"GYPSY very detailed (FREE text & photos) Stone Setting" - 35 photos

ALL OF THESE ESSSAYS IN THIS LIBRARY OF TUTORIAL-ESSAYS ARE FREE. 

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 This Level of Difficulty is 8.0 out of 10.

 This essay is to have you understand and appreciate the complexity of GYPSY gemstone setting. I don't show any 'shortcuts', when I was learning this craft 65 years ago, I only learned to do this one way, you are seeing it NOW! 

 So now sit back grab an English 'cuppa tea' or your choice of coffee. Enjoy & learn.

                           What tools should you have & use?

1) Hand-held hammer weighing 27 grams in weight.

2) Pillar file of #4 cut, 8 inches in length.

3) Triangular file  of #4 cut, 8 inches in length.

4) Right-Sided Onglette graver of  #2 in thickness (or width).

5) FLAT-faced Pumice Wheel of #240 grit. (7/8th inches in width.)

6) FLAT-faced (PINK) Pumice Wheel of #1,000 grit. (7/8th inches of thickness).

7) Steel mandrel (this is for the hammering process).

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  The very first thing should do is to remove any unwanted metal around the hole. This is where the Pavilion of the stone might be touching, for this alone I'd use a large Round bur just for this process.

 As you can see that the top of the hole is NOT ROUND. In this ring everything needs to be in near perfect condition or this setting won't be able to commence.

 I'd use a LARGE round bur just to clean the (ugly looking) opening. This bur is only to make the hole exactly round. If the stone is 5mm's in width, I'd use a round bur of exactly the same size to trim the top edge of the hole. Please be very gentle in the first cleaning of this project. There MUST NOT BE ANY ERRORS ANYWHERE!!!

If you need to fill-in with solder some of the errors from the casting, let's do it NOW.

Before you start the setting processes always select what size of stone you need. Please remember that any stone you choose must not protrude through the underneath of the ring. This will be "disaster waiting to happen" as the sharp point of the Culet will definitely cut into the wearers skin.

I made some critical errors (on purpose) just to show that a simple error will give you much of a headache, why is that?

 If the bearing that you made with your 156C 'undercutting bur' is not even with the surface of the ring, the stone will end up slanted and unable to be adjusted.

 As an important step before starting this setting is to polish away any rough edges anywhere in the ring.

Not only using your Tripoli compound, I suggest using your Rouge compound as well. Make this ring looking like a masterpiece, or as I write "A Piece of Art".

The bur to use should be a "156C" 'Bearing-Cutter', or 'Under-Cutting' bur. The letter "C" is an abbreviated name for Carbide steel.  

 In this photo, you can see the starting of the IMPORTANT Bearing preparation. This one simple action will allow the stone to sit flat and not be crooked.

 If you need to use your '10 power loupe' to check the level of the bearing, do this NOW.

 I always allow 1/3rd from the tip of the hole to be used for the hammering and filing. This will leave much metal for these important steps being shown further on.

From the tip of the "156C" bur-teeth this will give me the near exact depth that I need for my stone girdle resulting in a 'bearing'.

The bud shaped bur at approximately #10 in size. The Pavilion needs to be resting AGAINST the wall of the hole.

 In this photo you can now easily see where the teeth of the bur are now cutting. The bottom of the bur shaft should be resting at the surface of the metal.

 This is the 'ultra, close-up' of the bur-teeth in action.

 This photo shows that the bur is situated too high that will result in a bearing being also being made too high in the ring-hole.

 These teeth are going to cut a decent bearing once that it's at the appropriate depth.

 I think that it's prudent to cut a bearing at 1/3 increments around the hole. Your turning of the ring will give you a decent round circle inside the hole.

 Now that the stone is well positioned into the ring, we can now proceed onwards with the (important) hammering.

 My well 'often-used' hammer looks like this and it looks horrible for smooth hammering, don't you agree? 

When you are hammering with a hammer-face like this all of the marks get transferred to the metal around the stone.

 This is how the hammer-face SHOULD LOOK. I'm going to show you how to repair the hammer-face from these deep indentations. 

 

Just start with your Emery polishing paper of #240 grit and rub the steel hammer-head as it's shown in this photo.

Now with the #800 grit polishing paper, do the same rubbing until the steel is 'smooth as silk'. 

 If you don't clean the hammer-face, the hammer-face will look like this. This is not a pretty sight, do you agree?

 Those little indentions were transferred to the bezel and now the difficult work of 'cleaning the metal' has to start now. Those DEEP indentations have to be cleaned with an Emery paper board #240 grit.

 How and can you visualize where the hammer is hitting? This is my little invention, use a "black coloured marking pen" and paint the metal all around the bezel.

 Where the hammer 'hits', the ink will be easily removed, then you will see where the hammer is touching. Don't pound the metal down hard, all is needed is frequent 'little taps' on the edge of the bezel.

 

 I'd ask you to use your 10xpower loupe and examine if the metal is touching the stone. (Hopefully it will doing this all around the stone).  

 On every Gypsy Setting on any kind of metal, this Bright-Cutting should be initiated. It makes the setting look like that there is no longer any metal holding the stone.

 This effect will make your project look so professional, which it now is!

 

 (I borrowed this photo from an other essay) but you can see how & where the Onglette graver #2 that is highly polished on one side of the blade, this Bright-Cutting of the metal is against the inside the bezel wall.

 It now appears that the stone is lower than the surrounding metal. This will give security and safety to the Table Facets. 

 That is why heavy pounding from the hammer isn't warranted, as it will greatly reduce the important thickness of the metal.

 I'm now finishing the Gypsy Setting by using my Pumice Wheel initially a #240 grit with a FLAT Face.

 The very last thing that needs to be done is to use the PINK Pumice wheel of #1,000 grit. Now you can see how nicely the metal looks. Aren't you glad with the finishing of this Gypsy Bezel?

Bezel setting your stones - 20 photos

 Bezel setting is one of the most rewarding gemstone setting projects. After a short 20 minutes of stone setting, a beautiful ring will emerge to be worn with pride.

I use a "High Speed Steel" bur that has it's course teeth cutting into the metal. Carbide teeth are too fine and not giving me the appropriate cutting action. 

 

You can see just where the HSS teeth were administering their cutting action. The bur has just started to cut just at 1/3 depth from the bezel top. The top 1/3 will be used for the hammering and filing areas.

 You can see that the Pavilion (the bottom area) of the stone will be resting in to the ring. I ask that you use a round bur and make that circular cut wider, as to allow for the width of the girdle of the stone.

 Place the stone into the ring and make sure that the stone isn't rocking on any areas of the inside frame. THE STONE MUST BE SITTING FLAT (and not moving).

  I use a pair of pliers to 'crimp & hold' the stone in place ONLY for the hammering process.

 I always want to have the stone well centered in the bezel. The best way is to examine where the Culet of the stone is positioned in the round bezel.

 There must be enough metal of the bezel-rim to envelope the "Crown Facets" of the stone. Remember, that if there isn't enough to your liking (as shown) the hammering will move more metal over the girdle for you.

 The hammer hammering will do two things here, (1) to press down all of the metal. The next is (2) gently move the metal in to holding the stone tight. The hammering angle MUST BE ALWAYS AT A => 45DEGREE ANGLE.

                          

 Where you did the hammering, the next thing to do is to smooth the hammered surface FLAT. I'm using a Pillar file with a #1 grit, #2 is too smooth. This filing only removes any marks and indentations.

I now will use a Triangular file of #4cut to shave off any extra metal from the Bezel ends.

For the cleaning processes, I suggest in using an Emery wheel of "Medium" grit to clean any marks from the hammering on the outside of the Bezel frame.

   I always use my (semi-soft) Pumice wheel of #240 grit to start the smoothing processes. Then followed with a (Pink coloured) Pumice wheel of #1,000 grit.

 If you use a cloth-wheel from your polishing machine, all of the carefully created angles and facets will get quickly ruined.

To clean the inside of the Round Bezel is easy, all you need is an Onglette graver that is polished on one side with polishing paper of #4/0 grit.

 This avoids any using of filing or additional pumice wheels. This graver-cleaning gets into areas where other implements are difficult to get to.

The inside of the Round Bezel as shown here is the 'rewarding' aspect of finishing this project. The Round Bezel "MUST BE PERFECTLY ROUND".

As an added photo, here is the hammering angle for an Oval stone in a Bezel frame. Every angle shown should be at a 45degree.

Pave' Setting, or "How do you "Create Beads" for Intricate Diamond Setting? - 80 photos.

 As I'm a Diamond Setter who deals with details, my utmost desire is to describe this topic in Diamond Setting. I will explain "How to make Beads from flat metal", this is an intense  'Intermediate <=> VERY Advanced' level of learning.

                            This Level of Difficulty is (about)+ '15 out of 10'.

 To pardon my pun, "I won't leave any stone unturned". I prefer to describe every aspect of how Pave' setting is created, along with all the tools that are needed.

 It is incumbent upon me to guide YOU in this difficult training tutorial essay. I learned this difficult task well over 65 years ago and it has become literally 'second nature' to me now.  SHALL WE NOW START?

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 What tools are needed for this exercise? I prefer Onglette gravers of #1 and #2 combined, with an Emery paper. I prefer a flat piece of metal, namely a silver plate just for this exercise, I like to use silver, as it's so easy to control while working with graver manipulation.

 This is a random photo that I found in my photo library, although it's a CAD creation. I used a graver to move the mini-claws over each stone, then used a Bead-Burnisher to secure them all. The simple word is 'graver', without a graver tool (blade) nothing can be done without them.

These are my 'friends', the tips of the top two blades have been made round just for the sole purpose of moving EACH piece of metal 'towards and over' every stone.

 For convenience, I keep my gravers separate from any of my setting tools. Now I know where each of these gravers are kept and safely stored.

 

 On this graver, the holding angle on the Oil-stone is higher than the normal positioning of a cutting blade. As this is quite normal for a 'beading tool'. 

 

 Now compare this different angle compared with a Flat graver!

  

 These three graver angles are as follows:

 The top graver is a Flat Graver, the one below is a metal cutting blade. The third graver is a Bead Raising tool, there is no similarity between any of the three. All three blades each having different uses.

  With this photograph, it literally shows where the beads are in this gent's initial ring. You can see that the 'beads' are covering each of the gemstones.

 To remember, all of the beads are NOT AGAINST EACH STONE but EACH of the beads are COVERING the Girdle. This is an important feature and a rule of 'Bead Setting'. 

 Once the Bright-Cutting has been accomplished, the next stage is to move the new Beads over the girdle. There isn't any other tool in my inventory to do this specialized work. A Bead-Burnisher only rounds the beads AFTER the stone has been set.  

 You can see where I dug into the metal just to get the bead over the Girdle. THEN afterwards, I used my Bead-Burnisher to round that Bead. 

Again, you can see that part of the stone is being covered, all of this ornamental cutting is done long before the stone has been set.

 Here is my short list of tools:

 I keep all of these tools in close proximity to my 'working area'. I don't want to have any visual interruptions while I'm setting stones. 

 My gravers as shown here are the ones that I will use in creating Beads at a later time/date.

 On the very 'front and underneath' of the selected Beading Tool is where the beading action is to take place. As I don't want any graver to slide along the metal, I'll give the graver-point a "Rough Texture" just to avoid this ongoing problem. This is a very important rule to follow.

 You can see the high angle of the graver against the #800 Emery paper. On the side of each graver blade that I use are the initials "H.S.", the initials relate to the strength of the steel, namely "High-Speed Steel".

 Why do I use this strong steel? I'm glad you asked as this stronger steel won't allow any points of the graver to break during any important tool usage.

 This was not a CAD (Computer Aided Design) bracelet as every diamond was individually sorted by 'size and colour' before any stone-setting was initiated. You can see multiple sizes of diamonds.

 I saw this photo on the internet yesterday, it shows where the 4 beads are situated. But if you look closely these 4 beads are NOT COVERING THE GIRDLE of the stone. (This is not what I was taught when I started to learn my profession a mere 65 years ago).

 I can easily push the stone out of this metal plate. EACH BEAD OF METAL MUST COVER THE GIRDLE. Without this, every stone could move and get lost.

 

 This interesting pattern is aptly named "2-bead setting" as there are only 2 beads holding each stone in place.

 

 Each 'round disk' has a variety of diamonds that were chosen to be set. Every stone was Beaded via the setters graver, therefore into a specific location.

 This large 'pendant disk'  mirrors the bracelet mini-disks. There was so much diamond-setting labour to go into this project, it was just a mind-boggling project. 

 

 To make this bracelet and pendant, the store owner decided to display a ring to match the above-shown items. As I mentioned above, this was not a CAD-designed project.

 In this often-seen pendant that I set for my client. All of the diamond setting was initiated long before the center Emerald Pear-Shape stone was set. This creation was all hand-crafted, I was asked to create this expensive project. 

 The only tools/gravers that I used were displayed in the photos shown above. The yellow band was soldered after all of the sections were finally diamond set.

 

 Once that the all of the beads were individually created, I used my Onglette #4/0 to clear away any pieces of unwanted metal. Then only afterwards, will I use my Flat graver to "Bright-Cut" around the border of the design.

The graver on the left is an Onglette #2 as compared with the #4/0 blade. 

This photo shows where the Onglette #4/0 cut away the metal from in between the beads. The Onglette #2 is too wide to cut such a close area around the diamonds. 

 

 All of the (hand-created) beads are moved well over the girdles of every stone. There won't be any loose stone to get loose or come out.

 I'm not at all concerned, or fearful with any size of stone that is used for Pave' setting. 

 I keep my 'often used' round burs in packets and always in sequential order. Instead of rummaging through my tools, every setting tool is easy to find at a moments notice.

  All of my beads are positioned in an orderly fashion. Once that the beads are created then and only then can I start my Bright-Cutting. 

 The Flat graver is ALWAYS held at a 45degree angle, as this allows for a shiny bright surface. I find at times that the 'line-cutting' is not always accurate, then (again) I will use my Flat to get a wider & brighter cut. 

The 'deeper and wider' cut is seen with the Blue Sapphire photo.

  These next two photos show where the 'rounding' of the graver is positioned and how?

 The 'rounding' angle is more severe than that of a cutting graver. The 'tip-rounding' is made so the point of the graver allows you to 'pivot the blade on one spot without breaking that graver point'.

 

  The graver should be held at least at a 45degree angle. This allows for a better control over creating 'beads'.

 This picture enables you to see the overall appearance of an "Onglette #4/0". There is little chance of the graver to have any undue waste of metal in the cutting processes. 

 No matter what graver that is used for metal cutting or Beading. The angle is always the same on the Oilstone, it's at a 45degree angle at all times.

 

  Here is a perfect example of  Onglette graver-cutting and creating Pave' Beads. 

 While I was taking photos of jewellery items in local stores I took this photo of something interesting. This is a sample of a variety of sizes of diamonds set in earrings. The stones were set in a curved plate then afterwards soldered inside the oval hoop. The difficulty  was that there could have been loose stones while being soldered.

 These are my ring-clamps each of them have their own purpose. The wooden handle is my favourite "Adjustable, Inside Ring Clamp" that is the official buying name, not mine.

 

 This thicker blade can be easily fashioned into a Bead-Raiser. There is no possible way that a thinner graver can be used as a Bead-Raiser, hence an Onglette #2 is required. Rarely I would use a #1 on certain occasions.

 

 The inner Bright-Cutting is designed to look like a 4-sided square. The cutting started at the line-cutting and ended in between the beads.

 Many instances I will "pre-cut" patterns like this being shown. At the very last instance, I will use my Onglette #2 to push over the little "triangle of metal" into a bead. This allows me to create an "inside pattern" prior to any stone setting. 

This photo displays the finished 'designing in metal' with my gravers. There is no opportunity in sculpturing the metal once the stones are in the metal.  You can see just how large the new beads are that are 'over' EACH STONE.

 This is where experience and practice has taken me and eventually YOU.

 All of the pendant-diamonds were set without any "CAD, Computerized Assistance".

This was not an easy project to work on, I spent many hours if not days with phone calls with my client, deciding as to where the many stones should be eventually set.

 

 All of my gravers that I use are named "HSS" or "High-Speed Steel". This high level of steel will prevent any breakage of the fine graver-points while I'm cutting into the metal in either Silver, Gold or even Platinum. 

 The "little recess" behind the two beads is where my Onglette #2 graver was placed. Only the graver-point that was rounded, gave me the exact shape to the bead. All of the metal-cutting was done prior to the Beading process.

  Each Bead was carved ahead of time and at the final moment, I used my Beading Graver #1 to gain access and push the little piece of the metal. 

 I chose to set the many stones ahead of time just for this project. After which I used my Onglette graver #1 to cut a pattern into the metal and around each stone, then do my Bright-Cutting as planned.

  For another example of timing, all of my "Pre-Cutting" and as well "Bright-Cutting" was initiated long before the stones were placed into the metal.

 There is no possible way that the metal can be cleaned and Bright-Cut when any or all of the stones have being set.

In this photo you can see the very thin Onglette graver #0 starting to cut a pattern in the metal. The number #4/0 graver is TOO THIN FOR THIS ART-WORK.

 When the 'angled cutting' has started then the Bright-Cutting with the Flat graver #40 will then commence. If the line of cutting is not deep enough, then and only then can the Pre-Cutting be done again. This is then followed with another Bright-Cutting process.

Here is the final design in the metal and then having the Beads made rounded. NICE?

 This is just another example of creating a design in the metal, then setting the stone.

 I always keep my rounded section of the Graver-Point "textured" so as to not having the graver accidentally slip and slide out of control.

  

  Just to repeat, that all of the preliminary cutting should be done as deep as possible, it is being that depth onto the metal is needed in the metal cutting. There is little 'second chance' of accurate metal carving.

 In this metal carving all of the finer Bright-Cutting is so important at this stage of finishing. All that is left is to 'move the beads' OVER each of the stones.

 To repeat, all of the metal cutting that has been seen are with only a select number of gravers and tools. These tools are a Flat Graver #40, one Onglette graver #2 and other assortment of gravers.

  This ornament was one of the most difficult in my long career. There were so many loose stones to work with in placing all sizes and colours.

 As my client was sending me a series of stones to set, where to place them and what sizes to use & where at different elevations of the Dolphins' body.

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 These are one of the many designs I worked on and they are in near sequential order to the best of my ability.

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 I drilled a hole in this wedding band and then cut little triangles, once deep and then still deeper as I went along. All of these cuttings were using Onglettes #1 and #2, these Triangles were the beginning of the preliminary beads to be seen further on.

 I was not too concerned if I missed and cut lines outside the basic pattern. I dealt with these slips further on in my cutting.

Once the inner-cutting was finished I went further and cut another series of lines to be used as outside borders.

 These series of cuts are starting to see some semblance of a nice pattern taking shape.

 

 Now comes the Bright-Cutting with my Flat graver #40. This inner cutting pattern has to be cut many times as to give the design more of a 2-Bead Setting.

 At this point, I'll start to cut deeper and again Bright-Cut where ever possible. I'll be using my Onglette Graver #2 and polish the side of this blade to give a smoother bright finish. 

 There is a little piece of metal just behind these two beads, I'll burnish them round as to make like there are "two beads in a row". Good idea?

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To make a '5-pointed star' is ALMOST an easy project. I used my indelible ink marker, to draw lines on the metal to give me a 'road-map' to work on my pattern.

Where the 5-points are near the stone is where I will create my beads. I must make sure that these beads are well over the girdle of the stone.

  All around these Beads are to be lines cut into the metal. These 'lines' are like triangles, already you can see the pattern taking shape. DON'T SET YOUR STONE YET, as this will be the very last thing that will be done.

 To keep the lines clear from any slipping, just use your Onglette graver #2 and carve the metal while it is held in a near vertical position.

 You may now set your stone and burnish the beads, if there are needs to recut these lines kindly do so now!

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 Have you ever carved and created a square pattern on a flat wedding band? Here are some interesting rules to follow. The Degree of Difficulty is about 9.5 out of 10

What I would do is to use my "indelible marker pen" as this will give me a guide line for my metal cutting. Remembering that all of these lines MUST BE STRAIGHT. 

 From the four corners, draw little lines from each corner, why is this? These will be where the beads will be formed. Simple as that!!!

 

 From each of the four corners there will be four little triangles. From these triangles, you will join them from one corner to the other with Bright-Cutting. Do you see just what is starting to take place?

 

 I suggest that you start your Bright-Cutting NOW, only on the four sides.

 

  Don't be concerned if the lines are not straight, we work on them later on. We have so much more to do in the carving and cutting.

 Draw another square outside of the "inner Bright-Cut square", as shown here.

In between these 2 square sections, you will Bright-Cut as shown. 

   Place your stone (not drop it) into the previously drilled hole and be careful that the stone is sitting flat. If there are any areas that need to be Bright-Cut again, please do the adjustments at this point. Please use my photos at every possible opportunity, this where my photos help to guide you.

 Use your Beading graver and create these 4 beads (as shown). These 4 Beads will be somewhat large, then you should use a large-sized Bead-Burnisher.

 To decide what size to use is easy, just place your burnisher over each them to decide which size of burnisher to use. If you are satisfied, then proceed further in 'rounding the tips', there should not be any 'cup of metal' around any of them. 

 This is a somewhat of a difficult project to work on if you are not familiar with Bright-Cutting. All it takes is few days, or weeks of practice. 

Your gravers are your "new friends" and together with your new knowledge you will be a fantastic Diamond Setter.

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