What is "Channel Setting"? - 13 photos

Channel Setting is one of the satisfying setting projects, although the techniques are very difficult it bears repeating.

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 The most important rule is to remember there must never be any 'spaces' between any two stones.

   When setting a line of stones, never have the Reciprocating Hammer Anvil touch the stones. The whole process is to 'move the metal' over the Girdle of the stones.

 If any two diamonds are overlapping each other and the hammering starts, there will be major problems. The problems will be 'stones getting chipped, or broken.

 When you are hammering delicate stones, I'll ask you to put the ring on a steel mandrel. The hitting force will get softened if a leather gripping ring clamp is used. I ALWAYS USE A STEEL MANDREL, all of the hitting pressure is kept on the ring.

  I prefer to locate the center of the channel to decide where the stones will be set. 

 From deciding where the center of the stones being aligned, this will give you the exact centre for the channel setting.

 The center of the channel must have one diamond. The center should be where the Culet is in the channel, or where two stones will meet. This is where esthetics is at work!

 In this "double-ring" assembly you can see how the channel stone alignment is being worked on.

 The center of the channel stone matches exactly where the center of the cluster lays. There is much decision making in this layout.

 The center of the cluster is gently 'off' by 1-2 mm's. I set the channel stones, but not the cluster ring.

  Someone else tried to set the tapered baguettes, but with very poor results. I was asked to 'repair the damage', but under these circumstances I 100% refused.

  I had to share with you, the reader, how some individuals make an ill attempt to set Tapered Baguettes. (I won't make any further comments on this ring).

REMEMBER: NEVER ALLOW THE RECIPROCATING HAMMER ANVIL TOUCH ANY GEMSTONE. (It could be a very costly mistake and we've seen the results earlier in this essay).

 For 'aesthetic beauty' always decide which of the two options you should use in deciding the center of the diamonds in the channel. 

"Appearance is always paramount", the customer will decide to either buy it or give it back to the manufacturer. Remember that there are NO SHORT CUTS IN  CHANNEL SETTING.

  The Rate of Difficulty is at 15, out of 10.