I am gemcutter and gemstone supplier. My goldsmith retired recently and I decided to do so some of the settings. I came across your channel and enjoy very much the tips you provide. Interesting that I never saw anyone talking about the Vector setting technique but I was naturally doing it in order to line up the prong claws better without being aware of the real benefit of using this technique. Thanks for the videos.
I had a major springback problem with a pointed oval, but it wasn't prongs, it was v-shaped bezel at each tip of the stone, it was the one I showed on the FB forum where I set the citrine inside the tiger eye, my first gold (14k) piece. No, I didn't resort to glue, and I eventually got it to hold, but boy was I about to cry at one point. Thank you for giving that problem a name, and a prong solution at the very least!
I appreciate the tips. I am getting ready to make my girlfriend's engagement ring and this gives me some excellent ideas on how to set and tighten the stones for her ring. Definitely subscribing, thank you very much sir.
Thanks for the vector tip, I’m glad I wasn’t the only one noticing that was a huge file Bobby was using! Awesome videos. I’m gonna look into the forums you mentioned, would love to get in on some of those chats. Cheers!
Very nice explanation of this issue that troubles many jewelers. I have found that occasionally a jeweler will choose the wrong shape bit to cut the bearing and it does not match the girdle of the diamond leaving a gap between the stone and the bearing I like to use just a miniscule amount of white gold medium or hard solder to fill the gap this in essence locks the stone in place when all other techniques are just not working
Geez, wish I'd found this last week while searching! I also see you have a video on cutting a seat into prongs, will be checking that out too. I just mounted my first gem last week, a giant gem quality moonstone into a sterling silver quad prong basket setting. Thought I had ordered pre-notched, but nope. So I took my dremel and cut in a seat best as I could. Actually turned out quite good! But still had issues trying to seat the stone squarely (it wanted to roll), and then I may have mangled the setting as a whole trying to tighten the prongs down. I placed my pliers over the top of the prong and at the bottom of the basket setting and pretty much squeezed them down and forward. Worked like a charm, except it's slightly crooked, lol. Can't really notice unless you flip the setting over though. It's not fully mangled, just a bit twisted from behind.. I am wondering if it's due to such a large setting that it's bending more than a smaller setting would? it's 12x18 . and also is there a way to square the stone/setting back up once it's secure, or would I have to start all over?
hard to give u specific advice without knowing the shape of the stone, first thing you want to is always use a head/ setting that is bigger than the stone, gemstones are usually very fat and require more room to accommodate the extra volume, you usually just order the next size up, NEXT, if if u are setting a cushion cut, you don't cut seats on the prong, what you want to do is use a round bur and drill into the prong, your goal is to create a small cavity that will receive/ hold that corner in place, think of it as a ball and socket joint, once you have the stone in place, start bringing down the prongs, very slowly, do this in opposite pairs, the same way as if you were tightening nuts in a tire, if you notice that the stone starts to get out of alignment, you can move it back by squeezing the outside of the prongs, a motion similar to squeezing a lemon with your thumb and forefinger, only you will be using your pliers to do the squeezing, again, u wanna do this to opposing pairs, and do this very lightly, less is more AND to answer your second question...no, silver is too soft to try and reshape it, you need to handle it with a soft touch, if you try to reshape the setting, you're just gonna end up creating more toolmarks on the setting, it's gonna end up looking mangled, and you're also never gonna be able to get the thing looking like it did before,if it really bothers you, your best option is to order a new setting, and label the whole thing as a learning experience, but hey, that's how things are, you get better as u practice If you find that this makes no sense then it's probably because it's almost 5am on my side of the tracks, I'm super tired, and should've been in bed at least two hours ago... Feel free to ask for clarification
@@This1LifeWeLive oh one of those, those are tricky, because they have that belly underneath, but the prongs on most mountings are straight, this is why they have the tendency to dance around energy you're trying to tighten them.... What you want to do is take a round bur and cut a curve into the prong, this curve should cradle some of the stone's belly, that way, when u go to tighten the prongs, the stone stays in place, but not gonna lie, emerald cuts are tricky, if you're just starting, I'd recommend you stick with rounds, ovals, and possibly pear shapes... But the more you practice better you will get
I am new to making rings and setting stones and i am having a hard time marking the correct height on the prong for the notch to set the stone. Could u fo a video on this
Hi Joel. My stone keeps getting loose. Would you be able to help me with my ring setting? It’s a marquise cut. The stems on the prongs are just too weak so they keep bending upon knocking into things
Do you have a link for the parrot pliers? I have a loose stone on my earring that I can actually hear rattle & my jeweler just serviced my tennis bracelet & a stone popped out 5 minutes of having back on( thank g I found the stone). Thank u
I ordered a setting not realizing that the prongs are rounded instead of flat & now I cannot seem to get my cushion cut aquamarine to stay put to set it. Would filing the prongs more flat help me or what do you suggest? Thanks!
I have googled the heck out of it and i Cannot find those pliers you have. PL-56 Parrot Peak pliers seem to have disappeared from the market! Where can i find the prong setting pliers you have?
I teach a 2 day class for stone setters or beginers that covers bead setting and Fishtail. www.engraver.com/bead-and-fishtail-setting-by-joel-mcfadden-june-2019/ We limit class size to 3 students so its very hands on.