underside of the graver is polished and smooth. Starting at the corner and work across the wall.

 The angle of the cutting should be almost perpendicular/vertical to the surface of the metal.

 Here is the finished result of "putting a square stone into a round hole".

Contact me: "gerrylewy18(at)gmail.com"

Let's use a Digital-Microscope for this essay!

 I like to make this Diamond Setting group of essays an exciting and fun affair! So why not review some of the previous essays & photographs and at this time, "add a few more"!

 I'm using my digital-microscope that is showing these photographs from 60 => 100+ power magnification.

 Many of these 'shots' show that not every setting project is clean and precise, the human-hand does make some little slips and minor errors. This is not what we're concerned about, its just that we now have the jewellery technology in seeing them, all up close!

 Any idea what these spikes are? How about the steel bristles of a wax-file cleaning brush. You can still see some residue of little pieces of wax on the tips of each piece of wire.

 Would you believe that this is a very common cleaning wheel, how about a #180 grit Pumice wheel?

  Everyone has these at their benches, this is a #4/0 saw blade!

 Are you ready for this little saw blade? If you cut waxes, you will for sure use this. This is a saw blade just for cutting into wax patterns,

  Just how large are these CZ stones? Would you believe these are only 1.5 mm's in diameter!!!

 Do you cut rubber molds, then this little curved item is an "Exact-o" blade? Don't go on any airplane with this very sharp tool. This will cut your skin, I can attest to that fact!..;>(

 This little item is for wax shaping, you can see some residue on the bottom left corner of this bur.

This is a Corundum spindle that's used for anything that you need, you name it and it works!

 This is an easy item to identify by looking at the brass covered hole. This is my "Medium" grade, Snap-On Emery Wheel!

 Do you use a wax file? Then here is a 100 x power magnification showing more residue pieces of some other unknown materials.

 I was drilling holes with my twist drill and this is what came off that drill. I 'saved' it and took a photo of the metal shaving.

 This is the up close of a wax form with some stones ready for casting!

  This is the wax-shaping file.

 "Shingles on a house"? No way, just a  #00 grit file

 Here is the same wax-file & the cleaning wire brush in action.

This is a #1 grit file!

 File with a #2 grit.

Is this a sharp #2 Onglette graver? Up close it looks (yuk) rough, but it sure cuts nicely!

 Pink coloured Pumice Wheel of #1,000 grit!

 This is a very rough cutting graver that only 'rough-cuts' (but not Bright-Cutting). I use this graver as only acting as a cutting guide 'prior' to my Bright-Cutting processes.

 This is a wire-wheel, can you see the tips of the wires?

 Now you can see the 'tips of the wires' of the previous photo.

 This is a well-used "Medium grade, Emery, Snap-On-Wheel" with the frayed well used edges and loads of residue embedded into the Corundum granules.

  This is a magnification of a #180 grit Pumice wheel at 125x power magnification.

    On many of these Cubic Zirconia stones show the name of the company "Swarovski".

  This is a simple photo just showing the Bright-Cutting inside the Bezel frame. All of my Bezel settings have been Bright-Cut.

 From a distance, this "Star-Setting" looks nice and clean..but not under a 80 power photo..:>(

 Every Gypsy setting MUST be Bright-Cut. I just never, never 'burnish' the metal to set a bezel stone.

  Here is my favourite setting pattern. The "Fishtail" as it's been used & seen in my demo-ring.

 This started out as a flat (boring) triangular plate. This still shows a few miss-guided graver cuts!

 Here is the four-sided, square cut. When this is highly polished..WOW!

"Florentine" cutting showing a 'finished' border pattern.

 Another view on a Channel-set ring, prior to setting of the stones.

Many engravers use the name of a "Liner" which it is, I prefer the name of a "Florentine" graver.

    Same tool/graver but used in a different application..just making decorative 'lines'.

  As I have written many times before, I always Bright-Cut on the inside of the bezel walls.

  Two photographs of a simple pin-lever watch with a view of its many gears!

 Any idea what is this used for? Ever bought a shaving brush? I had one as a gift, but now it's a regular cleaning tool in my setting bench! Why?
 It has very soft bristles and it comes in handy brushing away some of the gold & silver granules in my tray!

 Just another view of the soft bristles!

 Would you believe that this is the underside of a Flat #40 graver? It looks like a disgusting piece of steel, but the results are of a very shiny cutting surface.

 Another side view of a Bezel setting, you can see the Bright-Cutting. Also you can see the crimping of the metal, as its bending over the stone.
 Normally this wouldn't be seen, but with this microscope, everything is being now observed with the greatest detail.

 This is one ugly, overly used and abused "H.S.S.' (High Speed Steel) bur. You can see that many of the teeth are just not being able to cut into the metal anymore...aka scrap!

 This is my (nearly) favourite metal pusher that is showing the little grooves that will prevent any slipping while pushing over any metal.

This is a very good picture of a great 'cup bur' bur. The generic name is a "77B" it's used to round off the tips of all claws after being set.

 Here is the packet of some of the well used sizes!

 I shave off the sides of these burs on an oil-stone as it's rotating, but why? Now you can literally hold the bur in an upright position and not be concerned in touching the stones' facets.

 Have you ever thought of what this bur looks really up close? You can now see the curved teeth that will grind away the metal on the tip of each claw.

 I like this picture as it's showing the reflective surface that was Bright-Cut just for this photograph! BTW, the opening is used for a 1.75 mm stone.
 You can even see how I used two burs to 'open' up the deepest part of the hole for the "Pavilion" and leaving space for the "Culet".

  I think this one picture explains many of my previous essays on how to create Fish-Tail 'beads'.

 What are these burs and why were they so important many decades ago? I used these to prepare a seat for setting "half-pearls". These are not so common anymore, but they still sit on my bench! 

 A nicely prepared HSS bur with its sharp cutting teeth. 

 I hope that you enjoyed a little trip into the detailed world of Diamond Setting and the many tools.
 Contact me, anytime at "gerrylewy18(at)gmail.com" have fun learning and setting stones!