[Jewelry making - Article 00259] - Re: [Orchid] Frustration

[T R. Hawkinson, Ltd.]

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    Dear Noel, I have been teaching stone setting for seventeen years
    here at the Minneapolis Community & Technical College. Over the years
    I have had to describe this process over and over. Here's my shot at
    it. 

    Here are some basic techniques. Hard to just describe, but maybe it
    will help. If you start with a round prong or any shape, you need to
    notch it to fit the stone. This is usually done with burs. I know
    many will be more specific, but you need to somewhat match the side
    profile of the stone for it to fit. The side on the stone called the
    girdle fits into this notch. You remove metal on the inside of the
    prong so the stone fits with no gaps when you are all finished. This
    really can be done with quite a few different burs. The most popular
    being a 45 degree or 90 degree bur. In olden days setters used to
    file this notch with files and rifflers. When beginning remove about
    half of the prong, no more. 

    As you are doing this you have to aim the bur and NOT drill too deep
    or too high on the inside of the prong. The top of the stone should
    be the same height as the top of your prongs. This aim can be done
    with the bur as a guide. Compare the cutting edge of the bur to the
    stone. Aim where you think this notch should be. Try to do all the
    prongs the same. Usually one at a time, although when doing one you
    might slightly star the next so aim well. 

    The burs can vary from one manufacturer to another. The high speed
    buts cost the most and last the longest, but many times have a very
    big tooth and be very aggressive. If you compare a Busch Bur that's a
    45 degree to a High Speed bur that's a 45 degree you will see the
    difference. Buy the Busch Bur. As a beginner you will control the
    cutting with this bur more. They are also a little less expensive
    than the high speed ones. 

    Don't assume that the prongs will be perfectly spaced, ever. They
    need adjusting most of the time. A chain nose pliers works well to
    move them out a bit if necessary. The stone should be place in the
    notched crown and be loose. Tightening the stone happens with three
    movements. 

    First, the prongs have to come up close to the stone. I usually use
    a parallel pliers to do this. You can do two or opposite prongs at a
    time. After the prongs have come up closer, the stone can still be
    loose. If it is a faceted stone line the prongs up with the facets.
    The sign of excellent stone setting is this. And only you may be the
    only person that know this part. On many faceted stones the very top
    of the stone is eight sided. Like a stop sign. Make the stone line up
    with the prongs. 

    Second, the tips of the prongs need to be pushed onto the crown of
    the stone. A prong pusher or pliers can be used at this point. Do
    opposites one at a time. Many times this will be enough to set the
    stone. I take it one little step farther. 

    Third, with a chain nose pliers, or your favorite pliers, from the
    SIDE, very slightly squeeze the prong towards each other. If a four
    prong head do it to both sets. If a six prong head do it to each set
    of two. After squeezing the prongs out of position use the pliers to
    squeeze them back to the way they were like new. This should set the
    stone. Tightening happens very gently this way. 

    When I started in the trade in 1977 I was a stone setters
    apprentice. Now that was not a diamond setter's apprentice, but a
    stone setters. We had to set opals, aqua marines and many very
    brittle stones. I did break my share, but setting diamonds were a
    snap after learning on all the others. 

    I know if this helps, but it's my two cents worth. 

Best Regards,
Todd Hawkinson


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