jeweler won''t bezel set tanzanite?

[Green with Envy]

My plan is to make dangle earrings with a few colored stones... and the largest stone at the bottom of each earring will be 9 x 7 emerald cut tanzanite. i just got a call from the jeweler and they said if they put a bezel around the girdle of the tanzanite they are almost sure the stones will chip. I thought bezel set rather than prong would be safer?

Should I try another jeweler? or change design?

 

[chrono]

Once set, the bezel will protect the girdle better than prongs. However, the process of bezeling is more stressful to soft gemstones than prong setting. I wanted to protect my soft peridot (set in a ring) and chose to bezel it. My jeweller cautioned me that he can do it but it'll be risky. I bore the risk since the stone was cheap and he did a great job. No damage during the bezeling process. For earrings, you are safe with prongs. I can't imagine you walking into doors or walls and damaging your earrings that way.

 

[Green with Envy]

This was a picture of idea... the bezels would be thin and only at girdle so stones were open in back... sort of like Tiffanie''s DMTY setting style.

 

[Green with Envy]

Do you think I should have top stones bezel set and just the bottom stone in prongs? would that look weird? I know the hammering part of the bezel set is what is making the goldsmith nervous.

 

[chrono]

Yes, I think it''ll look weird to have two different looks on the same earring.

 

[Green with Envy]

Chrono- I agree with you! I guess I am back to square one. Any suggestions?

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I wonder if they could do a reall open looking basket setting with prongs for the tanzinite?

 

[Green with Envy]

yes- they said they would try to make it very open looking basket... but i guess my concern is no bezel will look out of place when other stones are bezel.

They said maybe change idea and have halo of melee around tanzanite and then prong set rather than bezel... but that is a completely different earring.