Some Simple Setting Questions

[fierypyropixy]

Hi All -

So, since beginning my PS-fueled gem-acquiring insanity, I haven''t set one single stone. And now I feel the need to set ALL of them!

It''s lucky for me that I gravitate towards the simple prong settings of the Tripps catalog. Lucky for me AND my wallet, of course!

I ordered two sterling ring settings as samples, planning to buy the gold versions once I figured out if they were properly sized for my stones.

For this citrine acorn setting, both the stone and the setting widths are 11mm, spot-on. But the citrine won''t rest into/below the tips of the prongs, and yet the interior of the basket isn''t keeping it from sinking . . .

My question here: Is it normal for a jeweler to "open up" the prongs a little in order to set the stone inside? I don''t know if you''ll be able to tell, but the prongs aren''t fully making contact with the stone all the way around. So I''m pretty sure . . . I just want to make sure before I order.

Also here: How much prong length is needed to secure the stone on top? You can hopefully also see in this picture the bottom of the stone, which is about 2mm clearance from the finger. So I don''t have a bunch of room to play with . . . should this setting accommodate the acorn?

(Coming up: The second setting.)

 

[fierypyropixy]

Another view of the setting -- perhaps the slight space between prong and stone is more evident here.

Ok, NOW for the other setting!

 

[fierypyropixy]

Here is their 8mm simple four-prong setting with my 8mm topaz asscher.

Obviously there''s a depth issue. I also think perhaps I should go up to the 9mm setting, would you agree? It doesn''t seem quite wide enough.

Basically here, I ask: Would my jeweler easily be able to add length to those prongs? And should I increase to 9mm?

 

[Arcadian]

A jeweler can typically open up prongs to set the stone, as long as the prongs are long enough! My fireball was a big stone and deep stone and it just barely made it into its setting. In other words, I had NO wiggle room! As long as the prongs can be set properly you should be fine.


The other setting its a tossup. the stone is deep so it looks like you could go up to the next size (do they have half sizes by chance?) My guy will redo prongs but it can be costly depending on the type of setting and the metal.

It would definitly be something to discuss with whomever sets it ahead of time.


-A

 

[cellentani]

The acorn setting looks the most viable of your two settings, and I''m actually surprised it''s as close a fit as it is - those acorns are DEEP! Prongs can be opened, but it really depends on the design of the ring. Because your prongs originate from the bottom and are such an integral part of the design, I''d take your setting to a competant jeweler and see what he says. Opening all the prongs so that each one has the same degree of bend could be challenging, but if the basket isn''t preventing the stone from sitting lower, it might be possible. None of my stones ever fit down in the prongs before being set - they always perched on top like yours.

The asscher setting is tricky - clearly, it needs longer prongs to accomodate the depth of the asscher, but if you go up a size, the angle of the prongs might be too wide. You cannot just add gold to the end of a prong to make it longer - you''d have a weak point at the joint. Are you able to exchange the setting for a larger one without too much penalty?

 

[fierypyropixy]

Date: 10/29/2009 9:47:21 PM
Author: Arcadian
A jeweler can typically open up prongs to set the stone, as long as the prongs are long enough! My fireball was a big stone and deep stone and it just barely made it into its setting. In other words, I had NO wiggle room! As long as the prongs can be set properly you should be fine.



The other setting its a tossup. the stone is deep so it looks like you could go up to the next size (do they have half sizes by chance?) My guy will redo prongs but it can be costly depending on the type of setting and the metal.


It would definitly be something to discuss with whomever sets it ahead of time.



-A

Yeah, it looks like the asscher setting is going to be a no-go. That''s as large as they feature in their catalog, and I''m afraid if I got it, then had to re-do the entire head, it might derail the point of the cheap setting in the first place. Le sigh.

Oh well. Nothing is ever as easy as we''d hope.

 

[fierypyropixy]

Date: 10/29/2009 10:59:57 PM
Author: cellentani
The acorn setting looks the most viable of your two settings, and I''m actually surprised it''s as close a fit as it is - those acorns are DEEP! Prongs can be opened, but it really depends on the design of the ring. Because your prongs originate from the bottom and are such an integral part of the design, I''d take your setting to a competant jeweler and see what he says. Opening all the prongs so that each one has the same degree of bend could be challenging, but if the basket isn''t preventing the stone from sitting lower, it might be possible. None of my stones ever fit down in the prongs before being set - they always perched on top like yours.


The asscher setting is tricky - clearly, it needs longer prongs to accomodate the depth of the asscher, but if you go up a size, the angle of the prongs might be too wide. You cannot just add gold to the end of a prong to make it longer - you''d have a weak point at the joint. Are you able to exchange the setting for a larger one without too much penalty?

I know -- I was surprised that the acorn was the one that was nearly perfect!

My plan has been to take these to my trusted jeweler in my hometown, which is 12 hours away. I had grand plans that I''d go ahead, buy all my cheap settings, send them off with the stones, and have them ready to inspect and take home while we were there for the Christmas holidays. I guess at this point I''ll end up taking these in as we go for the holidays, and having him ship them back.

These are the sterling silver versions of each setting I was considering, and less than $10 apiece. I only ordered them as "trials" for ordering the actual gold settings. So I''m not concerned about exchanges.

So, short of going with a custom-designed setting, where does one find (cheap) settings that would have long enough prongs??? All of the settings I''ve seen in stores seem just about as short . . .

Bah humbug!

 

[cellentani]

What do you think of this setting? It looks like a two-piece, so it might not be a big deal for them to attach a custom head for your stone. You could always send them the dimensions (including depth), and see what kind of price they give you.

 

[fierypyropixy]

Date: 10/30/2009 12:03:52 AM
Author: cellentani
What do you think of this setting? It looks like a two-piece, so it might not be a big deal for them to attach a custom head for your stone. You could always send them the dimensions (including depth), and see what kind of price they give you.

Not bad, thanks Cellentani!

I think the only thing that gives me pause is that I like a plain band b/c then I''m not so scared to wear it -- both my store-bought "fun rings" this year have pave or halos, or both, and it terrifies me! LOL

I think I''ll just have to deal with waiting, talking to the setter when I''m home, and trusting my mom to be able to approve their work when it''s done.

 

[chrono]

The acorn might fit or it might not. It’s difficult to tell because even if the prongs are opened up, I’m not sure how much wiggle room it has for the acorn to sit lower and still have enough prong length to add notches to hold the stone in. The asscher might need a custom setting. That’s the disadvantage of getting extremely large asschers because they are incredibly deep stones.

 

[cellentani]

8mm doesn''t see that big, but I know the asschers ARE very deep. Kinda throws cold water on my wanting one, unless it''s just to collect and not to set. LTP has a ton of asschers, and has even set a few - wonder if she ran into problems too.

 

[chrono]

If I’m not mistaken, LTP’s larger asschers are custom set while her smaller ones fit into standard settings.

 

[fierypyropixy]

Where there''s a will, there''s a way, Cellentani.

Knowing the difficulty doesn''t dissuade me from collecting them. It just reinforces the hubby''s claims that I always have to go the high maintenance route.

LOL

They just look so SMALL at 8mm, sitting there in their boxes . . . I did snap up an asscher the other night in the 6mm range and cringed . . . I had to see it for myself, couldn''t pass it up, but I''d sworn previously that I''d go no smaller than 8. Go big or go home!

It''s very dirty here, but yes, I see that it''s rather large on the hand, at 8mm. . . just wait until my new 16x12 whopper is finished. LOL Fun fun fun.

 

[fierypyropixy]

Here is my final quandary. (*sigh*)

This was the chain of events:
-Saw a few James Meyer designs here and on his site which seemed to fit the bill. Bezels with open profiles via a "bridge" design, to appreciate the "acorn".

-I don''t like bezels. Just a personal preference. But, it seemed to be the best solution for the profile exposure.

-I was pointed towards a JKT design that was in the same vein, also someone commented that she would appreciate the concept.

-Still not thrilled about bezel, but was resigned to thought that this was the best option for setting.

-Talk to JKT, really like her. Mishap occurs and she misses a follow-up email from me, finds it after she''s booked solid through Christmas. Offers that since I had inquired previously she will still fit me in, but I''m really in no hurry and don''t need to put her through undue pressure. Really like that she is giving my project a lot of thought, as she pops up from time to time with some additional ideas.

-Her last pop-up suggestion points me towards Pink Tower''s octagonal asscher design here. I give it a few days thought and warm to it. And like I said . . . I''m very impressed with her dedication towards the design. So I go ahead and reserve design time directly after Christmas with a deposit.

-In the meantime, I order the Tripps deep round setting featured here, in sterling, as a trial. That acorn is so deep, I never entertained the prospect of it being a viable setting. It was merely to hold the acorn in some capacity, as a trial run on my hand to get a feel for general size in a setting.

-As you''ve read above, it arrives and . . . I think it''s viable. I think that there''s just enough room in it to accommodate the stone. I''m surprised, but even worse, NOW I''m conflicted. I definitely prefer the plain prong setting look to the bezel look.

-Yet, I really like JKT. I just don''t like bezels. And . . . that''s what she does, so not bezeling for JKT is no option.

-When it''s all said and done, each method generally comes out to a similar price, once you figure a setting fee for the Tripps version. Close enough to not be able to sway me, anyway.

-The JKT deposit is non-refundable, and she''s put so much time into responses and thoughts about designs for me, that I think she''s earned the money. Yet . . . now I feel silly if I back out. Because in another way, my husband would say I "wasted" or "threw away" the deposit.

-In the grand scheme of things, though, I''d rather "waste" the $50 deposit than potentially go with the bezel and always think about it, that it wasn''t exactly what I wanted. Right?

-I also don''t want to jump the gun (I am a big-time gun-jumper!) and inform her right away, when I''m not even sure if the Tripps prong setting is viable. BUT, I cannot meet with the jeweler until we roll into town mid-December, and at that point I''m just a few days away from when she''d start her design time for it, hence the deposit. Which would be rather "rude customer" of me. So I definitely need to discuss this with her beforehand.

See? Conflicted.

 

[arjunajane]

hrmmm..yes def. bit of a quandry you''ve got yourself into !

My opinion is that Julia''s bezel/basket would be perfect for the acorn.
Custom made to perfectly fit your stone too, unlike the Tripps one.

You must''ve thought you liked bezels at least a bit to consider ordering one, no?..

 

[arjunajane]

sorry, double up.

 

[fierypyropixy]

Date: 10/30/2009 3:25:10 PM
Author: arjunajane
hrmmm..yes def. bit of a quandry you''ve got yourself into !


My opinion is that Julia''s bezel/basket would be perfect for the acorn.

Custom made to perfectly fit your stone too, unlike the Tripps one.


You must''ve thought you liked bezels at least a bit to consider ordering one, no?..

Hmmmm, more like . . . I felt that I had limited design options and accepted the feeling that I''d need to go bezel unless I wanted to get into much more expensive custom work.

So I look at the finished product with a bezel and don''t actively dislike it, but then again any sort of bezel is something I wouldn''t choose for myself. I think it''s all the metal.

Perhaps I could see if she could whittle down the bezel as well as the basket supports. Perhaps a compromise in that direction could work.