Every once in awhile I get a request that requires less computer work, and more catalog flipping. I know it sounds strange, but some designs just work better if you buy pre-made parts, and assemble them. This is one of those pieces.

This client contacted me because she wanted a gift to give a friend that had the friend’s children’s birthstones (two emeralds.) She thought she wanted a pendant but wasn’t sure. The big thing was that she didn’t have a ton of money to spend.

When I get requests under a certain dollar amount, I often go to my catalogs. I have several sources where I can buy pre-made parts that I can put together to create a new design. This works especially well with pendants because you can get moving parts this way and you would never guess that the parts are pre-made.

I sent the customer several ideas based on different price ranges and different shapes.

She decided that she liked the circle design with two pieces. We decided to use natural emeralds, real diamonds, and sterling silver.

The jeweler put everything together and suggested that the bottom circle piece have a sandblast finish. They thought that the sandblast finish would wear better since it was likely that the top circle would scratch the bottom circle.

I think the sandblast finish added depth to the piece and the diamonds were just enough sparkle next to the deep green of the emeralds. What a great gift to be able to give a friend!

Some people get engaged and married within a year of meeting each other. Some people date for a couple years, then get married. And then there are those couples that date FOREVER before they get engaged. This piece is for a couple that fits in that last category.

This piece is special to me because it is for some close friends from college. I knew that when the time came, the guy would come to me to make the ring so I had to figure out a way to find out her preferences without being suspicious. Luckily, she knew he wasn’t going to propose until much later because they wanted to get through school and settled in jobs before they got married. A couple of years ago (yes, this ring has been in the works for years) I simply took her to a jewelry store, got her finger sized, had her try on a couple of rings to figure out what size center stone she would want, and had her take a look around to get an idea of her style. It was very nice being able to come right out and ask the questions of the person who the ring would be for without having to beat around the bush at all.

I went home after the trip to the jewelry store and designed a ring for her right away. That way I knew I had the ring size correct and I wouldn’t forget any other details.

She wanted a 1/2-3/4ct center stone, a little wider band, not too many extra diamonds that would make it too busy, and she wanted the ring to be different but simple.

I decided that she needed a cushion cut center stone because they are not very common but they sparkle like crazy. I set the center stone sideways, with double prongs, to make it a little bit more different and I used just 2 stones on either side that I gypsy set so it had a little extra sparkle but was very simple. I also made sure the center stone was set pretty low to the ring so it wouldn’t easily get caught on anything. Here are the renders of the original design.

Several months ago, the guy finally came to me and said he was hoping to propose on a cruise they had planned in September and could I make a ring for him. It was so nice that I already had the design done. I opened the file, showed it to him, and we started looking for center stones.

He wanted a really nice stone so it took awhile to find one that had the right specifications, in the right size, for the right price. The one we settled on was VS1 clarity, D color, and 0.78ct. It is a truly spectacular stone.

We decided to make the ring in platinum. It turn out soooooo pretty. This ring really makes we want to re-do my own engagement ring!! I can’t wait to hear about the proposal and future wedding plans!

My husband brought to my attention that sometimes I use terms in reference to how stones are set that need some extra explanation so I thought I would write a post dedicated to all of the ways to set stones in jewelry.

Read on for pictures and explanations of prong settings, basket settings, pave, channel settings, bezels, partial bezels, and gypsy settings.

Prong setting is probably the most common type of setting. Under that heading of “prong setting” there of several options though. The first would be a die cast head which is how some jewelers prefer to set large center stones. The reason they prefer this particular way of prong setting is that it is the most secure type of prong setting. It is more secure for several reasons. The first is that the actual metal is stronger. The process for Die Casting leads to a head with metal that is dense without any “bubbles” that create weak spots. Also, for round stones, die cast heads often have 6 prongs. If 4 prongs are good, 6 are better because there are just that many more prongs to hold the stone in case 1 or more prongs are damaged.

Another type of prong setting is a “basket” This type of head if often cast with the rest of the ring. The nice thing about basket heads is that there are horizontal rails that the stone sits on which stabilizes the stone. Baskets are most often used for center stones but variations can be used for smaller side stones.

Pave is another type of prong-link setting. Real pave is not considered to be prong set because there are no prongs when the jeweler starts setting the stone, he has to dig the metal out to create prongs which is very difficult. These days, pave setting is often just another way of prong setting because the prongs are part of the ring before the jeweler starts setting. Pave is a term used to refer to a lot of stones set very close together on the surface of the a piece of jewelry, “paving” the surface of the metal.

Channel setting is a very popular type of setting where the stones are held with tension between two bars of metal. This type of setting can be used for both large and small stones. The difference between a channel setting and a true tension setting is the band of metal underneath the stone or stones that prevent the bars holding the stone(s) to be pulled apart.

Another type of setting for both small and large stones is a bezel. Bezel set stones have metal all the way around the stone that is bent over the edges of the stone slightly to hold the stone in place. This is my personal favorite type of setting because it is clean and VERY secure. The downside to bezels is that they are more difficult for the jeweler to do well so you have to trust your jeweler to keep the metal thickness around the stone even and smooth.

There is a variation on bezel setting called a partial bezel. This type of setting something between a bezel and a channel. It is like a bezel that doesn’t go all the way around the stone or like a channel that curves to fit the edges of the stone.

The last type of setting that I use is gypsy setting which is also called flush setting. This type of setting is used for smaller stones generally but does not have to be. Gypsy setting is like bezel setting without the bezel. The stone is set down into the metal and the metal of the piece is bent over the stone all the way around to hold the stone in place.

Ideally every type of setting will hold your stone in place forever, but jewelry is not always ideal. Make sure you trust your jeweler to do their best work and also have your jewelry checked periodically to make sure that your setting are still secure to prevent stone loss.