Setting the standard: Tips for stunning setting work

Checking it twice

The quality of our work is expressed in the details we pay attention to as well as our trust in the abilities of our surrounding team of people, who ensure each step is done with care, precision, and patience. As a team, we go through the setting process, checking throughout to confirm all steps were done properly. Now, at the end, it’s time to look it over once more. The details must be checked to ensure the setting has been done well and the piece is exceptional. Here are some simple things to consider, even if you might not be a setter yourself.

1. It is important to check the tables of the pavé work, no matter their size. The stones should be relatively at the same height, calibration permitting. The diamond tables should also all be set parallel to the metal surface.
2. The cutting or milling done by the setter should be consistent and reflect light smoothly.
3. The edges of the ring should be of a consistent thickness all the way around, unless the design does not permit it.
4. The centre stone setting will largely depend on its style of mounting. In a solitaire, the stone’s table should be parallel to the top of the finger; in a mount that has an under-gallery, I usually set the girdle parallel to the under-gallery, or in line with the surrounding halo. Exceptions to this rule exist, as certain stones are cut for colour and weight. The girdle and table often sit at odd angles and depend on the stone-specific geometry, which may not be perfect. In this case, it is one of the roles of the setter to minimize the visual effect of such imperfections.
5. The claws must sit entirely down onto the stone, with no gap at their tips.
6. Flanges must be cleared and not present at delivery.
7. To make an unsymmetrical stone look symmetrical is one of the hardest things to accomplish. You must always evaluate the look of the stone from the top, checking its cross-sections are facing north, south, east, and west. The amount of manipulation allowed is based on inclusion, positioning, and quantity, as well as the stone’s hardness and toughness.