"CUT-DOWN", Bright-Cutting on a wedding band - 40 photos

 This diamond setting technique is rated at about '35, out of 10'. This pattern looks easy, but it is fraught with much consternation that many diamond setters have avoided using it.

 This is not for the "Intermediate Level", I'd ask that the more 'Advanced' level of setters to attempt it. This technique is similar of going directly into 4th year of university after getting out of public-school. This is the highest level of training any teacher can give to the student. My teacher (Stan Levine, of "Blessed Memory") taught me this technique, circa 1965.

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 Let's first start with a plain wedding band, all of the holes must drilled be in the absolute center of the band, I scribed a faint line as a guide.

   

  The depth of every stone must be lower that the surface of the metal. The photographic reasons will be explained shortly.                                         

  With a Flat graver, twist the edge of the metal over the stone, for it will be used as a mini-claw. You can see that the Girdle of the stone is lower than the surface of the metal.

 

 There is no need to "burnish" any metal-claws in this exercise. What will happen to the metal at the sides of the stones & holes? This will be explained further into this essay. 

The metal in between the wire-claws will be Bright-Cut (as shown).

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                      There are two options in making 'pseudo-claws'.

 

 1) When the holes are drilled for setting of stones, but before any stone setting, use a bud bur and create a O+O pattern into the metal. From here, you are creating little mini-claws. Once the claws have been created, then set the stone as seen in this photograph.

 Allow the stone to be set into the metal by having the claws to be undercut. DON'T HAND-PUSH THE METAL over the stone. all that is needed is to lightly tap the metal down tight.

  2) The next option is to bead the stones and Bright-Cut as shown in this photo.

   Here are a few photos displaying the 'mini-claw' setting. Before any stone is set, please use your Tapered Pumice Wheel and pre-polish where possible. This will make you final cleaning so much easier with your CLOTH-ROUGE polishing.                      

 All of the in-between claws should be using your tapered Pumice wheel at every instance, then Tripoly polishing.

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   With a Flat Graver of #40 width, extend the Bright-Cutting towards the sides of the band.

 The graver should be aligned against the "Crown Facets" of the stone.

 All of the remaining metal in between the stones should be cut, with no remaining flat metal being left untouched.

 In each (stone) hole the opening must be the same size of the stone. This is so very important, we shall soon see why!!!

    Inside of the hole will be a 'groove' aka 'bearing' that has been created for every stone. This will allow every stone to sit level and at the same (desired) height.

 With the Flat graver 'dig into the metal and twist', the corner of the metal will then act as a new claw. Only a little piece of the metal will secure the stone in 4 spots.

  

 This is the little technique that I learned "half a century" ago, how time flies? You can see where and how the twisting action creates these 4 new claws. GET THOSE STONES DEEP INTO THE METAL or the stones won't get tightened.

When you are finished 'the twisting of your graver' clean the grooves with a Bud-Shaped bur. Then followed with a Pumice wheel, but get those crevasses totally CLEAN.

 When the grooves are clean then you can start with the Bright-Cutting with the VEE shaped cutting.

 This is the close-up of the stone hole and the beginning of new claws.

  Here is 'how & where' the Bud-Shaped bur is starting to do it's 'great work'.

 You can now see why the stone MUST BE SITUATED DEEP INTO THE METAL? If not, then no reasonable size of claws can be formed.

 All of the 'twisting' does leave serious (ugly) grooves. Then use your Bud-Bur to clean up the metal.

At this time, use your Flat graver to initiate the Bright-Cutting.

 Don't forget to keep the grooves totally clean, if not, the chances of using your Pumice wheel will be wasted. You can easily set Genuine Emeralds with no chance of breakage.

If the height of any stone is too high, the end result will be insufficient amount of metal holding any stone. Repeat! GET THOSE STONES SET DEEP!

 The Rubies were not set deep enough and see how thin the claws look?

              This Ruby setting is a 'total disaster in the making' .

 Here are now only 3 new claws being created. Remember, that the tool I used was only a flat graver. "DIG IN AND TWIST THE METAL".

 At the 'side' of every claw you can use your Onglette graver to enhance the 'claw shaping'.

 On the inside of every claw, use your graver to separate the metal on either side of the claw. Then the Bright-Cutting can start.

  When all of the Bright-Cutting has been completed, all you will have are the 4 claws and a shiny surface.

 REPEAT. Here up-close is the seat for the stone, without this technique there will be crooked stones everywhere. Not too mention stones being at different heights.

 This is just what 'we' are aiming for. Execution of a "Cut-Down" exercise with PERFECTION.

 These 'lines' are from the Onglette graver cutting to the metal. On the left side is where the Bud bur will clean the grooves, then comes the Pumice wheel cleaning, again!

 Here is the Onglette graver doing it's work in cutting into the metal in between the claws.

 I initially put a 'Difficulty Rating of 35, out of 10'. I'd even raise that number much higher as this is one of the most difficult Diamond Setting exercises presented. 

 The chances of making mistakes or errors is too easy, much practice is needed over a period of literally years, not weeks of training.

 This essay has taken me about 18 hours to photograph, write the script and edit each word.