"Spacing of your Beads" before Diamond Setting - 15 photos.

 This "Bead-Spacing" exercise is so crucial, that I wrote this essay just on this one topic.

  In this tightly fitting ring top there will be 12 large gemstones. As I had only 4 diamonds, I chose to put them into the 4 corners with my very large Blue Sapphire (of course), in the center.

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  What tools will be needed in this teaching essay is just the very basic of setting tools?

 I will use an Onglette #2 graver that has its front underneath shaped round & smooth.

 When I use this tool for raising beads, I need to have little effort is securing each stone while during this exercise.

 On EACH STONE in this ring-top are Beads that are sitting 'on and over' each of the Girdles on each stone. How would you know if the beads are on the stone?

 Look directly down upon each stone, if you see the metal covering the Girdle, then your Bead is doing it's required job. 

 As required, I drilled a hole in the exact center of the ring top, that will be the center of the large stone.

 Here are my chosen setting tools for this exercise. I won't exaggerate that I want to have every bur made available in my bench during this setting project. To keep looking for one single bur that is laying somewhere on my bench-top is so very time-wasting. 

 Each bur-pad has their own shape of burs and not mixed around. My bud-burs and in the far right Blue pad. In the far left are my bead-burnishers, for the 'extra large' round burs will be in the center square-shaped bur-pad.

 I roughly marked where the Garnet stones will be set. I left nothing for afterwards. PLANNING IS SO ESSENTIAL. 

 In my mind, I've left nothing to guesswork. I place each stone even before drilling, on to the ring-top. (you can see the tell-tale markings).

 Once that the Flat plate has received the many diamonds, I filled in the remaining spaces with 'Decorative Beads', these beads serve no purpose except to make the plate look 'full', empty spaces are not nice to see and serve no purpose.

 Everywhere in the early stages of  'raising beads', pre-planning is so essential in "Bead-Spacing", I can't over emphasize this request or need.

  Even in the exercise of setting stones in a 'row of teeth', executing the right placement of even one stone is much needed. 

 Please, 'NO GUESSWORK'. If you feel that you made a mistake in your spacing, then you DID make a mistake!!!

If you are having a problem in holding the object for setting, change it's position immediately. YOU MUST BE FULLY RELAXED, as a tired hand or wrist may cause you problems in your important thinking. Don't fight it!!! 

 Even in changing the position of the tooth, planning is always needed. 

That one hole spot is not good for your hand, get the drilled hole in the center of the shellac stick.

 

 Never say "oh, I can ignore any changes while setting a stone, BAD MOVE. Spacing is major issue in setting stones, even in the CAD pre-planning layout.

 This is my Onglette #2 graver as it's being shaped from a cutting blade to a Bead-Raising tool. There is even a chance for mistakes while choosing the correct soft Emery paper. I use a #400 grit paper instead of a rough #200 grit, as to give a mild-rough texture to the underneath of the blade.

"SPACING OF BEADS" is so crucial, one mistake in the spacing can make a great difference in the whole structure of the layout of diamonds. I'm not being flippant, 'thinking ahead' is 100+% needed.

 In between each 'set diamond', is a new position for another gemstone. I could use a pair of dividers, but instead I use my eyes to guide where each new stone will be placed. Interesting method? 

 Here is the underneath spot on my Onglette graver #2 for making beads, if you 'feel' that your graver is sliding...STOP your work and 'mildly texture' your blade again. Mistakes are not in my vocabulary in this very important "Bead-Raising" process.

  I'm really hoping that you, the reader have learned something new in "Spacing of your Gems". I learned this intricate process only 65 years ago, now it's your turn to practice this much needed technique. 

Nothing is this exercise has been CAD created.

gerrylewy18@gmail.com.