CAD-claws, or Pave' BEADS?

 This photo was downloaded from a European (?) website and a member from ORCHID- GANOKSIN.COM asked me online to explain how these stones were set?

 Initially, my thoughts were that these were Pave' set beads, but there were too many clues to now think otherwise.

1) Each of the claws were rounded by using a "77B" (Cup bur) and all of the 'posts' are of the same and uniform size.

2) There are no remnants of metal around any of the stones.

3) There is no metal below the "Girdle-Facets" of any of the stones. It looks just too clean.

(This was definitely a beautiful Gem setting project. Good work to the jewellery company.)