Stonesetting

Nancy LT Hamilton

Last  updated:  111/30/22, 0/14/22, 11/17/21, 11/2/21, 4/10/20, 2/8/18

I have a video on Craftsy:  Prong Setting from Start to Finish.  It covers three types of prong settings that you’ll want to know!

Contents

Other Stone-Setting Pages on this website

My Stone-Setting Videos

Stone-Setting:  Flush Setting Three Ways, Part 1

Stone-Setting:  Flush Setting Three Ways, Part 2

Stone-Setting:  Flush Setting Three Ways, Part 3

Easy Marquise Stone-Setting:  Part 1

The Split-Shank Marquise Ring:  Part 2 – This video shows you how to make the ring for the marquise setting.

Setting a Marquise Stone for Faceted and Cabochon Gemstones:  Part 3

The “Frame” Setting 

3 Ways to Tube-Set a Stone, Part 1

3 Ways to Tube Set a Stone:  Part 2

Stone-Setting:  Prong Settings for Unusually-Shaped Stones 

How to Make a Bezel and Set a Cabochon:  Part 1

How to Make a Bezel and Set a Cabochon:  Part 2

How to Use Snap-Set Settings

Stone-Setting Charts

I have several charts that may help you to determine ring blank lengths.  Try them all and see which one works for you!

Ring Patterns

 

Title-Card-Prong-settings-from-start-to-finish   I have a Craftsy Video called:   Prong Settings from Start to Finish.  

Learn how to create three different prong settings that will help you to create professional-looking jewelry and brings your designs to life.

Stones – Cabochons

cab-anatomy

The parts of a cabochon are:  the Crown or Dome, the Girdle and the Base. Cabochons can have beveled or parallel walls at the base.

cab-standard Standard cut cabochon

Cabochons are usually polished.  They generally are domed and have smooth, rounded tops. The bottom of a cabochon is either flat or beveled, slightly. But, they can be flat (Buff top) topped too.  flat-top-labThey come in many shapes and sizes. The type of stone varies but, they are usually opaque or transparent.  Transparent stones aren’t often used as they are reserved for faceting.  The reason is that the transparent stones reflect and refract light and are therefore well suited for faceting.

Common cab shapes:

  • Buff-top – see image above of labradorite
  • Bullet – cab-bullet-2  Shorter Bullet cab-bullet Elongated Bullet
  • Double – Domed on both sides
  • High Dome – cab-high-dome High dome onyx from Rio Grande Jewelry
  • Irregular
  • Low Dome
  • Standard
  • Tongue

Stones – Faceted

anatomy-of-a-faceted-stone

There are two basic types of faceting:  Trap or Step Cuts and Triangular or Kite-shaped Cuts.  A round brilliant diamond (58 facets) employs triangular facets and an emerald-cut stone is usually Trap/Step faceted. Some stones have a combination of triangular and step-faceting.

facet-brilliant Round Brilliant from Rio Grande uses Triangular/Kite-Shaped cuts.

faceted-emerald-cut Emerald-cut stones in a beautiful ring by Diamonds by Lauren. Trap or Step cuts are used. 

Close up, you can really see the differences.

facet-triangular    faceted-step

There are even stones that are cabbed and faceted.  A Rose Cut stone has a faceted top and a flat bottom.

facet-round  Round – Usually brilliant cut. The brilliant cut has 58 facets. The most popular cut.

Any stone that is not round, is considered a fancy cut stone.

faceted-rose-cut Rose-Cut Treated Black Diamond from Rio Grande.

There is a zillion (well, maybe not that many) shapes out there in gemland.  I’m not going to list them all but, will show you pretty pictures of some of the more common shapes.

  • baguette Baguette – The baguette has stepped cuts similar to an emerald-cut stone. They usually have 24 facets and are cheaper than round or emerald-cut diamonds. Usually used as side stones.  They are not as brilliant as round cut stones.
  • tapered-baguette Baguette, Tapered – Essentially, a tapered baguette.
  •  facet-cushion  Cushion-Cut – Square or rectangular stones with subtly curving sides.
  •  facert-emerald   Emerald-Cut – A rectangular stone with the corners cut off. AKA: Octagon. Usually step-cut.
  •  facet-heart  Heart – Well, a heart-shaped stone!
  •  facet-marquise  Marquise – Pointed on both ends with curved sides.
  • facet-oval  Oval – Considered a Fancy gemstone because it is more difficult to cut than a round stone.
  •  facet-pear   Pear – Teardrop or pear-shaped.
  • facet-square  Princess – A deeper, relatively new cut.  See additional information below.  Princess cuts tend to be cheaper because the cut allows for more efficient use of the material.  The quality of the material is usually of a higher quality for this type of cut.
  • square-cut-stones Square – 4 equal sides. Similar to a Princess cut square.
  • triangular-stone Triangular – Many different shapes.
  •  facet-trillion  Trillion – Triangular with (usually) gently bowing sides.  Trillions are usually Brilliant cut.

Setting types and/or names.  

Some settings have several names – not all are listed.  If I have a video or web page that deals with that type of setting, I’ve supplied a link.

Flush set CZ

Tab set pierced metal with tube-set diamonds

Setting Tools – Making and Buying

See my Flush Setting Video:  Part 1 at  5:28 to make a flush setting burnisher.

Make your own Bezel Punch by following these directions from my page and videos on Making Chasing and Repousse Tools

My Google Sheet on Setting Burs – sizes and types with some information on azures, cutting openings, etc.

For Further Research

Related Webpages