Princess stone settings - REVIEW - 29 photos

Here are two Princess-Cut stones, but under closer examination the corners have been gently removed. The reason is for safety during the setting as some setters prefer to have them removed in case the stones get damaged.

  In this photo are the "V" shaped corners that soon will made ready for gemstone setting.

 These claws have not been properly finished. You can see that there are many errors from the setting processes, the setter avoided any repair work that was desperately needed. The work was to straighten the crooked stone and repair the claw on the left which has piece of metal missing. 

 I ALWAYS "Bright-Cut" the inside corners of the V-shaped claw, why is this? I don't want big pieces of metal holding the delicate stone.

  It is essential to clear the inside of the 4 claws, I use a elongated bur for this process, I use a Bud-shaped bur but NOT A ROUND BUR. I start at the top and clear all the way down to its base.

 In case the Pavilion of the stone touches the basket, all of the sharp corners of the setting must be cleared of any extra metal.

I'm using a Bud-shaped bur of a wide cut just to create an angle that will match the angle to the Pavilion. This is a very, very important process, there are no short-cuts allowed.

 Be mindful of the width (thickness) of the Princess-Cut stone. Please remember that on every stone the Girdles have been Faceted (polished) and this must be recognized in your cutting of the bearings.

 Before any stone setting, please have your ring pre-polished, this is again so important.

 All of the four claws must be symmetrical and not out of alignment.

 Here is a completed ring setting with the four claws nicely positioned.

   These claws now must have a series of bearings that will hold and secure the Girdle and the corners. These indentations must complement the angles of the stone at all times.

 Place your stone in the ring and check for any unwanted spaces or rocking, if so take the stone out and redo the cutting again.

 I use a pair of pliers and bring in the claws, never corner to corner. This will put much stress on the stone and breakage will occur.

 The jaws of the pliers should be against the sides of the V shaped sections of the claw. Its the sides of the claws that are securing the stone, never the corners of the V.

 In this photo you can see the completed securing of the four claw-points.

 With your Triangular file of #4 grit file the sides of the claws. I use an Emery (Medium grit) disk to keep the claw heights the same on all of the claw tips.

 This photo shows the inside of the V claw before anything has been done to it.

 REVIEW: I use a large round bur to clean the corner just where the point of the stone will permanently rest.

 This is a side-view of the stone being set, but there are many errors occurring here. The tops of the claws are too high and the stone is crooked.

  In my estimation, the ring is not usable and should be scrapped, why? The sides of the claws are totally beyond repair.

 The tips of the claws is now ready to be cleaned and having the claws nicely trimmed.

 I'd give this completed ring a '9.5 out of 10'. The V claws are only 90 % well shaped.

  Now compare these two rings; acceptable to <mediocre.

     This ring is 100% PERFECT.

 On my "Scale of Difficulty" this Princess-Cut Setting rates '25 out of 10'.