Thursday 13 June 2019

Channel-Setting, with 7, Princess (square) stones!

 Some jewellers will call this kind of gem-setting "Channel Setting", I'd name this style a difficult setting. What ever name you wish to call it, this setting is not for the beginner! .

Another essay to follow shortly is similar to this, but that one IS a "Channel Setting" process. Both are similar in nature, but just so very different.

 The Difficulty Scale on this technique is rated at about 15 out of 10, with a Frustration level of ???

As you can see that accurate measurements are necessary with starting any program in setting.

 Each stone is measuring (exactly) 2.50 x 2.50 mm's

 The opening is .58 mm's or much longer that the 5 stones. We will deal with this problem further!

  I'm now showing a simple array of setting tools that will make this setting a reality!


 The 'bearings' for the Princess stones is not a long continual cut. It is composed of individual straight lines, but joined together! After all, each square stone is cut straight across, agree?

 I'm leaving the 'end-stone opening' untouched at the present time. The first bearing is only a guide for the next 2-3 cuts. Each cut is deeper INTO the metal.

 You can now see how deep the cuts are getting!

 From a curved end-opening, I want to make a square-corner..by using a small #006 round bur!

 The first of the 5 square stones, are now easily placed into the metal. If the preparation is successful, than no problems will occur. Just simple planning of the next few steps. Always making sure that the stones are "nearly touching", but not that close together!

 I removed the round channel ends and now starting to make a square, end-opening.

 Now this is starting of the "frustrating segment"of this project. The reason is allocating enough space exactly for ONE MORE STONE....with no finished spaces at the ends!

 Just observe the slow removal of metal as the next stone will be ready to be set. You MUST make the opening longer, but never wider!

 Remember, you are making the two spaces of equal length, at both ends of the Channel setting! Double the work, but it'll turn out so much nicer, when finished!

 When the drilling has been completed, then use a round bur of #007 to cut the inside corners for these two square stones.

 Turn over the stones and determine how much more metal must be removed! THIS IS SO NECESSARY!

 I would scribe the metal and then measure another 2.50 mm's (stone size) ready to be cut out.

 Here is the starting of the 'removal process'. You notice that I haven't gone further than the scribe lines!!!

 I'd cut deeper inside the metal just for the Pavilion of the stones.

  Repeating what was just done on the first end and again measure the length for the second cutting.
                                        


 These stones are riding on top of each other. This particular c.z. has a wide girdle more allowances for more drilling with your round bur.. into the metal!

 This can be so very annoying, as sometimes the stones might just break at this point!

  HOORAY, the two stones finally went in! You will notice that there is no, or little touching of the stones with all of this "aggressive, metal excavation".

 At this point, you may use your riveting hammer to tap (lightly) the metal down over the stones. Some setters will use their Reciprocating Hammer at this point, why? They (and I) want to make sure that all of the metal is now ON EACH STONE!!!

 If any of the stones ARE TOUCHING in hammering process, they might vibrate and you can have two broken stones..:(

 I prefer a little space in between each of the stones, but barely visible with your 10x power loup.
 With your Flat #40 graver shave off the over-hanging metal, over each stone. Don't use a file, as you should have a clean Bright-Cutting surface.

 Don't attempt to file the surface until the Bright-Cutting has been completed. You need the thickness of the metal to manually cut with your graver.

 When you're starting to use your Pumice wheel have the wheel not to grind the metal flat. I would angle the metal (at a gentle angle) away from the front of the wall!

   I have only one word for this final photograph..NICE!

Monday 10 June 2019

These Essays are dedicated to very special people...!

 These essays have been made possible by only three people; my Parents and my mentor/teacher!

My Mother (Sarah) b. 1906 in Manchester, England and died November 12, 1968!

My Father (Maurice) b. 1906 in Bialystok, Poland and died November 12, 1968!
(both died in a car accident)

My teacher Stanley (Stan) Levine!

 How did these three people help me to make all of these "Gem Setting Essays" get into my blog?

 My Mother (z"l) was a prolific writer and photographer, at a young age of 22 she organized and edited a Jewish newspaper all by herself. I always remember that if someone in her hometown of Manchester asked (her my mail) how the weather was like in Toronto, Canada, she would give a 4 page reply. She always took photographs of us 'in family pictures' and her gift of writing and the love of photography got me to do the same even to this day! She always did her typing at night until 2:00 into the early hours of the morning. As she had a physical disability she typed with only one finger!
Her speaking ability was passed on to me, with that, she taught me how to speak to large crowds of people.. namely, students in a class!..:>)

My Father (z"l) was a "Diamond Polisher" by trade in Belgium and had a jewellery factory in London, England during the WW 2. He was awarded a contract from the British Government to be the ONLY supplier of Industrial Diamonds for the "War Effort". No one was allowed to sell these  "Diamond Dresser Tools & Wheels", other than my Father!
 Many of his peers were extremely jealous of his abilities. From this innovative technique, all diamond tools came to be now a normal way of cleaning grinding wheels in all of North America even today!
When we came to Canada in 1947, he brought with him this new process & technique of using Diamonds-Boarts for reshaping & cleaning grinding wheels that are used in machine shops. When the film & television media heard of this ultra-new method, he appeared on television and had a short-movie made by "National Film Board of Canada" of this new diamond business. "Lorne Green", the same fellow from the "Bonanza" television series, was the announcer.

 Further to this essay, now comes my own story!

When my Parents finally realized I wasn't able to get through high school, my Dad got a friend to teach me Diamond Setting. No one in those earlier days knew of what being a Dyslexic is. So off to this jewellery factory at the age of 16, I went and had the greatest opportunity in working with "Mr. Stan Levine". He taught me literally everything related to setting of gemstones and 'Modifying & Bright-Cutting Gold & Platinum in the art of using gravers. Because of this hard work, I learned Diamond Setting in a 9 year long apprenticeship!

Now with all of this training, writing and photographic skills, you are getting what these three people 'gave me'. Please use this wealth of knowledge well in helping you to master the many Diamond Setting techniques.

 To these three people, I owe so much! BTW, my Maternal, grand-father was a watch-repairman!