How to set diamonds in a delicate (simulated) "CHOPARD" round-watch case. (60 photos)

 This fine quality row of 'Beads for Diamonds' appeared on a "Chopard" watch face. You can see just how small, but so secure they all are. 

 How were they created? I will now demonstrate the methods, this "Difficulty Scale", is estimated about '25, out of 10'. THIS IS THE MOST HIGHLY DETAILED ESSAY THAT I'VE WRITTEN IN MANY MONTHS.

 As I didn't have a 'round plate' for this exercise, only a flat silver form, sorry for this. I would like to get a round watch case, in silver I'd make the next essay as a supplement to this essay. My apologies!

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 THANK YOU "CHOPARD, WATCH COMPANY" for displaying this very beautiful watch case at the "Bayview Village Mall" in Toronto, Canada. This high-end mall caters to the upper echelon of the buying public.

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 What setting tools will be needed?

 I suggest that Onglette #0, #1 and finally #2.  DO NOT USE ANY FLAT GRAVER in any Bright-Cutting in this exercise, especially on any round curve or this (particular) round watch case. 

 I will need a Bud-shaped bur # 005, or #006 to separate the new Beads' from one another. 

The Onglette graver needs to be shaped to cut only on the "Right-Side" of the graver with a 'forward-cutting' motion. 

 Once the shaping has been done on your bench grinder, the next step is to use your polishing papers of  #4/0, #2/0,  #240, and finally #400 grits. 

 Go into my additional essays in using "Polishing Papers" in my blog to research further essays on this 'finishing' topic.

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 On your polishing papers, all of the finishing is done of this one side of the graver. You can see just how bright this steel is now looking.

 This is the '45 degree angle' that you should be aiming for at all times.

  

  I used 4 kinds of papers to achieve this high finish lustre. You can almost see your face in the steel. All of my gravers are like this to give me that 100% perfection.

This graver finishing will not be suitable for any sort of high level of "Bright-Cutting", I'd call this just a 'mediocre' attempt.

 "Bead-Burnishers", the burnisher number will be named during this exercise.

            

  My 10x power loupe shows in the greatest detail what this burnisher looks like. What 'we' are working with in this essay, is TOO SMALL. This tool size is #7 and it's too small to be of any use in this watch case.

 

 These Bead Burnishers are used mainly in rounding the rough-looking beads into nicely 'contoured and round' mini-claws. This particular 'burnisher' is a #10 and it suits me just fine.

  The cutting face of the Onglette graver must be modified exclusively to cut around the bezel watch frame 'from the right (all around in a circle) to the left'. (If you are right-handed).

(In my silver 'metal display of flat samples', I will create these processes just for this essay.)

  Let's first start with the drilling of the holes for the equal width' of stones. I think that this selection of stones will make any circle uniform and not look uneven. This is so very important in this drilling exercise.

 The single holes shown above will be used as setting examples, later in this essay.

 How close to each other stones should the drilling take place? The stones should not be touching (but there still must be a space). This space will be used in creating these new beads. (This will be explained, as well further.

   I used a drop of oil to keep the stones from moving away from the new spot for drilling holes. (This was especially used while taking my photographs.)

  These are my 'selected' Rubies lined up before the drilling of the holes.

  Drill one hole with the bud burs to get the 'depth & width' as needed. 

 Here are all of the burs that I will be needing. Round, Bud, and of course the '156C'.

 Here is my vast assortment of 156C, "Under-Cutting" or in this situation, they are aptly named "Bearing Cutters".

These are the exact rubies that I'm going to be using

 How did I prepare the seat for a stone? This is where a high-difficulty stage comes into play. Many setters (not me) will just put the stone into the metal and 'pray it stays level'.

 I mentioned that these stones should be lower that the surrounding metal surface. Here is exactly how they should look up close.

 I'm now using my "156C" bur to carve out a step INSIDE EACH AND EVERY HOLE. This is a very tedious task, but if you want perfection in your setting? Certain very important procedures need to be followed.

 This rather interesting photo displays two setting holes, one is just an opening. This will be a mediocre setting, trust me! The setting spot on the far RIGHT SIDE has the "156C" bearing. 

 (I'm holding the bur in my fingers, as I didn't have enough fingers to hold the camera, focusing my lens, the mini-clamp and this bur.) 

 You can see where the teeth of the bur are resting. Examine on your own time and see how the stone is situated.

  KEEP THE "TABLE" OF THE STONE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE  METAL.

  I photographed all of the necessary "Bud bur" information on each packet (for you) when ordering these Bud-shaped burs.

 The designated '#6' is the official number for BUD. The number '1' (not shown) is for a ROUND bur.

   As seen in the photo shown below there is a space, why is this?

  When the stones are finally 'spaced and drilled', the next step is to remove all of the inside adjoining metal.

   Drop the stones into the holes NOW! Keeping in mind that the 'Table' of all of the stones MUST BE 100% LEVEL. I suggest to have the stones kept at a low depth (only if there is enough metal).

  I would now use a "156C, Under-Cutting" bur and make a seat for the stone. This will help you in making it easy to keep the stones level.

  I use a graver with an 0.36mm width to start the 'rough cutting'. I cut a series of 3 cuts, each time going a bit deeper.

 Once you have this line of cutting, switch to an Onglette #2 and then 'Bright-Cut' all around the frame...on both sides where the stones are to be set.

 These are the difference in thicknesses between the two Onglette blades. The lower graver is 0.31mm in width, and the graver on the top is about 1.27mm. 

 This photo shows the front face of the 'two, working gravers'.

 All of my gravers, no matter what they are used for, are "HSS" aka "HIGH-SPEED STEEL" alloy.

 The lower Onglette #0 graver is my great 'working graver'. This helps me with all of my initial 'rough cutting' on fine & detailed cutting.

  This photo displays only the tools that I need, and no other tools to mess up my 'setting bench'.

 

 Only a width of 0.31 mm Onglette graver will be able to cut such a fine groove. Examine the ample spacing being provided, everything is needed in completing this setting project.

    "THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS IN DIAMOND SETTING"

 The lower you have the stones, the higher the beads will be to create the new setting for them. This looks like a difficult task, but it isn't.

 Get your Bud-shaped bur and cut away the metal that is in between the two girdles of the stones. Be aggressive and get rid of the metal in between the stones all around this round frame. The opening photographs of this long essay is what I'm writing about.

 At times I'd use a #005 Round bur, or a #005 Bud-shaped bur as well. This is your choice of burs.

 Tap with your brass Pusher to level each stone into the watch frame, you need to have all stones to be uniform in depth.

  Not any one stone should be one high and the other crooked, or lower.

  Here is my BRASS soft metal pusher, I use it as a 'leveller' of the Rubies.

  At this point, get your FLAT graver of #41 width and press the graver face vertically in between the two stones giving the "separation of metal" to create the 4 mini-beads. 

This photo describes what the 'front face' of my #41, FLAT  graver looks like. I'm only using this 'setting tool' for one reason and that is to create mini-beads.

 The metal will then be folded over the Girdle of each stone. The gemstones are then now 'set & (fully) secured'.

 Once you have 4, mini-claws over each stone then use your Bead-Burnisher with a size number of "#10" then press down and rotate the burnisher post to round off the new Claws.

 Each burnisher has that number stamped on each of them, therefore no unnecessary guessing in searching for the right sized tool.

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  To reiterate these detailed instructions, (I'm using original photos that have not sat in my iPhone archives for years).

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 In this photo, I've selected 5 Red stones of uniform size and colour. The remainder will be needed if there is a fluctuation in the colour as its being set.

  

 I've carefully prepared two round burs at 10% larger than the actual stone size. I want each stone to be lowered into the hole, but not remaining at the surface.

 These are my setting and graver tools to be at 'hands reach'. I don't want any extra & unnecessary tools to be laying everywhere. I need to keep the 'setting area' clean and orderly, at all times.

 With my "Digital Microscope" (costing $350.00 CDN) I can now examine the quality of each of the 'burs & gemstones' long before I start to use them. 

 A worn or 'defective' bur is not a valuable setting tool, get rid of it before starting this very exacting setting process. This microscope is an important and major tool for my ongoing, blog photography &writing.

  Individually examine the size & colour of the stones you have in your grouping. Then choose from these, and make a final choice for your project. Make absolutely sure that none of these stones have any defects, or have thick Girdles.

 I've decided (at the last moment) to use "Bud-Shaped" burs. These will accommodate a deeper Pavillion of any stones. My "Krouse" tapered bur on the right in the photo will make the bead area more well-defined.

 The tapered bur as previously shown will and can deeper into the metal, thus giving more height to the new beads.

 The graver that I prefer, is an Onglette #0 or #1 width. The cutting and the Onglette width are about 0.33mm, but nothing wider, please!

 I need now to start my metal cutting, but not removing any 'important bead-making metal'.

 The Krouse bur, or a 'tapered cutting bur' will make a separation for the two NEW ROWS of beads. PLEASE DON'T USE ANY GRAVER, BALL, or a BUD BUR AT THIS POINT. If you do use any of them, there will be major problems in making beads. (100% frustration will ensue.)

 

 You need to have a 'sharp and very thin knife-edge "KROUSE" bur to CUT DEEP. How deep? This bur-cutting must eventually make two fine equally created rows of beads.

 The 'lower space' for bead preparation is great, but the bead opening above it will be unable to be used. PLEASE, YOU MUST PRACTICE THIS SPACING PROCESS many times.

 When you are drilling for a stone, much of the metal will be cut away and leaving you with even less metal for any sort of 'beads'.

  

 THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, READ SLOWLY & STUDY THIS PROCEDURE.

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  With a 'small series of stones', I prefer to work with only a few (4-5) at a time. I don't want to drop a large number of these delicate stones into my bench and start looking for them 'here & there'. I'll keep only a 'small number of stones' ready for setting.

  You can see just how deep the 'Pavilion drilling' has become. I made these just in case any of the stones are deeper than I originally selected. 

 Use only a bud-shaped bur, as shown for example, I used a large round bur and nearly drilled through the metal. This is what could and might happen, be so very careful.

 Once the stones are nearly positioned and selected, the remaining objective is to start separating and creating your watch 'Beads'.

 There is an insufficient amount of metal in between some of the Rubies. This is why PRACTICING COMES TO BE A REQUIRED EXERCISE.

  In this photo, you can just barely see that the middle stone is not well positioned. This is not at all acceptable in a 'circular stone' setting. (I've purposely made these errors just for this exercise.)

 How was I going to be pushing over any new beads without any Onglette #2-shaped Bead-Raiser? The answer is easy, YOU DON'T.

 

 This is the only time in this exercise, where a FLAT GRAVER will split the metal and allow beads to be formed over the Girdle of that stone.

 At the last moment, you must round the new beads with your #10 Bead Burnisher. This burnishing tool rounds each bead and makes them 'smooth to the touch'!

 Cloth-wheel cleaning and "RED-rouge" is essential in completing this exercise. Try not to be aggressive, or the new beads will quickly get worn down.

 My 'corners of cutting' are not 100% perfect, my reasoning is that the emphasis was on those 'imitation beads'.

 I had too much room in between the stones, guess what I decided? I MADE ANOTHER SET OF 'IMITATION BEADS', this will make your setting much more interesting, agree? You can apply this design anywhere you wish.

 "Diamond Setting rules are made to be altered or changed, when necessary".

 (For every close-up photo that I took, there was at least a 1/2 hour of preparation. That is why this one essay took me almost 10+ days of writing).

 Here is my FLAT graver splitting the metal bar, just to be 'pushed' over the Girdle of the stone.

 

 I started from one corner and then went to the opposing corner. I turned the metal plate around and proceeded with the same sequence of events.

  The first set of beads can be seen here.

  Here you can see the 45-degree angle of the face of the "Right-Sided. Onglette #2". It is here that I used my polishing paper #2. #4, #240 and finally #400 grit.

  Without any polishing papers, there wouldn't be any successful bright-cutting...anywhere!

 My next essay will be on a similar watch case, but with a reduced amount of explanation on how the beads are made.

 I will endeavour to make that watch case just as if it would be real. I will create the case without using CAD, but by carving a wax. 

 If there are any questions on this first (of two essays), kindly email me at gerrylewy18@gmail.com.

 If you would like other essays, please don't hesitate in writing to me.