Bezel setting sapphires?

[arjunajane]

hello folks,

This is quite early days, putting the cow before the milk and all that - but I would very much appreciate any opinions or real life experiences about bezel setting a blue sapphire - is it a good/bad idea? Do they typically darken significantly? Any other considerations?

I don''t have the gem yet - but ideally it will be a reasonably lighter sapph, in blue or blue-violet - think colour of Icekid''s Umba from Barry for example, or the colour of this one from Gary B..

I have two setting styles in mind, incorporating side diamonds into a 3 stone ring, most likely in high ct yellow gold with platinum. One is a JM/CM-esque bezel, the other a Leon-esque claw setting. I really like both styles equally, but do have a penchant for bezeling everything I buy, lol..

I''d appreciate peoples'' knowledge on this before I start making purchase/design decisions -
As in, if I''m told it''s a bad idea, that will sway my decision toward the prong setting.
I would especially like to hear the thoughts of those who own and have set or played around with blue sapphires...plus of course any techy info you may have

Pic of Gary stone - blue with a touch of violet:


Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[oddoneout]

Lovely stone. I''m curious about prong vs. bezel setting too.

 

[chrono]

My opinion is that if the stone is light toned, it is the ideal candidate for bezeling. A medium toned stone can be bezeled as well, especially if you have something with an open bezel (open pavilion) much like the JM setting. Personally, I would not bezel a stone any darker than a medium.

 

[ma re]

Good point Chrono.

So AJ, you have a bezeling itch too, ha?

Funny thing happened to me the other day. I decided to unveil once and for all, what is it that makes me like so many different things, cause I''m the master of indecisiveness. And it turns out that the majority of things that I like have bezel set stones! I couldn''t believe that something so obvious was responsible for pretty much driving me crazy. Sometimes you really need to hit the wall in order to see it

Sorry for a slight thread jack

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 7:37:03 AM
Author: oddoneout
Lovely stone. I''m curious about prong vs. bezel setting too.

Thanks oddoneout - I would''ve bought it already, if it were ~1mm larger

I may yet..we''ll see.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:03:56 AM
Author: Chrono
My opinion is that if the stone is light toned, it is the ideal candidate for bezeling. A medium toned stone can be bezeled as well, especially if you have something with an open bezel (open pavilion) much like the JM setting. Personally, I would not bezel a stone any darker than a medium.

Thanks for your thoughts C - yeah, it wouldn''t be the JM 1345 that I already have - but I do love a nekkie culet, so I would maintain that design element most likely.

I''m trying to learn on the run with sapphs - would you call the one above medium or light?

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:03:56 AM
Author: Chrono
My opinion is that if the stone is light toned, it is the ideal candidate for bezeling. A medium toned stone can be bezeled as well, especially if you have something with an open bezel (open pavilion) much like the JM setting. Personally, I would not bezel a stone any darker than a medium.

Thanks for your thoughts C - yeah, it wouldn''t be the JM 1345 that I already have - but I do love a nekkie culet, so I would maintain that design element most likely.

I''m trying to learn on the run with sapphs - would you call the one above medium or light?

 

[chrono]

AJ,
I like your “nekkie culet” term.

Based on the picture above, I would consider that medium toned. It’s about borderline where I would consider pronging / bezeling it.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:23:47 AM
Author: ma re
Good point Chrono.


So AJ, you have a bezeling itch too, ha?

Funny thing happened to me the other day. I decided to unveil once and for all, what is it that makes me like so many different things, cause I''m the master of indecisiveness. And it turns out that the majority of things that I like have bezel set stones! I couldn''t believe that something so obvious was responsible for pretty much driving me crazy. Sometimes you really need to hit the wall in order to see it

Sorry for a slight thread jack

ha ha, ma re are you kidding? I''m sure that the ring in my av (my ering) is my only prong-set jewellery! At last count, I have 3 or 4 bezel gem rings, and a bezel pendant...
But actually, I understand where you''re coming from - just posting that was a bit of a realization!

Having the J. Meyer and C. Meyer''s of the world constantly coming up with new and different ways to bezel set gems doesn''t help either

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:43:47 AM
Author: Chrono
AJ,

I like your “nekkie culet” term.

Based on the picture above, I would consider that medium toned. It’s about borderline where I would consider pronging / bezeling it.

oh yeah - I''m mad about an interesting profile these days - it''s often my favourite view of a piece. The more culet showing, the more interesting

That''s good to know about the above, thankyou!

This was my first sapphire love, Icekid''s Umba - shame I didn''t have the $ to jump on one at the time

.
he he, now that I do they''re literally burning a hole in my pocket! I''m quickly realizing though that shopping for a sapphire is a different monster to other gems though..

Wish me luck!

 

[chrono]

Trust me, we’ll be with you all the way. I like “shopping” with other people’s money.

 

[Kismet]

It''s funny but I found that bezeling my little yogo sapphires brightened them rather than darkened them.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:13:00 AM
Author: Chrono
Trust me, we’ll be with you all the way. I like “shopping” with other people’s money.

rofl! I''m sure you will

I''ve got feelers out with almost everyone I can think of - I''ll update when there''s something concrete.

I''m tentatively planning diamond sides in step cut traps, or maybe "chubby" bullets

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:14:44 AM
Author: Kismet
It''s funny but I found that bezeling my little yogo sapphires brightened them rather than darkened them.

Thankyou kismet for the RL example - is there a link I can see these?

 

[Arcadian]

I bezel set mine which did deepen the color a bit, but it was a lighter lavenderish/violet color anyway. Direct sunlight turns it a crazy dark blue (no complaining from me though!)

I''ll have to find the pictures as they''re around here somewhere.


-A

 

[Sagebrush]

All,

Jewelers provide a lot of mis-information. "Set the stone up to gather the light." There''s a good one. As if a gem where some sort of little machine. How does a gem that is designed to take light through the crown, concentrate and reflect it off the tapered pavilion and return it to the eye through the crown, supposed to gather light through its bottom?

The light we see as sparkle is refracted light and by definition that means the light has bounced around inside the gem and back to the eye. That said, dark toned sapphire and ruby are often cut with a slight window under the table. This allows transmitted light (a lens effect) from below the culet. Both prong and bezel settings will close that window, deepening and creating a dark area at the center of the stone. Bezel settings may do that more effectively than a prong, so the stone appears darker in a bezel than it would in a prong setting.

With a well cut stone such as the one being considered here, that should not be a problem. There is no window and the stone is so well cut you could set it in cement and it would retain its sparkle and would not darken.

A custom made setting, prong or bezel can often correct the deficiencies in a stone. Angled correctly the setting will reflect light back into the stone and increase the brilliance and sparkle. This is part of the goldsmith''s art. This is why important stones are usually set by hand. We are sometimes been able to kick up the brilliance by 15-20% with a well made setting.

 

[Kismet]

The whole yogo sapphire thread is here.

Before being set. The color of the darker two on the left was pretty much how the appeared to me.

And here they are after being set.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:23:18 AM
Author: Richard W. Wise
All,


Jewelers provide a lot of mis-information. ''Set the stone up to gather the light.'' There''s a good one. As if a gem where some sort of little machine. How does a gem that is designed to take light through the crown, concentrate and reflect it off the tapered pavilion and return it to the eye through the crown, supposed to gather light through its bottom?


The light we see as sparkle is refracted light and by definition that means the light has bounced around inside the gem and back to the eye. That said, dark toned sapphire and ruby are often cut with a slight window under the table. This allows transmitted light (a lens effect) from below the culet. Both prong and bezel settings will close that window, deepening and creating a dark area at the center of the stone. Bezel settings may do that more effectively than a prong, so the stone appears darker in a bezel than it would in a prong setting.


With a well cut stone such as the one being considered here, that should not be a problem. There is no window and the stone is so well cut you could set it in cement and it would retain its sparkle and would not darken.


A custom made setting, prong or bezel can often correct the deficiencies in a stone. Angled correctly the setting will reflect light back into the stone and increase the brilliance and sparkle. This is part of the goldsmith''s art. This is why important stones are usually set by hand. We are sometimes been able to kick up the brilliance by 15-20% with a well made setting.

Hi Richard,
Thanks for your post - fantastic information, exactly some of what I was hoping to learn and food for thought, thankyou.

On a complete side note, I put in a request a little while ago through the site for your book, about postage to Australia - I haven''t heard back as yet.
Just letting you know

regards
AJ.

 

[arjunajane]

Arcadian, I would love to see your photos if you have the time!

 

[Novel]

AJ, I''m so curious to see how your project turns out, if you decide to go for it! A sapphire like Icekid''s bezeled with a "nekkie cutlet" (or something like Elle''s Sholdt Semi-Bezel) is my dream ring. Mmm, sigh.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I bezeled a light blue sapphire I got from Michael in a very simple silver etsy setting. It darkened a smidge, but certainly not in a bad way. I wear it everyday as a thumb ring ,hehe.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:43:47 AM
Author: Chrono
AJ,
I like your “nekkie culet” term.

Based on the picture above, I would consider that medium toned. It’s about borderline where I would consider pronging / bezeling it.

WOW ok that''s very helpful info. TFS!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:18:57 AM
Author: Arcadian
I bezel set mine which did deepen the color a bit, but it was a lighter lavenderish/violet color anyway. Direct sunlight turns it a crazy dark blue (no complaining from me though!)

I''ll have to find the pictures as they''re around here somewhere.


-A

That''s interesting. Now my question is did it alter the quality of the color shift in the stone???

And yes I''d love to see some photos. TFS!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Richard,

Thank you for your input. You''ve pointed out some important things in a way I could understand! Again it''s all about the cut.

 

[gailrmv]

I have a thread with my Ritani endless love bezel halo sapphire ring. My stone was medium-dark, well cut, no window. I am not sure if it is noticeably darker in the bezel or if it is an optical illusion, or emphasizes the extinction or something, but it definitely looked better before it was set. I love my stone and I love my setting, but if I could do it over I would either choose a different (ligher) stone for that setting or a different setting for that stone. I do love it, but it doesn''t look at vivid blue as I had hoped.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 9/23/2009 2:57:29 PM
Author: TanDogMom
I have a thread with my Ritani endless love bezel halo sapphire ring. My stone was medium-dark, well cut, no window. I am not sure if it is noticeably darker in the bezel or if it is an optical illusion, or emphasizes the extinction or something, but it definitely looked better before it was set. I love my stone and I love my setting, but if I could do it over I would either choose a different (ligher) stone for that setting or a different setting for that stone. I do love it, but it doesn''t look at vivid blue as I had hoped.

Tan Dog,

The combination of your ring and seeing my sapphire pronged set is what made me decide against a bezel for my sapphire. If I get around to resetting it into a halo setting, I am going to do a pronged one.

However, I have a light/medium montana sapphire that was set into a custom made closed bezel by Sally. It did not darken much at all and looks great.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 9/23/2009 9:31:13 AM
Author: arjunajane
Arcadian, I would love to see your photos if you have the time!

AJ, check this thread as there are a lot of pics in there.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-sapphire-ring-picture-heavy.116611/

-A

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 9/23/2009 8:28:30 PM
Author: Arcadian

Date: 9/23/2009 9:31:13 AM
Author: arjunajane
Arcadian, I would love to see your photos if you have the time!

AJ, check this thread as there are a lot of pics in there.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-sapphire-ring-picture-heavy.116611/

-A

Thanks for the link. It is a ring that I have been totally drooling over, I just didn''t remember who it belonged to. I even tried one on in a similar setting at the store to be sure it would look good on my finger. HA HA

But thanks to this thread and your link I see that it was very light before setting. I will keep repeating till memorized, "Only light to medium sapphires can be bezel set!!!"

 

[LtlFirecracker]

AJ -

I just looked at the stone you put on hold. I have always loved that sapphire (but love the 3 ct native cut one more

) My sapphire is 6.7 x 6.6, so it is basically the same length one way, but 1 mm longer the other way. With a bezel, yours would get about the same amount of finger coverage (if not a tad more). I thought I would put mine up for reference. I am very happy with the size, and think it is perfect. I could probably go a tad smaller. Stones that are 5.5 mm both directions are too small for my tastes, but I like the 6-7 mm size.

And now that I have some larger stones I can compare. In the future, I would rather have a bright and vibrant stone that is a little smaller than a lighter/duller stone that is larger. There is so much life in my sapphire that the other stones just can't match.

BTW, I have a size 6 finger.

Here is a pic right after I got the ring, long before the jeweler butchered my setting.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/24/2009 2:25:22 AM
Author: LtlFirecracker
AJ -


I just looked at the stone you put on hold. I have always loved that sapphire (but love the 3 ct native cut one more

) My sapphire is 6.7 x 6.6, so it is basically the same length one way, but 1 mm longer the other way. With a bezel, yours would get about the same amount of finger coverage (if not a tad more). I thought I would put mine up for reference. I am very happy with the size, and think it is perfect. I could probably go a tad smaller. Stones that are 5.5 mm both directions are too small for my tastes, but I like the 6-7 mm size.


And now that I have some larger stones I can compare. In the future, I would rather have a bright and vibrant stone that is a little smaller than a lighter/duller stone that is larger. There is so much life in my sapphire that the other stones just can''t match.


BTW, I have a size 6 finger.


Here is a pic right after I got the ring, long before the jeweler butchered my setting.

awesome ltl, thanks so much for posting!
As I mentioned in another thread, I''m finding that stone very appealing - but just the size really is holding me back.
Seeing yours really helps to get a realistic idea (my new tourm oval from Barry is almost the same size as the CC, but it''s quite hard to envision in a different material and colour, kwim?).

Do you have any more photos I can see?