How they get a diamond into a real tension setting, cool pic

[kenny]

Up till now this has remained a mystery to me - like the ship in the bottle.

I'd guess they ...
Move together those 3 metal things in the center to close the space in the center.
Put a nylon ring on center to prevent scratching the ring's gold.
Put the gold ring over the nylon.
PULL the 3 metal parts away from each other, opening the gap for the diamond.
Close the gap by moving the 3 pieces back together.

Pic source:

NIESSING SPANNRING® BALANCE

The original Niessing Spannring® as a symbol of the perfect balance between faith and heart beating: the sparkling diamond is held as freely as possible in the ring - at the same time securely protected and forever safe.

niessing.com

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[partgypsy]

really neat! Thanks for sharing Kenny

 

[boxbits]

really neat! Thanks for sharing Kenny

Ditto.

I'm sure tension settings are safe, but they've always scared me for fear of losing the stone.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Cool! They are beautiful but a bit scary to me as well but I still could consider one of them!

 

[Wink]

Thanks Kenny.

What always scares me is when someone comes in with one of the tension set rings and asks me to size it, "Just a little bit, it is too snug in the summer."

Most are understanding when I explain it takes special equipment just to mount and unmount the diamond and that sizing is not possible.

The heat used would destroy the tension...

Wink

 

[Dancing Fire]

Ditto.

I'm sure tension settings are safe, but they've always scared me for fear of losing the stone.

Have no fear!, plus they are so easy to clean.

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

So cool, thanks Kenny! I have often wondered this.

 

[gregchang35]

Wow!!! Nice!!!

 

[Dr_Diesel]

Up till now this has remained a mystery to me - like the ship in the bottle.

I'd guess they ...
Move together those 3 metal things in the center to close the space in the center.
Put a nylon ring on center to prevent scratching the ring's gold.
Put the gold ring over the nylon.
PULL the 3 metal parts away from each other, opening the gap for the diamond.
Close the gap by moving the 3 pieces back together.

Pic source:

NIESSING SPANNRING® BALANCE

The original Niessing Spannring® as a symbol of the perfect balance between faith and heart beating: the sparkling diamond is held as freely as possible in the ring - at the same time securely protected and forever safe.

niessing.com

Scroll down

So cool! Thanks Kenny!

 

[Slickk]

Very cool. I am assuming the pressure is quite strong to keep secure. Amazing that it doesn’t damage the stone!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[heididdl]

that is so cool.

 

[kenny]

I'm sure tension settings are safe, but they've always scared me for fear of losing the stone.

I've always felt that way about prong settings.

 

[MillieLou]

How do they get the tension just right to hold the stone firm but not damage it? Are only certain stones (eg thick girdles with no feathers etc) candidates?

I am a minimalist and would love one.

 

[sledge]

I've always felt that way about prong settings.

The difference is that anything done in tension is great until there is no tension, then it’s major catastrophe.

With a tension ring, once tension is lost then bye bye diamond. With prongs, you have multiple points to keep the diamond at least somewhat secure even if not perfectly secure.

Some real world examples with larger life effects. By the way, kudos to the guy in the first video that walked the line. Balls of steel.

 

[kenny]

The difference is that anything done in tension is great until there is no tension, then it’s major catastrophe.

With a tension ring, once tension is lost then bye bye diamond. With prongs, you have multiple points to keep the diamond at least somewhat secure even if not perfectly secure.

Some real world examples with larger life effects. By the way, kudos to the guy in the first video that walked the line. Balls of steel.

In Physics101 I learned that tension is a pulling force, and compression is a pushing force
Since the sides of a "tension" setting are pushing on the diamond (not pulling) it would be more accurate to call them compression settings.
Of course it's too late for them to fix this misnomer.

Diamonds in prong settings are also in compression settings in that the prongs don't pull on the diamond, they push on it.
Does anyone know of a setting that keeps a diamond in place by pulling on it?

Next, consider the odds of relatively tiny prongs bending vs. the odds of bending the relatively huge thick wall of beefy metal comprising each side of a tension setting.
The tremendous force required to bend open a tension setting on your finger would put in the ER, while prongs can be bent from just putting on a cashmere sweater; You might not even know anything was amiss till you later noticed yourdiamond was gone.
IMO tension settings (if from long time reputable makers) offer far superior diamond-loss prevention than can prong settings.

To me a diamond in a prong setting looks like a prisoner in jail compared to a diamond in a tension setting, which (when viewed from 2 sides) feels more like a bird flying free.
Plus in my tension setting I can see an uninterrupted view of around 90% of my diamond's side view.
More light can get in on the sides and more light can come out the side for more of the light show only diamond can put on.

 

[LibertyN]

I bought a tension setting simply because when I saw the 4 true tension options in the James Allen website, I fell in love with the bold, modern designs. A local jeweler tried to scare me away from a tension set ring, for what can only assume was their own financial self-interest. It almost worked…but I realized (1) a major jeweler like James Allen wouldn’t make such rings if they couldn’t stand behind them, (2) the setting has hidden grooves that helps secure the stone, so (3) the forces of pressure tension settings put on the stone would make it far less likely to get knocked out of its setting than prongs subjected to any similar force.

I love my spiral tension ring. I wouldn’t buy a tension setting but from a handful of reputable jewelers with experience in these settings. Comically, the same local jeweler who tried to scare me away from James Allen tension set rings offered to make a tension setting for me if I bought from them.

The only downside was platinum cost an extra couple thousand dollars, as where it only added a few hundred extra dollars on most other settings. Fortunately, they had a sale for 25% off settings at the time.

 

[yssie]

Completely agree re. Purchasing tension settings only from vendors who specialize in them!