Setting Diamonds on a "Dolphin"=> HOW WAS THIS DONE? 17 photos

  If anyone has any ideas upon seeing this for the first time. They could say, "Where do I start?" (This was created initially in CAD).

 This tutorial (blog) essay was posted 3 years ago, and it still needs to be displayed again. As a professional Diamond Setter, I had no qualms about starting this project. At first glance, you will see that there are different angles involved. There were an estimated 6 different angles to contend with.

 This resulted in both a "WOW" and an "OUCH." Diamond spacing, along with drilling the holes, was a very critical aspect of this project. The Rating of Difficulty is estimated at 75 out of 10!

 I used a round bur to mark where the 'twist drill' will gently touch the surface. If I made an error, I would have my jeweller plug up the hole and allow me to drill again.   

  I had to deal with multiple sizes and colours of Diamonds. There were no synthetic stones anywhere on this Dolphin. Accuracy on every aspect was crucial in this mind-numbing project.

  Every hole after drilling had to be "countersunk". During the cloth wheel polishing, even the holes underneath had to be 'bright and shiny'.

  I strove for perfection on this multi-thousand-dollar football award. If one single hole wasn't in place, I had to have my jeweller apply solder and allow me to drill it again. 

 The different sizes of holes were for the different sizes of the Pink Sapphires. There are 6 sizes of white diamonds, and each of them was individually prepared for stone setting.

 At first, I decided not to put this 'expensive and delicate', 18kt award against any metal-damaging clamp. My only recourse was to use my 'leather-gripping, ring clamp' for the many elevations and numerous angles.

 All through this ongoing project, I sent my client photos, and he would send me MORE diamonds to set. This whole process took me nearly 5 weeks in total labour.

  Once the "Dolphin" body was completed, my next step was spacing for the semi-circle of diamonds. I gauged every stone not only by millimetres, but by the dimensions of the diamonds.

 Only when I was satisfied and ready to mark the surface with a marking pen, I start the important drilling.

 I photographed every step in this production. You are now viewing the exact process that took me many weeks. It was very mentally tiring and many times each day I needed to rest.

 When I was even placing the loose diamonds on the surface, I had to visualise where each diamond would be once completed.
 To write this essay is even tiring for me, as I have to think about every past experience. 

 (THIS DIAMOND SETTING PROJECT WAS NOT PLAGIARISED FROM ANYONE ELSE'S EXPERIENCE.)

   Every hole had to be countersunk and thus giving a relatively clean appearance from underneath.

 When I was drilling the holes for the diamonds, I had to clear the metal for the Pavilion as well as the Girdle.

 There were 4-5 different sizes of Blue Diamonds. I had to redrill each hole specifically for that one stone. Much of my time was spent just on this exacting drilling process.

   The outside stones were "Pink Sapphires". The emphasis was on  White & Blue colours for the diamonds.

  As this pendant was so very thick, my jeweller needed a 'casting torch' to just heat up the gold for the solder to melt.

 Here is the Dolphin being heated to accept the solder that a fine jewellery torch couldn't do.

 My jeweller filled in many holes from additional diamonds that were sent to me. He decided to let me choose where these diamonds should eventually be located.

 The pin-vice clamp had 'semi-rounded' pins to hold the disk tightly in place. I avoided using any shellac, the reason was that I had to re-adjust the disk many times during the drilling and stone setting.

 By the way, this "Dolphin" disk was given to the "MIAMI DOLPHINS, FOOTBALL CLUB". This is why there is a letter "M" on the face.

How to create "WOW" 'mini claws' for stone setting? => 26 photos.

 Here is an easy way of making 'mini claws' just for your (pseudo) claw setting. All it takes is a little ingenuity and a few small round burs, followed by your Onglette and Flat gravers.

 The Onglette graver has one purpose: that is to cut lines on either side of the holes where the stones will be placed.

 The round bur will then cut an "o+o" pattern between each prepared hole. Simply put, the + will be where the new mini claws will originate for the setting of each round stone.

 When each round stone is placed into the metal, the graver will move the new claw over the Girdle of each stone. Therefore, there won't be any need to push the metal and leave a deep hole behind the bead or mini-claw. How simple is that?

  If you wish to create any new metal-cutting pattern, this new technique will give you all the necessary opportunity. If your gemstones are already set, the chances of a clean cut are greatly reduced.

  

 This is exactly why this method or technique is so wonderful. You can easily cut your Pave' setting without touching any stone. It's because there aren't any stones being set ...YET!

 When you open up each hole for that one stone, the claws will be made smaller. The reduced claw size will make the mini-claws easier to use. All you need is to use your 'bead burnisher' to initiate the setting.

 You can do much more 'Bright-Cutting' when the stones aren't set. There is also no chance of even damaging your soft Emerald stones. Here you can see the bright cuts along the sides, as what you now see is the bright metal reflection from the Flat Graver.

  Here are 'edited' photos from my Digital Microscope.

  

 In between the two holes, there will be a '2 lines of metal'. These lines will be the beginning of the beads.

 Have your round bur rotate slowly and have it cut deeply into the metal.

 I occasionally use a very small round bur of #001, and clean out where the Onglette graver was cutting.

 I will now start to prepare the process of creating 4 mini claws. Don't let the round bur touch where the Bright Cutting was started. I'd even use a Bud-shaped for this delicate work.

                    

 If you have any unfinished metal carving, please use a Bud-shaped bur to keep your cuts clean at all times.

  In this photo, the Bud bur will rest between the new claws.

 These 'new' claws must be uniform and never 'some wide and a few too thin'.

 The end claws, as well as all of them, must be uniform in size.

 Keep the round bur cutting DEEP into the metal. This operation will create a good-sized claw, not just some 'flimsy-looking piece of metal'.

 If you wish to use a Bud-shaped bur, that is your option. The deeper you go with your burs, will definitely be 'GREAT' as the claws will be higher in height.

 TO REPEAT THIS IMPORTANT FACT, keep your mini claws uniform in size and shape.

  This group of claws has many errors and will not be conducive to equal-sized claws. There is little chance of repairing this sample of claw making, SORRY!

 

  Here is your bead burnisher rounding the pseudo 'new' claws.  The burnisher creates new mini-claws together into one size.

Added photos from my pictorial library!

These are "MY BURS" => 15 photos

  These are all of "MY BURS"!!

 My complete inventory exceeds 700 burs. Why so many? As a diamond setter, burs are my in having the correct size and shape at all times. If I were working on the weekend, I needed to have the exact size and shape with no time lost! 

 If one bur was failing me, I'd scrap it without any question. I always have a backup! The softer metal of "Carbide" burs didn't have the luxury of being able to be used many times! If it touches any high tensile strength gold, the teeth get damaged or even permanently ruined.  

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

 This box of "High Speed Steel" burs is the best in the market. These are my favourite burs for undercutting claws that are prepared for centre stone setting.

  In this box are HSS burs of all available sizes. The cost is of no consequence when you are stone setting regularly. If one bur is missing, then the fault is with the setter. The setter must have the required range of burs. If that one bur is used 2-3 times a month, then the cost is easily recovered.

  I keep all of the 'burs of unusual shapes and sizes' also in another box. I never have to search for that one bur, but I've trained myself to keep them separate. I don't have to be searching for that one, but it could waste my precious time. 

 This particular box of unusual burs is a story in itself. The front row of burs are "77B, Cup Burs". I used these extra-large burs to shape Tube Settings, thus preventing me from 'hand shaping and filing' to make the tube setting round.

 The 'factory foreman' was amazed at the quality of the finished Tube Setting. He was 100% delighted. The other 5 setters in our department were trying to copy my technique, but failed!

 

  This tray of "156C - Undercutting" burs is also kept separate from any other shape of burs. At any one moment, I know where to look for that one bur.

  In this tray of "77B - Cup Burs" which are all made of Carbide steel are within easy reach. I keep many duplicate burs of any one size, why is that? If one bur is totally worn, I'll have another to work with, without shopping for that one bur.

 

 The most useful bur is the "Round bur"; it can be used in every possible setting project. I never question the costs of burs in my inventory. If I had to worry about costs, I'd just find another occupation. 

 Many of the burs look to be duplicates, which this the truth. Many are new, and most of them are verging on being just mediocre in the freshness for stone setting.

 This tray of ultra-small round burs is (again) kept separate even from the larger size. My eyes won't be racing looking for that single bur, in a moment I know where to look and there it is ... aka as "WOW, I found it!"

 I always keep a huge selection of 'speciality burs' still in their shipping mini tray. The reason is that these new burs have a little spot of oil on them, and this will prevent any rust from forming. "Rust is our arch enemy of our profession".

 At one time, I had dozens of these mini trays of burs. My high quality of workmanship was displayed by my high quality of tools.

 Many of these "77B, Cup Burs" are almost beyond the stage of being useful and into the 'refuse bin' they will go.

 All of these (soft steel) Carbide burs have a short life span, and once they are damaged ...Good-bye! 

  Where are my extra-large "156C" burs kept? They are 'separate'  from all others. I have 4 trays to hold my Carbide burs. These trays do not include my wooden boxes that contain all of my HSS burs. 

 Don't be envious of my bur inventory, these burs were found at various tool suppliers (in person). I examined them with planning and kept them in great condition. I never shared my tools with someone else as they could damage them.