Cluster-style, mini-claws! => 6 photos (repeated instructions))

The very first thing that should be done is to use a large BUD bur and open the holes wider. (See the photo below).

  A large 'bud-shaped bur' is used here to give more access to the Pavillion of the stone.

 These specially 'bent plier tips' can be bought from your tool supply company. DON'T ATTEMPT TO ALTER THE SHAPE YOURSELF.

=> You can now hold the plier-handle FLAT, while the tips are created to grasp the claw-tip in a VERTICAL position <=

 This position will give your hand a constant 'relaxed' grip.

 

1) It is ALWAYS recommended to set the centre stone first.

2) The next set would be the 8 stones shown below.

 With the "Bud bur" and then the "Bearing Cutter" (156C), any stone will be set with no problems.

 Use an 'undercutting bur', aka "156C" to create a 'seat' for the girdle of the stone.

 In this photo you can easily see that there are numerous spaces surrounding this stone. These 'spaces' will never allow the stone to ever sit tight.,

                                   

 

How to engrave a "5-Pointed star" in metal? => 6 photos

THIS LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY IS 20, OUT OF 10!!!

 Many setters know how to engrave multiple patterns of a star. This star is a bit different as this design is of a "double 5-pointed star". The engraving tools are different as here 'we' are using basicaly Onglette #1 and #2 gravers.

1) Mark a pattern on the ring where the '5-points' will be situated.

2) Keep this 'star' well centered on the surface.

3) Use your Onglette graver #1 and cut DEEP. The centre of the 'star arms' will be the beginning of  our 'beads'. Use your point of your graver to clean the five V corners.

 These "5 dots" will be used for only one purpose and that is to be where the second & additional star will originate from.

 Now where are those 5 dots gone? Your 'second star' is now deep within the metal.

 I would use my FLAT graver #40 to clean the inside star. BUT leaving the outside star to be used as a border.

Make sure that those little 5 metal spots to be soon used for 'beads'. I'd use my Milgrain tool to help distinguish the two star shapes.

 

The important "DO THIS & DON'T DO THAT" at your bench!

 One day I thought about these important ideas. I wrote them all down and 3 weeks later here they are.

1) Keep your hands and fingers...CLEAN!

2) When you are taking photos, think of the viewer as well. Do you want them to see your dirty fingers? If I saw those fingers, I'd think that you don't care of your new jewellery.

3) When you are tired from doing some difficult work...STOP & REST! Mistakes happen when someone is tired.

4) Keep your graver tools always in 'pristine' condition. We are 'surgeons in metal', show me a medical surgeon with dirty blades

5) Two important words => STAY HYDRATED. When I'm writing, I always have cups of herbal tea on my desk. Even while drinking, I'm resting for short while.

6) Always make notes to remember your ideas. Never think that the brain will remember every thought that you made many days ago . I wrote these ideas on a 3"x 5" card and failing that, I wouldn't have remembered 1/2 of these notes.

7) When preparing a large order prior to setting, layout the stones on a plate in sequential sizes. Maybe you might need another similar stone in size, but it couldn't be found.

8) Don't get annoyed, 'life is too short', keep your negativity to a minimum.

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

 When I was out of my home-office and remembered something, I sent myself an email to my iPhone. When I got home, there it was and then I wrote out all of my 8 (above) notes.

What is 'Channel Setting'? => 4 photos

  Channel Setting is a technique of aligning a row of similar sized gemstones into a ring. There are NO grouping of beads, nor are there any claws involved.
 These four examples have one thing in common, the gemstones are beside each other with no spaces in between.

 The stones are literally touching each other, as this can be a problem for constant breakage.

 Breakage can easily happen, as with the centre diamond literally covering the girdle of next stone. The most obvious problem of Channel Setting is having two stones touch each other. The only solution is to select a (slightly) smaller stone or have a millimeter of space in between.

 This illustration shows how the stones are sitting. The girdle of each stone are nicely sitting in a trough (groove) with the Culet-facet not touching any metal.

Here are a few challenges of diamond setting. 7 (insanely difficult) photos of jewellery.

  This is the most important page for the 'novice' stone-setter AND YOURSELF. It's easier to learn with photos than reams of texts.
==================================

This is my replica of my "Guinness World Record". 2013 I have the story of it in my blog.

This was a little pendant for the "Miami-Dolphin" footbal team. Two weeks of diamond setting got it finished.

This is the genuine GWR certificate

Three weeks of stone setting

My are my initials (no CAD) "G L"

Again, no CAD was involved here.

1) Gypsy, aka "Flush Setting"

2) Channel Setting!

3)  4-Claw Setting!

4) Bead & Pave' Setting!

5) Bezel Setting!

6) Cabochon Setting!

 

7) Cluster Claws!

8) "Princess" Stone Setting!
 

9) How are Beads Created?

10) Errors in Stone Setting!

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

 This essay is a compendium of the most interesting and useful essays in this blog. 

 When I was starting to learn my trade, circa 1961. I spent 9 years gathering all of the required aspects of Diamond Setting. Now we have everything prepared for us, in a tutorial blog such as this.

 

"Flush Setting" aka 'Gypsy Setting' => 6 photos

  I saw this diagram of a Flush Mounted stone-ring, it had three huge errors in it's designing.

1) The first problem was that gemstone was set too high.

2) The second problem was that there was no connecting ring around the Pavillion of the gemstone. The chances of the stone getting loose are extremely high.

3) The third, this ring has a weak area at the bottom of the shank. No matter how thick the overall setting is, the weakest point is at the bottom. This is poor designing on behalf of the jeweller.

 If I was to construct and build this ring, I'd be darn sure I wouldn't sell it to anyone until these defects were repaired.

 These diamonds were set not in a 'Cut &Bead', or Pave' technique but in a Gypsy-Flush setting.

 The stones are "flush to the metal" configuration, the stones are now 'very smooth to the touch'.

 

 No matter how large, or small any of these stones are, it's the technique that is needed.

 For the "Reciprocating Hammer-Gypsy setting" there are rules to follow for the sequence of setting the 4 points of the stones.

 I drew this diagram for the jeweller or setter to accurately determine where the teeth of the "156C Bur" should align into the metal. 

 Any shortcut would not give you such confidence, trust me!

 

 Be careful, that the 'Table' of the stones should not be higher than the surrounding metal of the ring.

 Hence the name, "Flush Setting".

 

What is 'Metal Finishing'? => 6 photos

  This interesting essay has nothing to do with stone setting. On the contrary, it touches on the finishing aspect of stone setting. 

 Once that the stone has been placed inside the "flush" setting, then the 'work' starts.

 The inside of the metal rim now needs to be cleaned without any 'faceting'.

The 'faceting' is caused by the edge of the FLAT GRAVER skimming along the edge of the stone facets.

Here is another photo of the inside bezel being cleaned.

 In this last of the metal cutting, you can now see how smooth the rim is starting to look. 

 I purposely left a piece of metal around the bezel rim. The cutting must look very smooth and shiny.

  The cleaning is the next process, the Pumice wheel edge should remain flat at all times. This flat Pumice wheel edge must adhere to the shape of the curved surface. 

 The texture of this wheel is #180 grit.

 The FINAL Pumice Wheel is of #1,000 grit. This will save much labour and avoiding extensive cloth-wheel polishing.

 Here is another metal cutting design and having a smooth curved surface.

 

Names of Gem-Stone 'FACETS' => 5 photos *

 These names are not used just for this blog, but are official names for the industry and are authenticated by "GIA".

 All of the facets are shaped to allow the 'light' bounce back to the viewer.

 

Two-Bead setting - => 7 photos

 This wedding ring was extremely popular circa 1965 A.D. as in those earlier years, I was given the chance of perfecting my Diamond Setting skill.

 The popular use of an Onglete graver is shown in this essay. THERE ARE NO 'SHORT CUTS' IN THIS DESIGN.

 I would only use an Onglette #1 graver to 'cut and remove' any metal around the new beads.

 For the cuts on the sides, these will be essential in creating the desired 4 angled cuts. Don't be too concerned right now with the 'rough cutting'.

 

  Onglette cutting is so extrememly essential in the 'preliminary cuts', I can't over-emphasize this initial process.

 With the Onglette graver #1, cut an outline around the initial pattern (as shown).

 Cut DEEP with your Onglette graver. The sides of your graver will nicely join all of the 'ends of the patterns'.

  With a FLAT graver #40 (width) carefully join all of the four sides together. Keep the side angles to end up with a 40degree angle on all of the cuts.

 This particular cutting takes much 'experience and determination'. The cutting is very important for all of the sides of the graver.

 Recut all of the lines with an Onglette #2 graver that has a smooth cutting edge. Be careful not to break off the two beads, 

  Do not set the gemstone until all of the sides of the pattern have been "Bright-Cut".

 

How to make-create a new "Beading Raising" tool => 10 photos

 This graver-making tool has been written on many ocassions, but never explaining how they were created.

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

 The short length has nothing to do with its uses, but how it is created, is the important aspect to remember.

 I'll use a #3, Onglette graver, as it gives me the width for creating "stronger & wider" beads. I avoid using a CAD designed beads in this situation.

 In this specific photo, you can understand why some blades are remaining wide & thick.

 These were created for specific reasons, such as having larger beads to have them cover a wider surface over the edge of the gemstone.

  This is the #3, Onglette graver that can be bought at your tool supplier. 

 The skill is to create this thick blade into a (surgical) setting tool.

For 'thinner' beads, I'll use a #2, Onglette blade (as shown).

The bottom of the blade, (at it's front) MUST BE ROUNDED. I   will use a '#240 grit, Emery Paper' to sculpture the steel blade.

To create the correct angle and to have the graver-face to be exact at all times...use your oil-stone, but never the emery paper.

 

 The new bead will be designed to tightly hold the stone in place.

 If you see a 'ball of metal' sitting over the edge of the stone, then you've created the correct shape & size of a bead....=>Hooray!

 The 'tail of the corner beads' on a square face of the ring are shown here. 

 For the remaining beads, I'll use a (thinner) Onglette #2 to tightly secure the remaining stones. On the smaller stones is where these tightly fitting beads will be used and delicately placed.

 => Remember, not all new beads will be the same overall size.
Always have multiple sized Bead-Raisers at your bench.