Jewelry Making Process-Jewelry Setting Methods

Jewelry Setting Methods：

The main methods of stone inlay include：

The main methods of stone inlay include inverted nail inlay, claw inlay, socket inlay, lifting nail inlay, forced inlay, and wrapping inlay. Beginners typically start with the simpler inverted nail inlay technique. Here is a brief introduction to these various inlay techniques:

Inverted nail inlay:

Inverted nail inlay is a basic stone inlay technique that involves pressing existing nails against the stone to secure it in place. Here are the steps for performing inverted nail inlay:

1. Prepare the stones: Sort the stones according to their sizes and place them on an iron station.
2. Fix the workpiece: Hold the abutment plug with your left hand and use good lacquer to secure the workpiece to be inlaid.
3. Measure the stone: Dip tweezers in ink and touch the stone, then position it on the inlay area. If the stone is larger than the inlay area, use peach or umbrella needles to open up the position to match the stone’s thickness.
4. Use a flying saucer: Select a flying saucer of the same size as the inlaid stone. Attach it to the nail corner and tilt it into the flying saucer. Gradually straighten the stone’s position.
5. Inlay the stone: Dip tweezers in ink, place the stone diagonally into the inlay area, ensuring that it is slightly lower than the workpiece’s surface. Press the stone straight with tweezers, making sure it falls into the pit of the flying saucer. If the stone is flat, use suction beads to push the nail head toward the edge of the stone from bottom to top, securing the nail against the stone. If the stone is uneven, use the flying saucer to lower it in the opposite direction until it becomes flat. If the stone is too far from the nail, use a flat shovel to press it close. Finally, use suction beads to attach the nail head to the stone and press it down without damaging the lace or gold position.

Inverted nail inlay requirements:

1. The set stones should not have slanted, loose, rotten, or poorly secured stones.
2. The height of the stones should be determined based on the shape of the piece, and stones on the same line should not have uneven heights.
3. The surrounding gold positions and edges of the stones should not be scratched or damaged.
4. The nail heads should be round and should not be flattened or have excess gold.
5. The nails should not be too long or too short. Excessively long nails can catch on clothing, while too short nails can result in loose stones.
6. Before setting the stones, classify and observe their thickness, shape, and placement in the designated areas.
7. To check if the stones are level, compare the stone surface to the setting position. Look at the stone surface as a straight line and compare it from four directions to the setting. If it is parallel, the stone is level.
8. Overall, observe the stones’ levelness based on the piece’s overall shape.

Prong setting:

Prong setting is characterized by using prongs to secure the gemstone. It is suitable for round, oval, square, pear-shaped, heart-shaped, and other fancy-shaped and faceted gemstones. Common flaws in prong settings are often caused by improper prong construction or irregular gemstone cuts.

1. Operational steps:

• Positioning: Place the stone in the setting position, ensuring it fits appropriately. Use suitable tools like umbrella drills or flying saucers to mark the prong’s position, which should correspond to the stone’s thickness.
• Prong seat preparation: If the stone is larger than the setting position, use a drill or a peach drill to remove excess gold, making the stone level with the setting. Depending on the stone type (e.g., pear-shaped), follow specific procedures such as drilling a pit with an umbrella drill. The depth and height of the pit should match the predetermined measurements, and the point where the prong meets the setting should not be empty.
• Prong bending: Use tweezers dipped in ink to mark the stone’s position diagonally in the setting. Adjust the position with tweezers, ensuring the stone is level. Slightly bend the symmetrical prongs with pointed-nose pliers, making them touch the stone. Then, bend and tighten the adjacent prongs symmetrically.
• Prong trimming: Use wire cutters to trim the prongs. Press the prong heads with your hand to prevent them from flying off. Ensure the length of the prongs is appropriate, filing them if they are too long or risk snagging, or if they are too short, they might not secure the stone properly.
• Prong filing: After trimming, use a triangular file to shape the prongs to the desired height, ensuring uniformity. Use a bamboo file to smooth the inner side of the prongs, making them flush with the stone, and round the outer side for better gripping during subsequent processes.
• Prong rounding: Use a suitable gemstone holder to round the prong heads. Gradually move the holder from the inside to the outside and sway it evenly on both sides until the prong heads are rounded and snug against the stone. The outer sides of the prongs should be at the same height as the outer edge of the stone.

2. Operational requirements:

• The prongs should be flush against the stone.
• The stone must be level without slanted, uneven, loose, rotten, or displaced conditions.
• The prongs should be of equal length, symmetrical, not leaning, and should not leave marks on the prong surface.
• The depth and height of the prong seat should be consistent, generally around 1/4 to 1/3 of the prong’s size for diamond settings. For gemstones, the prong seat can be around 1/3 or slightly more. Adjust the depth based on the size and thickness of the stone.
• Care must be taken with pear-shaped and octagonal stones to avoid twisting or misalignment.

3. Precautions:

• Before setting the stones, classify and observe them, considering their shape and thickness. Address any issues and potential concerns promptly to avoid quality problems.
• When using prong holders, take care not to damage the stone, causing it to crack, break, or chip.
• If there are shared prongs, consider whether they hinder subsequent processes. If so, set the shared prongs first.
• When setting the prongs, start from the outside and work toward the inside.
• After setting the prongs, ensure they are flush with the stone, the prong heads are rounded, and there are no excessive marks or deviations.
• Avoid excessive prong filing, as it can weaken the prongs’ strength after polishing. The prong heads should not have excess gold.

Setting Stones in Settings:

Procedure:

1. (1) Use tweezers to apply a small amount of ink to the stone and place it in the setting, as shown in the diagram.
   (2) If the stone is larger than the setting, use a bur to enlarge the setting slightly larger than the stone. Then use a disc to create a small recess in the setting, as shown in the diagram.
   (3) Use tweezers to apply ink to the stone and place it in the recess. Observe if the stone is level. If the stone is not level, determine the cause. If the base metal is too thick, use a bur to enlarge the setting until the stone sits level. If the stone is level, use a stone-setting tool to tighten the stone slightly, ensuring it is balanced.
   (4) Use a steel punch to press the excess metal tightly against the stone to ensure a secure setting. If the metal is uneven, remove the excess and use a steel needle to secure the metal.
   (5) When using a bur to enlarge the setting, ensure it stays centered.
   (6) When selecting a stone-setting tool, ensure it is appropriate. If it is too small, it may not cover the entire stone, and if it is too large, it may not adhere properly or cause separation.
2. Requirements:
   (1) Before setting the stones, classify and examine their shape and size, and then create the appropriate settings.
   (2) Avoid loose stones, slanted stones, damaged stones, uneven stones, stones that fall out easily, and metal that does not adhere properly.
   (3) The stone should be slightly lower than the metal surface.
   (4) The metal should be evenly distributed, without too much or too little, and should be level.
   (5) The edges of the setting should not break or exhibit variations in size.
   (6) The stone should be centered in the setting and not positioned off-center.
   (7) Keep hands steady during the metal pressing process to avoid scratching the metal edges.

Prong Setting:

1. Procedure:
   Prong setting process:
   (1) Use tweezers to apply ink to the stone and place it on the setting. If the stone is larger (i.e., it can be placed on two metal edges), use a pointed tool to separate the two metal edges until the distance between them is less than 0.2mm larger than the stone diameter.
   (2) Select a fine-pointed tool based on the thickness of the stone’s edge. Use the tool to create a recess and then taper the base metal to match the stone thickness. Repeat the process on the other side to match both sides of the base metal with the stone. The thickness of the metal surface should be 0.4-0.5mm.
   (3) Apply ink to the stone with tweezers, place one side of the stone in the recess, and then press down with appropriate force, using the first stone as a reference. Place the remaining stones in a level, even, and spaced-out manner.
   (4) Use a prong setting tool to press the metal around the stone, starting from the outer edge and then the top surface.
   (5) Use a flat chisel to remove any remaining metal around the stone and smooth the metal edges, ensuring proper metal-to-stone adhesion.
2. Requirements:
   (1) The stones should be level, without loose, slanted, or damaged stones.
   (2) The prongs should be rounded, without flattening or excess metal.
   (3) The chisel used for setting must be sharp, and if it becomes dull, it should be sharpened with an oil stone.
   (4) Before setting, classify and examine the stones’ shape, thickness, and create suitable settings.
   (5) When placing the stones, ensure that the stone’s surface is level with or slightly below the metal surface.

Forced Setting:

1. Procedure:
   Forced setting process for round stones:
   (1) Use tweezers to apply ink to the stone and place it in the setting. If the stone is larger (i.e., it can be placed on two metal edges), use a pointed tool to separate the two metal edges until the distance between them is less than 0.2mm larger than the stone diameter.
   (2) Select a fine-pointed tool based on the thickness of the stone’s edge. Create a recess using the tool and then use a slanted technique to match the base metal’s thickness with the stone. Repeat the process on the other side to ensure both sides of the base metal match the stone. The surface metal should have a thickness of 0.4-0.5mm.
   (3) Apply ink to the stone with tweezers, place one side of the stone in the recess, and then press down with the appropriate force. Place the other stones in alevel, even, and spaced-out manner.
   (4) Use a bezel setting tool to force the metal around the stone, starting from the outer edge and then the top surface.
   (5) Use a flat chisel to remove any remaining metal around the stone and smooth the metal edges, ensuring proper metal-to-stone adhesion.
2. Requirements:
   (1) The stones should be level, without loose, slanted, or damaged stones.
   (2) The metal should evenly cover the stone’s surface without excess or insufficient coverage.
   (3) The chisel used for setting must be sharp, and if it becomes dull, it should be sharpened with an oil stone.
   (4) Before setting, classify and examine the stones’ shape, thickness, and create suitable settings.
   (5) When placing the stones, ensure that the stone’s surface is level with or slightly below the metal surface.
   (6) The metal should be evenly distributed, without too much or too little, and should be level.
   (7) The edges of the setting should not break or exhibit variations in size.
   (8) The stone should be centered in the setting and not positioned off-center.
   (9) Keep hands steady during the metal pressing process to avoid scratching the metal edges.

Note: The procedures and requirements mentioned here are general guidelines for setting stones in settings, prong settings, and forced settings. It’s important to note that professional training and experience are crucial for achieving high-quality stone settings. Additionally, specific techniques and tools may vary depending on the type of stone, the setting design, and the jeweler’s preferences.