Stonesetting with Brad Simon

Too Thin a Skin

Before bead setting stones, properly
measure the thickness of your metal.  At a minimum, the metal should be as thick as the distance between the girdle and the culet.
If the metal is too thin, you will not have enough metal to get a good bead.

If the metal is particularly thin, use a setting bur that is slightly dull.  Then, rather than cutting the metal away cleanly, it will push some of the metal down.  This metal will bulge down below the plate supporting the stone.

Brad

An Angle on Setting

When channel setting, file the tops of the channel wall at a 30-degree angle.  Then, hammer the channel wall at this angle and the metal will form down and out over the stones.

Brad

 

MJSA Expo New York

MJSA’s annual Expo will be held in New York April 10-15, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

MJSA Expo New York is the largest and oldest trade show in the United States dedicated to the design and manufacturing of jewelry.  The show features nearly 400 exhibits of some of the latest and most innovative tools, supplies, machinery, components, services, and finished products all under one roof.

MJSA Expo New York also features a full roster of educational seminars by some of the industry’s most renowned experts, and a cocktail party where our exhibitors and attendees can network with colleagues from all around the world.

For more information and to register log onto: http://www.mjsatradeshows.org/expoNY.php

Fit Like a Glove

When setting stones with large pavilions, test fit the stone table down. 

When the stone fits in the seat table down, you can be certain the seat is cut properly to accommodate the girdle of the stone. 

Then, all remaining cutting on the prongs needs to be done below the girdle to accommodate the pavilion.

This is particularly beneficial when setting colored stones in bezels as it is hard to see inside the bezel where the stone is hitting.

Brad

Stonesetting: Fascination with Fancies

Fascination with Fancies

Tom Weishaar CMBJ

Saturday April 26th & Sunday April 27th

Let’s face it – setting a round diamond is boring, but a two-carat princess cut might cause your blood to flow a bit faster.  How would you go about bezel setting a near flawless emerald or a ten carat black opal?  Stones like those will certainly get a bench jeweler’s attention.  This seminar can help you learn the secrets of setting unusually shaped, rare and fragile gemstones.  This seminar discusses advanced setting techniques including setting Marquise and Pear Shaped stones, Princess Cuts, Bezel Setting and Odd Shaped Colored Stones.

This seminar sponsored by Jewelers of America, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Rough Them Up

Do not use highly polished tools to push prongs over stones.  They will have a tendency to slip off the prong, and possibly damage the stone.

Grind a groove in the face of your prong pusher and the jaw of your pliers you use for stone setting, which will lessen your chances of slipping.

Brad

I Can See Clearly Now

To make certain prongs are down tight on the crown of the stone, hold the mounting at eye level and turn so that you are looking at the prong from the side view.  Then, hold your index finger about 1” above the stone.  This will shield direct light from the stone, causing a silhouette of the stone and prong.  Then, you can easily see light coming through any gaps between the stone and prong.  If you cannot see any light between the crown of the stone and the prong, your prongs are down tight, and no further tightening is necessary.  Taping a 3 X 5 white index card on the wall in front of your bench helps as it provides a light background to hold the stone in front of.

Brad