"Baguettes" - "Square" - "Round" stones, in one setting!

 This is an unusual style of setting, in my ongoing series of "ring tops", that could appear at your bench. This essay will describe the "rules and the many techniques", in sequence.

 This was a basic wax that I had and it appeared to be quite interesting. I removed the little claws in between the holes but retained the outer walls. Needless to say, it appears to be quite useful.

 "The Difficulty Scale" is a 20 out of 10! Why is this so difficult? Let's now find out.

 The selection of tools can be very interesting as many shapes, sizes and the style of burs! This demo-lesson needs all of them and at a moment's notice. 

 I picked only a few of these burs, but more are shown below!

  Here are both round (#1) & bud (#6) burs in their own little containers!

 Here is another little assortment of both MORE bud and round shaped burs. You just don't have enough of them. I keep another 'extra supply' off of my bench, just in case!!!

 For the tapered-edge bur, I'll be using it just to carve out the centre of the channel. I'll do this 2-3 times to get a 'new depth' that will be equal to the depth of the stones. At some time further on, I might even fully remove that inside area!

 At the preliminary stages of opening up the metal channel, I'm first gauging the depth in relation to the depth of the pavilion of the stones.

 Instead of using a bud-shaped bur to shape a new seat at the Pavilion area. I chose to use my Flat Graver #40, as it will give me one...continuous... 'long & smooth' cut. Rotating (round or bud) burs don't offer me this 'cleaning solution' in carving out the metal..:>(

  Just get the 'ledge or step' removed with your sharp Graver as shown.

  Make that long cut right to and beyond where the Baguette stones will be sitting.

 

 If I didn't use my graver, I'd still be having a "ledge, or step" that is not needed. The stone wouldn't be sitting correctly, the stone would be sitting on a very sharp pointed lip!  OUCH!

 Keep looking at this sharp lip with your 10x power loup and make very sure that it has been totally removed.

 I'm using #007 both round AND bud shaped burs in this instance, why both? One bur (bud) will give me a nice clean & uninterrupted bearing cut. The round bur will give a "corner hole" just for the square stone safety. Those four stone corners MUST be free of ANY contact to any metal!  

 Here's a "close-up photo" of the same action just being taken. Those ink-marks let me know exactly where the stones' corners will be situated in the metal.

 For three (3) stones, there are now 6 corner-drilled holes. Get those 6 holes dug deep into the metal! If any of those 6 corners touch the metal, "good-bye stone, or stones"! 

This is a very delicate area.

 'BEFORE' any angled cutting!

 'AFTER' the angled cutting. Can you now see just how much of the metal has been removed?
The stone is now resting its Pavilion 'against' this new angled ledge.

 I like to mark with an ink-marking pen as to where these stones should be sitting!
There should never be any spaces as shown below in between the two stones.
Get them much closer!

 This opening is 'almost' acceptable. When you are using your Reciprocating Hammer, any slightest movement of either side might vibrate against the "neighbouring stone" and both could get broken!

  This photo shows just how good the spacing is.

 The stone positioning is now just great!!!

 Everything should look like a 'one continuous flow of white stones'..:>)

 With using the bent-shaped plier nose, just slowly and very carefully bring the two channel-walls together, but NOT TIGHT!

 This method will not hold the stones tight but allowing you to proceed to the next step for hammering.

 The Reciprocating Hammer can now be used, but also never allowing the hammer-anvil to touch the front edge of the channel wall. In this procedure, all of the stones must be properly aligned and fitting close together.

 I'm showing you just where the corner of the stone is now resting. I call this "the point of the stone is floating" and making no direct contact with any metal.

 I now have a large space at both ends of the two Baguettes, I'm now going to set two round stones. I prefer to use a 'bud-shaped' bur to excavate the metal for these to sit at both ends!

 At both ends, I'm now using my"156C" undercutting bur, or as it's also known as a 'bearing cutter'. Whatever the name you wish to use, its a great bur to use!

  The Culet & Pavilion area must be fully drilled out before setting.

 Here you can see that the round stone was touching the Baguette and it broke! Remove that stone and redrill the bearing further 'away' from the Baguette. When the stone is reset, it won't come in contact again with the Baguette, simple as that!!!

                                                

 You can see that one stone totally sitting on its side, take it out!!! Why did this occur?
 There might have been a little sliver of metal remaining underneath one side of the opening. When you remove the stone, there might have been an obstruction for the stone to sit correctly. That little piece of metal is right underneath the 'high-point' of the stone. 
  
                                                

 The ink-mark on the metal lets me know where my hammer is touching the corners.

 When you are hammering the metal is being displaced and it will appear to leave a little ridge on the outside of the channel wall. This is quite a common thing to see and it can be removed with your emery wheels.. there is nothing to worry about!

 Here is the finished ring top. As this was created by finding a wax pattern and made it ready for my silver casting demo. Nothing is ever thrown away or discarded in preparing for my ongoing essays!

 For the inside of the two channel walls for cleaning you can use two methods! I prefer to use my Flat Graver #40 or if you wish a Triangular file #4 cut. Either method is suitable

 Now you can see just why I gave this essay a "20, out of 10" on my Difficulty Scale. There were many little problems and it was my duty to help in guiding you through them all.

Long, 4 x 2 mm's Baguettes in a wedding band setting!

 I want to show how some companies are using just a basic ring and remodeling that band into something fantastic. 

 First of all, let me say at the opening of this essay this technique is NOT FOR THE BEGINNER!!!

 I will give this exercise on this "Difficulty Scale"  rating a definite 15, out of 10!

 In the following essay, I'm using a semi-round band and setting two long baguettes into it. This will be an interesting process, it will look easy, but this is where the absolute challenging process starts!

 I will state at the start, that this is not for the beginner. The jeweller/setter should have an estimated 2-3 years of continual use of dealing with many bur shapes and their sizes. Not too mention WHICH BUR to use and WHEN! 

 Great care must be taken in deciding how to plan the very next procedure & following many steps afterwards. I have done this kind of setting before and this can be very rewarding or a great failure! 

 Remembering, there are NO SHORT CUTS in Diamond Setting!   

 Let's just look at this photograph on a variety of little errors. If you look at the Ruby Cabochon tube-setting and directly below it are three specially created "Faceted Emeralds". Their corners are not touching any metal and therefore "leaving many empty spaces".

 What is now happening is, there are little amounts of metal not hold the many stones securely in place. The stones are staying in...but just barely!

Someone, or some people haven't planned the 'faceting' correctly, agree?

 I drilled these holes as a start, but understanding that there will be much more drilling in the minutes ahead. I'm carefully estimating how long the baguette setting area will be! 

 I'm now examining the stones on how they might look together 'end-to end'.

 Will I have enough ring width to 'play' with and are these two stones able to be set with no problems.

The girdle width on both of them will give me many problems. I'm no second-guessing if these stones can even be used?

 On these blue sapphires I notice that they are too wide at the Girdle facets. I decided that I'm not going to use them! This is the most important decision that I can make now! If I continue, I might just ruin the ring and the whole setting process...goodbye!

 Sometimes I buy these stones just for the width & length, as in 2 x 4 mm's. But upon a closer examination, I'll keep them for other purposes, not for now!

 Lets compare the two sets of stones, they both have the very same measurements, but the "blue set" has to go! The faceting process was just 'mediocre', at best!

The Amethyst stone set are more suitable for this exercise. The facets above the Girdle are almost uniform! I will make allowances during the carving & bearing steps.

 Look at the "blue set" of stones; the 'upper Girdle facets' are not even passable. Imagine if I had to set these, I'd be having untold labour wasting problems!

 Results of my thorough examination; I changed my mind, I like these Amethyst stones best!

 I'm now measuring the new 'total length' of the two stones 'end-to-end' @ 4.0 mm's each.

 I'll scribe on the metal the length of both together. The selected stones will be now put aside in case of getting damaged.

 I ink-marked the exact length and width of the stones, to the metal, this is too important to avoid!

 I'm slowly and very methodically gauging how the stone openings are to take place. In this picture you see that I used a graver point to locate and core out the 4-corners.

 Now comes the delicate metal cutting and using only a fine #006 round bur and I'm now starting to cut the 'bearing grooves'.

 I'm starting to prepare the inside of 'the new home' for these stones. I must allow for the depth of these stones. I prefer to dig deeper and allowing for the Culets.

 The depth of the stones must carefully gauged and examined at all times during this procedure!!!

 I'm avoiding to cut the 'opening' any wider that the stones width. If I did, I'd be having a very difficult time in trying to 'push or hammer' over the metal.

 In preparation for the lower level for the Pavilion of the stones, I need to visualize just how they will finally sit!

 I need a 'reflective surface' as I need these stones to sparkle in their. I'm now going to use my Flat #40 graver to smooth the surface, and make it shine. Using a round or bud bur can't do this properly.

 Already I can see how the stones 'might' sit. I need now to use a round bur #007 and make an drilling indentation at the corners of the opening, for the stones "two corners" to now sit!

 You can see in this photograph that the corners of the stones are sitting snug in their 'new home'!

 With this 'coring out' for the stones, I must make sure that the stones will fit and not overlap.

 But what happens if the stones overlap? At least I found out NOW, that the opening is too short in length and not when the actual setting has started..WHEW!

 I will make every effort and extend the length of the opening...AGAIN!

 Is this frustrating? YES, to a point, but time is not wasted, 'I call this time being saved".

 I will at many times try and assess how the stones will be fitting..take out one, or both stones and do this repeatedly, until I'm totally certain that I'm ready for the hammering process.

 I marked as to where the first hammering will now start. The hammering is basically to 'move' the metal towards the stone. This process is not to 'push' the metal down onto the stone.

 You can see that the hammering hasn't come close to the edge, I have no intention to have the hammer-anvil come close as it might hit and damage the facets. This is too important not to mention!

 I've now hammered all the way around the two stones. Examining at each stage, if my reciprocating hammer has come too close to the edges, or not.

 I will reduce the hammer-pressure to the 'four' outside corners. The 'corners' can and might break if the downward, hitting-pressure is too great!

 The 'hammering process' has now been truly successful.

 In using your "Snap-On", Medium grade" emery wheel, please be so very careful in not touching the two stones. This is the most delicate part of the cleaning process..!!!

 I see some deep hammering marks, these are not nice to see. These problems were caused by leaving the 'Reciprocating Hammer' in one spot too long!!

 The metal was "squeezed on the stone" and not just pushed over..major cleaning problems here!

 I would use my "Pumice Wheel" of #180 grit, to further smooth the metal...everywhere!
Don't leave you polishing (cloth) wheels to do this for you. It isn't really going to happen!!

Please use your Flat #40 (highly polished) graver to clean the inside of the channel wall.
But, "DO NOT USE ANY TRIANGULAR FILE HERE!" If you do, you will for sure scratch the soft & delicate facets of the stones.

 Here is my Pumice Wheel #180 grit doing what its supposed to do...that is to clean & remove any defects after setting!

 Here is the #1,000 grit Pumice wheel polishing the metal prior to the cloth-wheel finishing!

 Now this is what "cleaning" is all about. Cleaning, but not touching the stones.

 If you have any questions on this essay, you may contact me at "gerrylewy18(at)gmail.com".