setting diamonds in a plain band

[jenniepurls81]

Hi, I wanted to know if anyone has any previous experience with setting loose diamonds in a plain band. I have a thick 5g 14k white gold band and have always wanted an eternity band. I read online you can have them set one at a time if you wanted and in a flush or bead setting. I thought it would be a neat idea to get them set over time on anniversaries until I had a full eternity band. My question is if anyone has had this done to a plain band and was it expensive? Anyone have an estimate of how much this might cost? Thanks!

 

[flyingpig]

Hi, I wanted to know if anyone has any previous experience with setting loose diamonds in a plain band. I have a thick 5g 14k white gold band and have always wanted an eternity band. I read online you can have them set one at a time if you wanted and in a flush or bead setting. I thought it would be a neat idea to get them set over time on anniversaries until I had a full eternity band. My question is if anyone has had this done to a plain band and was it expensive? Anyone have an estimate of how much this might cost? Thanks!

I really like this idea. I may consider doing this for myself
Regarding cost, it really depends. Once, I was shopping to add a 0.25c diamond to a plain band using a bezel setting, three "jewellers" quoted me $250 to $350CAD. Later, I found a goldsmith who was willing to do it for $120~$140CAD (material+labour)

If you find a local unnamed goldsmith who does small jobs, and if no additional material is required (eg flush), it should cost alot less, although in a long term, it is not necessarily cost-effective.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would guess this would be the most expensive way to make an eternity band. A better idea is to save until you have enough money to buy the whole ring. I do not think this would be a good way to do it in terms of time or money.

 

[flyingpig]

It may not be cost-effective, but I still like the idea. Every anniversary, it becomes a ritual to add a diamond, and the band evolves over time. I don't know what kind of design and tcw OP is thinking. But as long as the design is not too elaborate for a local goldsmith and good melees can be sourced cheap, I think it is neat

 

[jenniepurls81]

Glad you understand the meaning behind it! I think if I bought the melees myself it could be even less expensive. Next week I'm taking my ring to a metalsmith and I'll find out how much it will cost. Just wanted to see if others have done it before.

For design I was thinking a basic flush setting or bead setting. Nothing too intricate.

 

[flyingpig]

Good luck with your metalsmith.

Now, I am thinking.. With some basic metal work training, practice and tools, this can easily become a DIY project with your partner.
How difficult can it be to drill a hole, place a stone, and flush metal over/around the stone??

 

[nojs]

flyingpig: I have tried it, it is very difficult. One needs lots of experience to have a good looking outcome. And I would not start practicing with diamonds.

To OP: I really like the idea! Like suggested, I'd use local goldsmiths.

 

[Michael_E]

How difficult can it be to drill a hole, place a stone, and flush metal over/around the stone??

Well lets break it down. Drilling a hole straight, not too bad, but what are you going to drill it with? A dremel might work, but they're kind of heavy and you can't move them very fast if the bit grabs. If it does grab and then break off, how're you going to remove it and keep drilling? O.K. you've drilled a hole. Now you've got to cut a very precise seat into the metal at just the right diameter and depth, while leaving just enough metal to overhang the stone once it's in place. Do you have a microscope? If not, then you'll have a difficult time getting all of those things just right and if they aren't right, it will either look horrible or not work at all. But let's say you can get that all done O.K. How're you going to press the metal down and in, onto the stone and trim it up? Not to say that you can't do it, but flush setting done well takes some experience that most people aren't going to put the effort into, unless they going to do more than one ring. If you do this, please post a video here so that everyone can see and enjoy the torment that jewelers go through when they're first learning how to do this.


I think that this idea of making an eternity band this way is a good idea, but you might want to do two, three or more stones per year, or have a lot of patience, since it might take 20 to 25 years to get the piece completed. Oh, buying melee yourself might work out O.K. for many projects, but this one might be really expensive. Melee is small and the time to completion on this is fairly long, so make sure to have a really good, safe place to store all those little stones. If you lose them once or twice during moves, kids, grandkids, sneaky cats or just forgetting where they are, you could end up paying for them many times over.

 

[flyingpig]

flyingpig: I have tried it, it is very difficult. One needs lots of experience to have a good looking outcome. And I would not start practicing with diamonds.

To OP: I really like the idea! Like suggested, I'd use local goldsmiths.

K.. thanks for correcting me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WF_V1Y_YPk
This lady makes it look so ez.. it is a really small melee though...

 

[jenniepurls81]

I think I might do three stones at once if its not super expensive. I kinda like the look of this one attached.