(Extensive) Shared Claw Techniques (8 photos)

 Having your claws 'shared' with the others is a nice and easy way of gemstone setting. I will be explaining the many setting techniques in this essay, plus your gemstones aren't being covered by mountains of metal.

 All of the stones MUST BE OF THE SAME SIZE, as this must be a focal point of setting stones in this project.

 Please clear out all unnecessary metal where the stones will be resting. I will use a large round bur to lightly clean the inside metal prior to the setting of the tones.

 At the base of each claw, I use a small round bur just where the stone will be resting. This 'resting spot' is where the Girdle of the stone will be placed.

 Once all of the stone areas have been cleaned, now you can put the stones into 'their new home'. I would use either a Brass or a Copper pushing tool. Never use a steel pusher for this delicate process.

 As you can see that all of the stones are level, if one stone is higher than the others, don't set it YET, examine that the claw bearings are facing the Girdle of the stones. Don't rush yourself in this setting program, as mistakes can happen. TRUST ME.

As an added suggestion, pre-polish where the stones will be seated. We can clean the outside of the claws afterwards. I could mention that a Tapered, Pumice Wheel with a grit of #180 as this is sufficient for the basic cleaning. After this, a light Tripoli polishing will suffice.

 If your cluster claw tips are as close as these, I'd mention that you could just cup bur the claws before the setting process. Then afterwards just push over the claws where needed.

 In this added photograph, you can observe where the round bur was making a seat for the Girdle. Once the stones are in place, I'd set maybe 5 stones at a time and then tighten them all. When this is done, I could go to the 'next grouping'.

 Don't forget the clean all areas around each of the claws. If you wish to highly polish the metal, do this before any stone setting has been started.

 

 If your desired project are a pair of earrings like these two pieces. Get the polishing done long before putting them into shellac. 

 The shellac starts to get hot and might loose the security. For tightening the stones DON'T USE A METAL PUSHER, I'd suggest using a large Beading Burnishing Tool and very gently go from 'corner to corner' in tightening the stones.

   Eternity Rings are a real delicate setting process, as I was dealing with 28, 10 point stones. I had two choices in the 'finishing'. Either I could 'cup bur' prior to the setting, or afterwards.

 I used a pair of needle-nosed pliers and moved the claws in tandem to each other, not the usual 'corner-to-corner'.

 All of the diamonds were on the same level and sitting flat. In todays 2023 market, this ring would be selling for $12,500.00 CDN. Perfection had to be 100%. 

 This one ring had the Difficulty Scale of 9, out of 10. 

BTW, if the last stone couldn't fit in, I had a few extra diamonds to work with. The result was that all 28 diamonds had no spaces in between. My client was extremely happy with this new ring for his wife.

 For your added information, I had the diamonds weighed, colour & quality graded prior to the stone setting.