[Jewelry making - Article 01149] - Re: [Orchid] How to Tighten Princess Cut Diamonds?

[David Huffman]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

Hi Dale;

>     My question: How do you tighten a single princess-cut diamond in a
>     basic tiffany mounting? 

    You don't. I'm very serious about this. Only an amateur, or a hack
    taking a shortcut or going cheap, would set a princess cut in that
    kind of setting, and you'd be foolish to attempt to make it work.
    It's loose because it's the wrong type of head, and you won't be able
    to tighten it properly. Even if you get it to stop wiggling, it won't
    stay that way. You will, however, be able to bust a corner off of it
    by trying if you push your luck. There are heads of that design,
    Tiffany, that is, that are "V" pronged. I'm not crazy about them, but
    they'll work and are fine for smaller stones. A large stone, I'd have
    other recommendations. 

    Now to address the idea of using solder to tighten the stone. That
    might work (it's a temporary solution at best), but it also might
    break a corner off the stone. I've seen it happen with marquise cuts.
    The prong expands with the heat, and a gap forms between the prong
    and the corner of the stone. The solder gets under there and
    solidifies. Then the prong cools and contracts, only now there isn't
    enough room so the metal pushes downwards at the tip of the point,
    breaking it off. Probably wouldn't happen with that head, since a
    princess cut in that setting isn't going to be held firmly anyway,
    but it'll be back in your lap before long when it loosens again. Tell
    the customer that you'll be glad to help them, but that this has to
    be done safely and professionally and that's the only way you
    operate. Then tell them how much more secure their stone will be in
    the new, appropriate head. 

David L. Huffman
____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________