Full Bezel (ROUND) stone setting for you - (25 photos)

 I'm not going to delve into how to clean the entire ring, as this is not what this essay is about. This tutorial-essay is only about the using the 'Riveting Hammer' & followed by 'Bright-Cutting' and the very important 'finishing' techniques.

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 This nice looking ring does look nice? NO, why no?

 The stone is crooked and once that it was secured, it couldn't be repaired. Mistakes like this, do sometimes happen in 'our jewellery world'. I did this 'error' on purpose just to show that errors do occur.

These are my 'favourite' setting burs, in using them is a skill all by themselves.

Once that your stone has been set into the bezel, then comes the hammering steps.

 The face of the 'Riveting Hammer' must always be clean, with no deep indentations. This is if there are noticeable marks on the hammer-face, then these marks will be transferred to the Bezel in an instant. Keep the steel face CLEAN at all times.

     This hammer face must shine like a mirror, as seen in this photo.

 

 The Hammer should always be hitting the metal at a 45degree angle. You will see 'the why' in a few moments.

 Why is the ring on a mandrel while being hammered? It is that if the ring is on a leather ring clamp, the leather absorbs the hitting pressure, plus it is better to have both hands free while doing the hammering.

 In my situation, I have one hand using the hammer and the other hand holding the camera. Not too mention that the steel mandrel is resting against my chest/body.

  I don't use a heavy & large hammer, if I did, I couldn't get to see where the 'face' is hitting the Bezel. Looking where the hammer is touching the metal, is just as important as hitting the top of the ring.

If you choose to use an 'Hammer & Anvil' combination, to work on the Bezel remember to keep the anvil still at a 45degree angle.

 

 This Anvil is not 'store bought', it is basically a 'concrete nail' shaped to exercise hitting the tip of the Bezel.

The rectangular shaped hitting ANVIL must NEVER, NEVER get too close to the stone.

    In this really up-close photo shows the thickness of the metal as it's resting on the stone.

   You can easily see the 'slight angle' of the Bezel frame. NEVER have the top of the Bezel frame to be flat.

  I roughly drew a drawing of the hammer hitting the tip of the Bezel. There must never have any spaces in between the Bezel and the stone.

  Can you see any indentations from either the Anvil or the Riveting Hammer being applied to the Bezel top? The answer is that there aren't any, on purpose. 

 

 This where the great skill of Bezel Setting is being used. 

 Bright-Cutting any Bezel setting is 100% required. Many setter just file the metal and avoid any Bright-Cutting, why is this? I have no answer, but I think that this not a good finishing technique.

 I use a Flat graver of a #40 width and cutting the metal at 3 or 4 increments around the stone.

 When you are attempting to Bright-Cut please make sure that there are 'no lines' in the metal cutting. If there are any, put the graver to the oilstone and repolish the graver face. 

 The next cutting seen behind the 'lined' area is nice and smooth, this is how it should look, agree?

 Regardless of the width of the bezel at this point, just continue withe Bright-Cutting until the 'circle of cutting' has been completed.

 

These are the remnants of the cutting, these slivers of metal actually came from the #40 Graver blade. On the right side shavings, you can see that the slivers of metal are 'clean & smooth' that is the testament to how the inner-cutting has been done.

I used a Pillar file #4  cut, to make the width of the Bezel much thinner. You can, as well use a Triangular file of #4 cut.

  Instead of using a cloth-wheel to ruin your great looking edges on the Bezel do what I always use.

I use a PINK #1,000 grit Pumice Wheel to enhance the finishing touches.

So very lightly use your "Emery, Snap-On" wheel with a "Medium-Grit" to clean areas further down from the Bezel top.

 As many of my other on-line instructors show their finished projects, their fingers are filled with polishing remnants of Tripoli and Rouge compounds. This is a very unhealthy route in displaying beautiful jewellery!! 

 Many people cringe at the sight of dirty fingers, including me!!!

 This Bezel Setting ring has been completed, I could have shown many more photos, but what you have seen is more than enough.

 I was very interested in the actual Bezel Hammering process, not the gemstone setting processes.

 You can see how much of the metal was removed post-setting. In my estimation, this ring is for anyone to wear with pride.....Gerry Lewy!

Marquise stone settings, in '6-Claw' & Bezel ring (using 31 photos)

  This will be an intricate lesson on setting a Marquise stone. I'm about to show the basics of setting a 'long and pointed' stone instead of the usual round stone that many online instructors show. 

  Many times a basic "6-Claw", or a "Bezel Ring" looks unattractive. We, as professional Diamond Setters must do our best to work and enhance what we're given.

There are many areas for breakage, I'll be also exploring many of them in this essay. The Difficulty Rating is at 8.0 out of 10.

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  What tools do 'we' need in this exercise?

We need an array of bud-shaped burs from #003, up to #006.

Round-shaped burs, from #003 up to #005.

 From a descending order from the 'finished to the beginning', here are the techniques for you need to learn.

With all of the multitude of claws to work on, I prefer to keep this exercise easy for you. 

For esthetic reasons, I prefer that the "claw tips" should be rounded using a "#77B Cup Bur" and not shaped like a 'spear' in the front of the claw. 

 

   Everywhere that the hand-pushing tool was touching, please use your Pumice wheel #240 to remove any marks in the metal. This means EVERYWHERE, inside the shank and along the outside of the base of the claws!

  

 These claws are extremely high and need to be reduced in height substantially. The claw tips should be just reduced to be above the "Table Facet" of the Marquise stone. 

 

  Even if you are setting a cluster of 5 stones. The claw heights should be the same as the "Table Facet" for any ring.

If these claw-tips grab the lady's clothing, problems will occur as we are dealing with one  or two claws holding each stone. GET THOSE CLAWS REDUCED IN HEIGHT. 

 

  HOW TO DETERMINE THE BEST "BEZEL SETTING" TECHNIQUE?

First of all, DON'T 'HAND-PUSH' THE METAL DOWN.

 Please use your Riveting Hammer. This process will give you a uniform flat surface, instead of a rough textured surface that will be so difficult to clean after the setting has been completed.

  The bearing for the "Girdle" of the stone can be created by using two techniques at your disposal. These are the use of a HSS (High Speed Steel) or a round bur. But what size of round bur is the best??

 The best bur size is to use a bur that is slightly wider than the "Girdle" of the stone. The reasoning is that there are areas where the stone could be thicker. This has to be a made available for setting of the stone. 

 In using the HSS bur, making sure the bur is cutting into the metal at the same depth all around this bezel. (this is not an easy process).

  When the stone is ready to be set into the Bezel. YOU MUST READ READ HERE.

1) You shouldn't use your hand-pushing tool. I prefer (as I mentioned earlier) to use a Riveting Hammer, or a Reciprocating Flex-Hammer.

2) Do not under any circumstances let the "Flex-Hammer, Anvil" get too close to the front-tip of the Bezel frame, (as shown in the close-up). The chances are that breakage could occur here.

3) The very point of the stone is the most delicate area on ANY MARQUISE stone, please handle this area with the utmost care as possible.

4) If you decide to 'hand-push' the "V" metal closer to the point, you may do so now!  DO NOT HAMMER WITH A HEAVY DOWNWARD PRESSURE HITTING. You could say "Good-Bye, Gemstone".

 The Marquise stone must never be tilted, or crooked in it's Bezel frame. The offending cause was when you were preparing the inner bearing, this was the common mistake with many "beginners & intermediate" level setters.

 

You can easily see that the top of the Bezel is not 100% flat BUT AT A SLIGHT ANGLE. This is not a major problem, but it's completely acceptable in all cases.

  If prefer not to 'hand-push' at the tip of the Marquise point. you can apply some 'light hammering pressure' to that Bezel tip. The Bezel must be at filed at an angle all around the frame.

 When you are picking up a stone of any size or shape. Do me a favour, don't use a pair of tweezers. If the stone gets loose, it will get lost, use this mixture of Beeswax and Charcoal instead.

  

  I prefer to have the tip of the Bezel always FLAT, regardless how the stone is sitting in the Bezel.

 

  You can see just where the bearings are being created.

 

 These are the selection of burs when you are carving out the bearing for this stone.

 At no time should any stone be finished if the stone is tilted in it's setting. If it is then removed it and redo the bearing layout, again.

 At the point of the claws, please use a round bur that is slightly larger than the girdle of the stone.

 For the side claws, I ALWAYS use a Bud-shaped to create the bearings, as these claws MUST always align themselves against the Girdle of the Marquise.

  All of the top three claws MUST EQUAL DISTANCE APART. For the widest section of the Marquise, there will be a wider gap, as seen in this photograph.

 When you are preparing for the underlying area of the series of claws, use a Bud-Shaped bur to carve out for the Pavilion. 

 

  Where you made a point-bearing is where the point of the stone will be resting against.

 If there is a difference between the 'width and length', then that stone should be placed in the center of the 5 stones.

All of these stones should be of the same shade, if not, then exchange it for a better selection of stones.

 

 In the great photo, you can see just where the point of the stone will be resting against. The round drilling was just 'perfectly created'.

 The underneath of the claws needs to be cleared out for the lower section of the stone aka Pavillion.

In using a Bud-shaped #5 bur, it is advantageous to keep all areas of the inner-bezel free of any metal that shouldn't need to be there. The reason is that it might hinder any stone setting.

 When the new "Bearing" has been properly created, then you won't have any problems in the setting. (I know this for a fact).

 

 All of the claws MUST BE CLEANED FOR ANY PROBLEM'S due to any residue of metal from casting.