Can you "Gypsy-set a Princess-Cut" stone? - 19 photos

 Is it possible to set a "Square-Stone" into a round hole? Of course it's possible, and here is the proof, that it can be done.

 This tutorial-essay is rated at "9.75 out of 10" on my Difficulty Scale. The chances of breakage is at (all-time) high of 9.0 as this exercise is not for the beginner, so very sorry!

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All areas of the ring and stone setting areas need to be highly polished prior to any stone setting.

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These large bud-shaped burs are used only to make a round hole now nearly square.

 You can see my faint lines in the ring where the stone will be fitted. I NEED THIS AS A GUIDE for my drilling and opening of the space for the intended square stone.

 My large Bud bur are used only at the 4-corners. Please allow, the EXACT PROPORTIONS of the stone to be fitted to the opening. 

 No guessing on the size of the opening, if you exceed the dimensions needed, the stone will never fit well.

 With a round bur drill into the desired areas where the corners of the stone will be situated.

 The 'round bur drilling' needs to be DEEP into the metal corners.

  With your Flat graver cut little flat sides to the square hole.

 Once that this done, you've reached the exact dimensions of the 'opening to the square stone'.

 These are the only burs that need to be used. Don't have a large array of unneeded burs laying around your immediate work area.

 You can see a 'faint lines' drawn on the metal, this is where the corners will be situated.

  Where the Pavilion is to be placed, this is where the corners need to be square and clean.

I suggest using a small size bud bur of #002 (or #003) and carve a corner at an angle. This angle will follow the Pavilion facet along the corners of the stone to the metal opening.

  In between the four holes of the 'corners', there must be a 'connecting-bearings' just for the girdles of the 4-sides of the stone. (I made a gross error in not photographing these bearings).

  Place the stone into the square hole just to make sure that the stone will fit. At this point in the setting process, check that the four hole 'sides' are in alignment to the stone.

 ARE THE FOUR CORNERS (of the hole) MEETING THE CORNERS OF THE STONE?

 Is the stone sitting Flat and not crooked? If the stone has passed these requirements then you may proceed with your "Reciprocating Hammering".

 In using your Reciprocating Hammer, don't put the hammer-anvil on these four corners, why not? This is where the breakage will always occur, avoid any downward hitting at these 4 positions.

 Don't hammer or squeeze the metal flat, we need some 'thickness of the metal' for the 'Bright-Cutting' Flat graver to be used.

 

  I always "Bright-Cut" the inside of the frame as this will give your ring a 'finished appearance'.

 I 'aim' my Flat graver towards the juncture of the 2 sides. This will always give me a 'square looking' effect.

 "Seeing IS BELIEVING". We've actually fitted a 'square stone into a round hole'. What I do now is to Bright-Cut the inner-sides of the setting. I will use my Triangular file #4 cut to trim all of the inner sides of the bezel.