Why must you examine your gemstone unset?

 1) Before setting any gemstone, it is essential to inspect the stone in a loose condition. Why is this so important? When the time arrives to appraise that piece of jewellery, the stone weight cannot be accurately determined. 

2) When the diamond is in the ring, it is difficult for the 'certified appraiser' to find any abnormalities within the stone.  

3) What does the 'inspection process' entail? 

=> When the diamond is in a yellow ring, that COLOUR will be transferred directly into the gemstone.

=> When the diamond is already mounted, how can the appraisor judge the actual WEIGHT of the stone? There is no method to truly ascertain the exact weight.

=>For the absolute CLARITY & CUT, the stone must be inspected under a very strong microscope.

 Here is an actual appraisal found on the internet.

  I am not promoting this appraiser, only the description that they wrote. The remaining categories shown here are also important, but I wanted to keep this essay precise and brief.

 

How to carve & create holes in your wax ring (ver.3) => 12 photos

      I measured the exact centre of this tube, as this is so very important further on in this exercise.

 I kept all of the wax areas equal all around the tube by using the callipers. There must be no deviation in lining up for the stones.

  I used a 3-tooth round bur to create a little divot for the next steps of drilling holes.

 

 

 In these holes, I will use another specialised bur to cut fully through the wax tube.

 Keep the bur held in a vertical position and not tilted.

  Pierce the tube of wax completely from the top to the bottom.

 

 With a small-sized bud-shaped bur, physically join these holes together, as shown. 

  When you are drilling through the thick wax tube, please keep the teeth of your carving bur CLEAN OF ALL OF THE RESIDUAL WAX.

  Inspect thoroughly that the underneath wax openings are clean of any wax.

 With a large-sized  #41Flat graver, cut the newly carved spaces on both sides. Please don't use a file of any sort.. The Flat graver will do its work so much cleaner and more accurately. The wax will quickly collect and render the filing unusable in a few moments.

 Which tool would I use to clean the wax channel opening? Is it the file or the Flat graver? I'll let you to decide.

 => These are the 3-toothed cutting burs that I was writing about just now. These are meant to cut into wax but not into metal.

How to prepare a 'WAX CHANNEL' for future setting (VER. #2) 14 photos

 As this was the first time taking these photos, I made 100% sure that no production steps got missed. Many jewellers who do this wax carving do not make any notes for others to learn. They think that it's a secret and mustn't be shared. WHY?

 (This process is quite labour-intensive. Please read & share my notes.)

 I WANT TO RECORD EVERY STEP IN THIS DETAILED PROCESS.

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(The sequential order is reversed due to an error on my computer.)

 To get the idea of the sizes of the stones in relation to the channel setting, I placed the stones on the wax tube.

 

 I need to find the centre of the tube by placing the stones side by side.

 

 I found 2 colours of stones that might look good and selected 'pink'.

 The size of the stones are exactly 4.0 millimetres

 I need to have a smooth surface, as this will be the exact shape of the ring. 

 

 Any surface defects must be removed a.s.a.p.

I will be using a smooth, flat surface file to clean the tube.

This surface needs to be cleaned and not have any rough texture.

I never guess the sizes; I always use my digital measuring device.

  No matter what colour I will finally choose, I will remove any defective or discoloured stone,

  To find the visual centre of any tube setting, ALWAYS PLACE THE STONE ON THE WAX. The other option is to use a pair of callipers.

 There should be a little space in between the stones. Why? Remember the "6% Rule of Shrinkage" from the wax to the metal.

 

 This is the desired spacing that is required. The 'rule of shrinkage' won't affect these stones in this ring.

How to shape a wax tube, to make a ring? (VER. #1) 14 photos

  Initially, this was a simple hollow wax core. After delicate carvings with exacting stone measurements, the end result will be a wax channel ring made for a round stone setting. 

(As these photos of a wax channel are very new, please understand that I want to be careful in my tutorial teachings. I don't want to make ANY MISTAKES.)

 The completed tube will be (hopefully) included in "Version #2" of this series. There are many more photos to be shown.

 THIS IS A REPEATED ESSAY FROM MARCH 17. 2025, but now with additional notes and photographs for your records.

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 This formula explains which kind of wax is 'best' for our pattern.

 I prefer to scribe a faint line rather than to guess where the saw blade should cut.

 I'm carving a series of cuts in sections all around the thick wax tube. I'm using a saw blade of #2/0 thickness. I didn't want to keep exchanging the saw blade if it breaks, so I used a thinner blade.

 I keep my metal pan on my bench, as the wax shavings might mix in with my precious metal fillings.

 I found these 3 large files in my local hardware store, and I've used them basically for wax carving. You can see the different textures

 

 From the rough texture of the wax separation, I started to smooth out the saw blade cuttings. I'll start with the rough file texture first.

 I need to remove the saw blade cuts, as seen in this photo. The wax looks very uneven, but this will quickly change.

 l'll insert my finger into the wax hole and carefully rotate this wax tube with the thumb and middle finger. I need an even surface.

 Next, I'll go to the 'medium texture' file, as I need to get a slightly smoother surface.

 The 'saw blade cuttings' have been nicely removed, but we're still not finished yet!

 This '3-finger rotating exercise' on both sides will now prepare for the finishing process.

 Very gently examine both sides for any errors on the surface.

 Here you can see the collection of wax that collects and mustn't get mixed with your precious metal filings.

Hammering Instructions using 6 diagrams and photos

 I've been displaying on many occasions "how and why" the hammering sequence is so very important.

 Many of these instructions are self-explanatory, but I will endeavour to guide you along this process of stone setting.

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 In the art form of Bezel Setting, there is a main problem, and if not corrected immediately can lead to irreparable damage.

 Just suppose that the stone is correctly set with the 'Table Facet' sitting flat, but the stone is sitting twisted. How would you prevent this from occurring?

                       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 1) Place the stone Table facet side, sitting in the bezel and with your hammer, initiate the 'gentle' hitting on the bezel wall at the sequence numbering #1 as shown in the first diagram.

 

2) The next 'hit' will be in the opposing corner of #2, then following is #3, with #4 (in the middle of the bezel frame) and #5 and lastly #6. This will prevent any sort of twisting of the gemstone.

3) With this completed exactly as described, there is no chance that this stone will tilt.

 The Oval stone is now held in place securely, with no problems.

 4) With more very gentle tapping just to smooth the bezel, it is to finish off the bezel setting.

                     ============================================

  I prefer to give details with photos or diagrams; a written text is not always advisable. 

 These two lines are coloured to distinguish one cutting section of the claw from the other.

--------- This line is for the bud bur to guide the "High Speed Steel" for the claw cutting.

""""""This line is where the "High Speed Steel" bur will cut an angle for the Pavilion facet.

 

(REPEAT) How to prepare your "SHELLAC STICK" => 18 photos

  The name of this shellac is named; "Flake Shellac". It arrives

 at your tool supplier in a 'flake consistency and not in a solid form.

   If the 'flame point' is too small, it means that the temperature is too hot and will make this whole process unsafe & unusable. 

 

 DON'T OVERHEAT THE SHALLAC, AS IT WILL GET BURNED AND BE DEEMED UNABLE TO BE USED. You can see the smoke!

  Hold the 'point' of the flame away from the shellac. If you see any 'bubbling' of the shellac,...STOP...!!! And keep the flame further away, as you are ruining the shellac.

 This is where the flame is too close, and the whole collection of new shellac is about to be totally destroyed. YUK!

 I always have two sizes of shellac sticks ready to be used. I never know when one size could be too large, or again too small.

 This shellac layer is nearly unusable, as you can see many areas looking like charcoal. This is a sign of 'burned shellac' and thus cannot be used again.

  It is advisable to resurface the working area ... SMOOTH.

 This delicate butterfly is not a good candidate for any stone setting or engraving. Do not progress any further in this labour.

 The thin silver plate is not holding the pattern securely, as there are areas underneath still with spaces.

 This circular Bead Setting pattern is just the correct size for the shellac stick, thus making it easy to work with, agree?

 When I'm Bead Setting, I need absolute care in how the pattern is being held. I need to have extra contact spots with the shellac, not as we are seeing here.

 

  This circular disk IS JUST THE CORRECT SIZE. The shellac edges are holding the "#7" logo, which means that the hand & fingers are holding the wooden handle with no difficulty.

 I would reheat the silver item, AGAIN. There are still spaces under the plate as well as unheated flakes of shellac. The unmelted flakes can cut into your skin.

 I'd even get rid of any unused &unwanted shellac, as the skin of the hand won't have a good place to rest against.

         =>  REVIEW! <=   Melting Flake Shellac

        Gently melt a few flakes of shellac as a start, then gradually apply additional flakes to the new surface.
 

  Please keep the flame from being short, as seen here. This means that the flame is too HOT and the new shellac will quickly burn.