Difficult Diamond Setting projects => 19 photos

  What you are viewing here are only a few of the most difficult diamond setting projects that I have worked on.

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 This necklace arrived in 5 pieces. It was my decision to keep them 'in pieces' until all of the diamond setting was completed.

  The bezel setting for this 5.13-carat Genuine Emerald took me an estimated 2.5 hours. My client told me that 3 other setters refused to even touch it in case of any damage being put to it. In today's market, this Emerald would cost an estimated $20,000.00

    Here is the final assembly of this project.

  Yes, I did "Bright Cut" all around the inside of the bezel. I used a contoured Onglette graver to cut the metal. I very carefully removed the sharp point of the graver, in case the steel blade would damage the stone.

 When this necklace was given to me, I ensured that all of the diamonds would fit into the CAD-designed frame.

 You can see just how small those diamonds were. I kept a limited number of setting tools on my bench. My bench inner pad was made of rubber, just in case a stone would bounce and get lost.

 

 As seen in recent blog essays, you can see that there are only 2 mini-beads per diamond. I also decided to lay this plate on my shellac stick instead of a gripping bench block.

 I wanted a secure ring clamp while working on this intricate gent's ring. Therefore, I chose to use my "Inside, ring clamp".

 In my career of diamond setting, there are times when doing the right thing, at the right time, is much better than a few extra dollars in the pocket.

 Here is the proof of thinking 'out of the box' when designing an unusual piece of jewellery. 

 I had aspirations of selling this casino gambling disk, but the costs were just astronomical.

 My photos and official certificate were more than enough; I just decided not to proceed further.

This was one of my most convoluted and intricate projects that came to my bench. Here are the pieces to prove my statement.

 For my client's appraisal, I weighed out the completed pendant.

 

  For size, it's now resting in my hand.

 My client came to my 'home office' constantly to view its progress. We worked together as a team in deciding which diamonds and gemstones went where.

 After all of the diamond setting was completed, I gave it to my off-site jeweller to Rhodium Plate the areas where my client wanted.

 Each of these 'dots' represented where each diamond will eventually be set. Even the simple thought of spacing can be a challenge, of 'which diamond goes where'.

 Did anyone say that this profession is easy? This is a far cry from a 4-claw setting. I chose to carefully lay this disk on my bench, and from each 'dot' would be where each diamond would be set.

This process was a mind-boggling procedure, not for the beginner in jewellery.

  It is here that I took a photo of the inner assembly of pieces as they would eventually look.

 I started placing the diamonds where the pendant link had been sitting. I used only an ink marker to visualise the location; if there was a problem, I'd start again.

 This diamond emblem was created just for the "Miami Dolphins" football team. It was sent to me as a CAD-created 22kt gold project. The diamonds were set in many elevations, vertical, horizontal and at various angles. The diamonds were of different colours & sizes.

"Flush Setting" => 2 printed pages

 This tutorial essay was published many years ago in the "Bench" jewellery magazine. It's not the age of the essay, but this content is still so useful.

 

Center stone "Square On" (REVIEW) worth reading again => 2 photo pages

 This essay was written by Brad Simon, who was the editor of the "Bench" magazine. This essay will be interesting to our blog readers like yourselves.

 If you wish to print this for your own records, there is no charge!