Problem setting diamond

[Picabia]

Hi all,
I recently posted about a bezel setting for an inherited stone (appraiser says it's a "modern european cut from around the 1940s"). When we had it appraised we realized that the table was horribly tilted. If you put the set stone table down the whole setting looked crooked. He said that any reputable shop would have set for the table to be parallel to the setting, even if the stone was cut strangely. The setter, on the other hand, says that the table is a bit off from the crown, so they set in order to make the crown flush with the setting. Long story short, we told them we want to the table to be flat and to do whatever custom work necessary to make that happen. Was that a mistake? Have you ever heard of something like this? The appraiser says the stone isn't terribly asymmetrical, and doesn't understand why they didn't just build up the metal under part of the crown to make it even. But before we get too upset with the jeweler, does anyone here have a setting that the stone is intentionally "off"? Does this sound legit?

 

[Victor Canera]

Hi, I would trust the advice of the setter more than the jeweler.
You have to keep in mind is that it's the girdle of the diamond that's holding the stone with a bit of metal on top of the crown. From what I'm understanding of your diamond, if you keep the table flat, the girdle will not be level. That would most likely make the bezel walls not level as well. It depends how off level the table is if it will be noticeable.

Good luck.

 

[Michael_E]

The setter, on the other hand, says that the table is a bit off from the crown, so they set in order to make the crown flush with the setting. Long story short, we told them we want to the table to be flat and to do whatever custom work necessary to make that happen. Was that a mistake? Have you ever heard of something like this?

You see this sort of thing quite often with colored stones and I think that it happens as a holdover from diamond setting in prongs where you want the girdle to be level. IN the case of a bezel it's a little different in that you can't see the girdle of the stone and so what you can see should be level. Since the table is the only surface which you can reference, you definitely want the table level in both directions. In order to do this it is quite easy to cut the seat for the stone a bit deeper on one end in order for the stone to sit with the table level. No, you did not make a mistake, the setter did and making it look right is something that they should be able to do with very few difficulties.

 

[denverappraiser]

The setter, on the other hand, says that the table is a bit off from the crown, so they set in order to make the crown flush with the setting. Long story short, we told them we want to the table to be flat and to do whatever custom work necessary to make that happen. Was that a mistake? Have you ever heard of something like this?

There's a habit with diamond setters to assume that the girdle is both even and that it's parallel to the table. This is often the case but it's definitely not required not required, especially with a Euro. In the end, the goal of the setter is to make it look as good as possible given the stones provided and the setting design chosen. If they didn't do this, it's entirely reasonable to take it back and ask for a rework. If they think they did the best they can within the limits of the stone, and maybe they did, it's on them to pursuade you rather than to just dismiss your concern.

 

[Picabia]

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful. I just hope it doesn't look worse when it's set for a level table. Under the idealscope the diamond looked fairly symmetrical. I just don't understand how it could be as "off" as the setting was. This is, I should note, a very high end shop. I think our piece was just not a priority. OR (and this is my fear) they did set it for the best look, and it will be weird with the diamond set for the table rather than the girdle. Fingers crossed I guess.