Stones and gems are often an essential element in a jewellery piece. They can add more charm, appeal and shimmer to the design of these precious pieces. However, these stones are not mere glued on a piece of jewelery, jewelers use appropriate techniques and ways of mounting called Jewelery Setting. Here are some jewelery setting techniques often used in mounting precious or semi precious stones to jewelery.
The Prong Setting is primarily used in mounting diamonds, pearls and gemstones. It consist of four to six vertical posts poked up from the base benefit the stone. These posts create a seat on which the stone will sits. The prongs or spikes are then folded over, onto the stone to embrace and hold it in place. This setting provides an modest and sleek appearance.
In order to mount flat-backed stones like cameos or cabochons, the Bezel Setting is employed by jewelers. This jewelery setting features a thin rim of precious metal which can be of either a decorative or simple designs, encircles the stone entirely or partially. The rim is then bent a little inward towards the stone to adhere it in place. A diamond mounted by bezel setting looks more elegant and is coseted from accidental rubbing. This setting is more secure so the precious gem is illegally to be dislodged.
The Channel Setting is described as a trough or a channel in the metal. This jewelery setting is akin to the bezel setting with no sides nor prongs. Notches are present on both sides of the channels on which the stones are mounted. These levels the stone atop the channel and sets the stones in a solid line.
The Channel Setting also has its variation called the Bar Setting. This mounting kind provides a look where a number of stones are apparently floating in adjacent berths as every gem is docked in its respect private channel and separated from its neighboring stones by two pieces of thin bars of metal.
The Pave Setting is utilized in jewelry making to create a surface which seems to be filled with small round stones, usually diamonds. Every piece of the gems lie in the drilled hole in the base of the setting. The stones are then fastened by small bead of metal pressed up against the stones. It creates an appearance of a stones blanket since each stone is slightly set apart by the width of the small beads.
The Bead Setting is a type of jewelery mounting that sets the stone into the metals through the use of graves or burins (tiny chisels). The metal surface is directly drilled with a hole, then a ball burr is utilized to create a concave hollow with the same size as that of the stone.
Flush Setting is a variation of the Bezel Setting and is sometimes called the Gypsy Setting that appears similar with the bead setting. This is a recent type of setting that creates a fashionable appearance. Sandblasting is used to finish the mounting process. In this type of jewelery mounting, a window is cut from the base where the gem is set and secured underneath, the top or the crown may reach over the base which allows the gem to twinkle with light.