[Jewelry making - Article 00089] - Re: [Orchid] Appropriate gauge for flush setting

[Neilthejeweler]

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    What works works. Can't argue with success. Hammering is fine on a
    curved surface but on a dead flat plane it gets tricky. On a curve
    you can dress the tool marks away by following the curve with a file
    or wheel. Flat, well you don't have much material to play with and
    retain a flat reflective appearance. 

    Someone mentioned, and forgive me I forgot who, having a shallow
    angle to your tool when you burnish the stone in place. I've found
    the same thing. Related to that is the shape of the tool. I start
    with a bluntish tool for the first go-round and switch to a finer
    point to finish it up. You want a profile that will get in tight to
    the pavilion but not be so sharp as to the gouge the metal creating a
    bur. I disagree though with carbide. yeah it takes a durable finish
    and leaves a nice 'bright cut' but I have been known to nick the
    occasional sapphire or ruby this way. And what a pain to remove a
    securely set but damaged stone! 

    As for going around in quick little circles...I find this a good way
    to slip out of the 'bezel' and scratch the mounting, particularly
    when the stone is set with a shallow 'slot' or on a tight radius. Yet
    I still try it sometimes, go figure. 

    Larger stones do not need as much thickness to the metal as smaller
    stones. All you need is enough to account for pavilion depth, girdle
    thickness plus a little bit more to catch the crown. A one carat
    would look pretty doinky if the table was flush with the piece. Plus,
    I think you would have trouble burnishing the metal that far down
    into the hole.
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