From its earliest origins, jewelry has been associated with magical properties, healing powers, and wealth. Of course, it's possible to make jewelry without gemstones, but who would want to!

Diamond Nexus Labs gemstones should be treated like a natural sapphire or ruby when setting. DNL gemstones are often set in concert with other gems that customers already own that will not withstand the heat of soldering. Heating any gemstone can be tricky, the only time it is recommended to heat any gemstone is in the stone-in-place casting process-otherwise it should be avoided. Consequently, in the interest of exercising caution, the techniques described herein are specific kinds of cold connections.

These instructions are written for the jewelry hobbyist, or to be offered to a professional jeweler to set stones. By no means is this an encyclopedia on stone setting, but it is more than comprehensive enough to set DNL stones beautifully.

We'll take a look at the categories of gemstones and describe a few of the most popular setting styles. An innovative jeweler will take these standard settings as a starting point for his or her own ideas.

A Word About Jewelers

Most jewelers are honest hardworking men and woman that will cheerfully accommodate stone setting requests and do excellent work. Jewelers, as a rule are goldsmiths, who can set stones in existing commercial settings and size rings. Some are creative crafts persons that can design and create there own unique settings. Like in all professions, some are better than others. Jewelers, like those you will find in a retail jewelry store, are NOT scientists or materials engineers. Counter clerks in a retail jewelry store are NOT jewelers/metalsmiths. More often than not, counter clerks and some jewelers will use a thermal probe or high-powered loupe to distinguish a simulated diamond from a mined natural diamond. Retail jewelry stores purchase and implement scientific testing equipment or magnification because most employees cannot tell the difference with the naked eye. If identifying the difference between a synthetic diamond and a natural diamond were blatantly obvious they would not waste time on close scrutiny or money on thermal probes and magnification optics.

Though isolated, we have heard reports of a few jewelers refusing to set synthetic stones, often making disparaging remarks about synthetic stones (regardless of their source or chemistry), or specious excuses as to why they cannot set synthetic stones. Negative comments are virtually always made by jewelers who lack credentials as synthetic gemstone chemists, and have never submitted any synthetic gemstone to a qualified laboratory for scientific testing/analysis (a clinical study) to determine its properties. As for not being able to set synthetic gemstones for whatever flimsy reason, we know this is flagrantly false because Diamond Nexus Labs has set millions of synthetic gemstones, and our site is populated with ubiquitous examples. Diamond Nexus Labs senses that jewelers who make disapproving remarks about synthetic gemstones or refuse to set them are simply expressing frustration that the consumer had not spent thousands of dollars on a mined diamond at their store.

If you have ordered a loose stone(s) from Diamond Nexus Labs, and want us to mount if for you, or you are having trouble getting it mounted, please contact us by phone immediately and we set your gemstone(s). If we mount your DNL gemstone(s), all your guarantees remain in tact.

How Using A Local Jeweler To Set Any DNL Gemstone Affects Your Diamond Nexus Labs Guarantees

We have had cases-whether it be from incompetence, negligence, malice, or any combination thereof-where local jewelers (unrelated to DNL) have damaged gemstones purchased from DNL, customers' settings, or both when mounting stones. We know about such cases because loose stone customers have contacted DNL with this information, or sent back gemstones/jewelry damaged or poorly set by their local jeweler for repairs. The key point to remember is that if you hire a local jeweler to mount a gemstone purchased from DNL, you accept all risks:

30-Day Money Back Guarantee-Void. Reason: DNL cannot predict what any jeweler outside our supervision will do to damage or alter a gemstone, or the outcome of the mounting in terms of quality, nor can we verify the credentials of any local jeweler. All stones, even mined natural diamonds, can be damaged, altered, or poorly set. We do not guarantee our gemstones based on or influenced by the work of outside parties.

Lifetime Gemstone Performance Guarantee-Void. Reason: DNL cannot predict what any jeweler outside our supervision will do to damage or alter a gemstone, or the outcome of the mounting in terms of quality, or long-term use, nor can we verify the credentials of any local jeweler. Incorrectly set stones can become damaged in time as a result of poor workmanship. We do not guarantee our gemstones based on or influenced by the work of outside parties.

Lifetime Free Gemstone Replacement Guarantee-Void. Reason: DNL cannot predict what any jeweler outside our supervision will do to damage or alter a gemstone, or the outcome of the mounting in terms of quality, or long-term use, or becoming dislodged and lost, nor can we verify the credentials of any local jeweler. Incorrectly set stones can be lost as a result of poor workmanship. We do not guarantee our gemstones based on or influenced by the work of outside parties.

Gemstone Information

The art of cutting and polishing gems is called lapidary. Natural gems (occurring in nature) are mineral materials formed in the earth through the actions of chemicals, water, pressure and heat. Some organic (once living) materials, such as coral, amber, and pearls, are also considered gems. Synthetic gems are also cultured from the actions of chemicals, water, pressure and heat, only under controlled conditions in a laboratory environment in a compressed time frame.

Nature's trove has been augmented by synthetic stones and, not surprisingly, the range of these has only increased with advanced technology. Synthetic stones are sometimes frowned upon by pretentious snobs who don't know the difference when they see it with the naked eye, and minion jewelers peddling diamond cartel stones for thousands of dollars each. In the case of synthetic garnets and amethysts, the natural stones are both readily available and not significantly more expensive than their synthetic counterparts. In other cases, as with emeralds and diamonds, synthetics are in widespread use simply because they have stunning aesthetic appeal, make more sense in cases of loss, and the savvy shopper gets incredible value for their money.

Types Of Stones

Since our earliest ancestors picked up brightly colored rocks along the beach, people have been shaping, polishing, and collecting stones. While many DNL loose gemstones are purchased for solitaire settings or to replace existing or lost stones, many others are bought to be used in combination with other stones, natural and/or synthetic. Therefore, a discussion of basic stone types and various mounting techniques needs to be discussed. Lapidary is a complex art, but for our purposes we can divide the universe of cut stones into three broad categories: tumbled, cabochon, and faceted. A short discussion of each is necessary because some DNL customers may want DNL stones set in combination with other stones, faceted or not.

Tumbled
These stones are free-form lumps that are mass-finished by tumbling them in a drum with water and abrasive particles. They can be pretty, but are difficult to set well.

Cabochon
These stones are smooth, convex forms, usually with flat undersides. They may be round, oval, square or any other shape when viewed from the top, but from the side they take the shape of a rounded mound. Some translucent stones are cut as cabochons, but most stones cut this way are opaque. The name is typically shortened to cab.

Faceted
A facet, or face, is a small flat plane cut on a stone. Facets are arranged geometrically over the entire surface of a transparent or translucent gem to focus light into the stone and reflect it back. All of this enhances the natural sparkle of the stone, which can be round, oval or any of dozens of other shapes. Faceted stones are no more difficult to set than cabs, though they usually require precision to properly complement the extreme geometry of the cut. Diamond Nexus Labs jewels are all faceted gemstones.

To give you specific information of how hard DNL gems are in comparison to some natural stones, please consult the table below. What proves revealing about this information is that it shows that DNL synthetic gemstones are extremely hard, and, therefore, can be mounted beautifully with respect to virtually all accepted metalsmithing practices.

Stone Setting Guidelines

• The stone must be securely held.
• The setting should compliment the stone.
• The setting must not snag on clothing or hair.
• The setting should relate to the piece around it.

Basic Bezels

A bezel is a strip of metal that surrounds a stone and is pressed down over its sloping contour to secure it in place. A bezel is constructed as a thin, low wall that stands vertically, and perfectly encases the stone. After all soldering and finishing is complete, the stone is placed into position and the bezel is pressed against it. All suppliers of precious metals sell strips of fine gold called bezel wire. While these are a convenient size and stone for stone setting, don't neglect the opportunities presented by using other stock to make bezels.

Making A Box Bezel

1. Fit the bezel to the stone.
2. Solder on a backing, trim and clean the seam.
3. Adjust the height of the bezel walls.
4. Set the stone.
5. Smooth and shape the bezel.

Bezel wire can be used to make a box bezel-a solid-backed container that holds the stone. A variation known as shelf or ledge bezel is a strip of metal that is thinner at the very top, with an inner ledge where the stone can rest. In this case no sheet is needed below the stone, which means that weight and cost of the setting are reduced. Because the ledge is small, this method requires careful fitting, and is not recommended for very large stones or for situations where the setting might take on a lot of stress.

Another variation, called gallery wire, is bezel wire decorated with an ornamental pattern. Both shelf bezel and gallery wire were originally made by hand for each project and setting, and of course that is still done. Fancy commercial bezels can be very attractive.

Fit the bezel to the stone. Examine the stone, noting particularly the angle where the flat bottom meets the curving top. This angle, more than anything else, determines the height of the bezel.

Bend the wire into a loop that will fit snugly around the stone, avoiding kinks and pliers marks. This can be done by eye, checking it against the stone periodically. Large or asymmetrical stones can be attached to the table with double-stick tape and worked over directly. Proper fit at this stage is critical, so take your time and make it right. When it is, use scissors or wire cutters to snip the bezel closed with a tiny piece of hard solder. Solder is significantly less malleable than most bezel materials, so using too much will make a tough section that resists pressing against the stone.

Test the bezel by pressing it gently over the stone. The fit should be like a hand in a glove: the stone shouldn't be difficult to push into the bezel, but once there it should not rattle around. If the bezel is too large, cut a piece out at the seam and resolder. If it is a little too small, put the bezel on a mandrel and slide it along the taper to stretch it. Test frequently so you don't go too far. If the bezel is significantly too small, start over. Either way, don't proceed until you get it right.

The actual setting process-the last step described below-is very easy when the bezel fits well and quite frustrating when it doesn't. Some people ask which is better, too loose or too tight. The answer is neither. Time spent making it right at this stage will save twice the time later on, and yield a better setting, as well.

Soldering on a backing. When the fit is right, rub the bezel lightly on sandpaper to make its lower edge flat and clean. Check to be certain it hasn't distorted, and set it on a piece of sheet metal just slightly larger than the stone. The thickness of the sheet will depend on the size of the stone, but it doesn't have to be very thick to do its job. Stones under 5 mm might be set on 24-guage sheet, with large stones needing something like 20-guage.

Clean the metal with Scotch-Brite and prop it at a slight angle by setting it on a pumice pebble or extra bit of firebrick. This will allow the heat of the torch to reach beneath the sheet and minimize the heat drawn off by the firebrick. Flux the sheet and set the bezel into place so it has a couple of millimeters clearance on all sides. It's typical for the bezel to slide a little during soldering; this allowance will accommodate that. Set two or three pieces of medium solder so they touch both the bezel and the sheet; they can be on either the inside or the outside of the bezel. Remember, it won't take much.

Heat the assembly uniformly, so the solder flows all the way around the bezel in a single sweeping motion. Keep the torch moving, focusing the flame on the sheet rather than the bezel. As soon as the solder flows, remove the flame, quench the piece in water and then pickle it to remove oxides and flux residue. Pat yourself on the back. But resist the urge to test the stone in position! It fit a minute ago, so you can be pretty confident that it still fits.

Trim the area outside the bezel with a saw or sheers. You can leave a ledge of metal around the bezel to hold a decorative strip, but in most cases the sheet is trimmed flush with the bezel wall. File and sand to make the seam disappear.

At this point, you can attach the bezel to a piece of jewelry, using easy solder. Each situation will dictate its own placement of pieces and solder chips. Throughout these steps, set the gemstone safely out of the way, where it will not get damaged or lost as you complete the assembly.

Adjust the height of the bezel walls. The correct height of a bezel is determined by the height of the stone, the wear the jewelry is likely to take, and the thickness of the bezel. A large, tall stone on a ring, for instance, will need more bezel than a shallow stone on an earring. Shallow stones require less bezel because the metal is pressed over the gem at a sharp angle. Tall stones, on the other hand, have little allowance for the metal to press down on them and, because they are tall, are more likely to be bumped. These bezels, therefore, need to be tall and sturdy.

To determine height, lay the stone beside the bezel, remembering to take into account the thickness of the bottom sheet, which will raise the stone slightly. Note the angle of the stone and make a guess about how much bezel will be needed to secure it. Of course, this gets easier with experience. If the bezel is too tall, either trim it down with a file, or raise the stone within the bezel be inserting a loop of wire or a piece of sheet.

After all construction-as well as most polishing-is complete, the stone is pressed into the bezel. Before attempting this, use a blunt tool like the handle of a needle file or pliers, to roll the bezel wall slightly outward. This simple step might save you a moment of panic. It's common for the bezel to have closed somewhat during the finishing process, and it might at first appear to have shrunk.

Set the stone. Working on a cushion surface (a folded cloth works well), press the stone into place. Make sure it's seated all the way into the bezel. If it doesn't fit, examine the situation carefully-preferably with magnification-to determine where the trouble lies. Don't do anything until you've identified the problem. Then file, scrape, or sand the bezel as necessary to fit the stone.

The tool used to press the bezel onto the stone is called a bezel pusher. It is nothing more than a short steel rod set into a comfortable, bulbous handle. Bezel pushers can be purchased or made-a simple version uses a nail pounded into a golf ball and trimmed to a comfortable length. The tip of the bezel pusher should be flat, smooth, and slightly textured in order to avoid slipping on the bezel. True it up periodically with medium grit sandpaper.

The trick in setting is to avoid creating a pucker of excess material at one spot on the bezel. This will be the result if you move concentrically around the circle, so don't do that. Instead, start by pressing the bezel over the stone at each of the four compass points or, if you imagine the face of a clock, at 3, 6, 9 and 12. It doesn't matter where you start, but use this back and forth method throughout the setting to evenly distribute the compression of the bezel as it leans inward.

After making the first four bends, double check that the stone is level, that the bezel is the right height, and that you have completed all soldering. If you need to remove the stone, use a thin blade to pry the bends back, and pop the stone out by holding the piece in your hand and rapping it with a piece of wood (like a file handle).

If everything is in order, continue the pressing, this time working at spots midway between each of the first four. Continue in this way, always jumping across the stone to address an area opposite the last pressing point. Stick with it until all the bumps have been pressed down. This process could involve a dozen pushes or a hundred; it depends on the size of the stone, height of the bezel, and the power of each push.

Smooth and shape the bezel. Use a fine needle file and/or a pumice wheel on the flex shaft to smooth and shape the bezel. This requires a light touch, but can make the difference between a mediocre and a stunning bezel. After putting in this much time, don't sell the gem short by hurrying through the clean-up stage.

An important note: Most gemstones can withstand the touch of a file, as long as it's not pressed too hard, but virtually anything will be scratched by silicon carbide sandpaper. Even the apparently harmless fine papers are made of the same tough stuff as coarser grits, so never use sandpapers near any stone, natural or synthetic. Never!

Now that the shape of the bezel has been made uniformly graceful, switch to a burnisher or a leather polishing stick to give the setting its final finish. Once you've gone through the process a half dozen times, you'll be surprised how quickly bezels come together.

Fancy Bezels

After you've made a few standard bezels and understand the process, turn your imagination loose. Bezels lend themselves to all sorts of variations, including pattern, shape, color, and ornamentation.

Carved Edge
Make the bezel in the usual way, then use files and a saw to cut lines, scallops, and other shapes into the edge. Setting proceeds as usual.

Wide Edge
Make the bezel from thick stock, either by cutting it from sheet or by planishing a section of wire. For a small stone, you'll want something around 20 gauge, a medium size stone needs a piece about 18 gauge, and the bezel for a large stone could be made of 14 to 16 gauge. The bezel will be more difficult to form and size, but the principle is the same. Setting will require a hammer and punch to move the thicker metal, but otherwise the sequence of events is identical.

Secure the completed jewelry piece to a scrap of wood with hot glue (it can be warmed later with a hair dryer to release it), or ask a friend to hold it firmly in place. Use a blunt punch and a light hammer to press the bezel over, again moving alternately from one side of the bezel to the other as you go. Start with the tool at a 45 degree angle, raising it during later stages until, by the lasting planishing, the tool is almost vertical. As before, use a fine file and a pumice wheel to smooth and shape the bezel. To create a patterned bezel, follow the same directions, including the clean up procedure, then use a sharp stamp to create a texture. Any stone can withstand this process when it's done right because all the force is on the bezel, not the stone.

Step Bezel
To make a shallow stone stand up tall, use a second, internal bezel to lift it above the level of the base. This can be done by making the basic bezel previous described, then fitting a shorter bezel inside. If the fit is tight, you won't need to solder this inner bezel in position-the same action that sets the stone will also secure the supporting inner bezel. If the fit is tight, you won't need to solder this inner bezel in position-the same action that sets the stone will also secure the supporting inner bezel.

You can achieve the same result be soldering a narrow strip or wire onto a slightly wider one in such a way that a ledge or step is created. This material, called shelf or ledge bezel, can be purchased, but only in a small size. For larger stones you'll need to make your own, and of course when you are building this at the bench, you have control over the height and thickness as well. Once the stock is made, form the bezel in the usual way, omitting the base.

Tube Setting
This variation is usually used for small faceted stones, and starts with a piece of tubing whose inner diameter is smaller than the stone, but whose outer diameter is larger. Tubing can be made to suit your needs. Cut a length of tubing of the desired height and solder it into place on the jewelry piece. After making certain the top edge of the tube is flat and even, use a setting bar to carve a notch around its inner circumference. This is called a bearing , and makes a place for the stone to rest. In a well-cut setting, the gem snaps into place, making the setting process easier.

Use a bezel pusher and burnisher to set the stone. It's often possible to use round-nose pliers as an alternative setting tool. Use the base of the jaws, where the tapers are largest, to squeeze two opposite points simultaneously.

Fitting Bezels To Curved Surfaces

Prong Setting Guidelines

• Use strong metals.
• Prongs must be symmetrical.
• Fit is critical.

One: Lay out the pattern for a cone by drawing the side view of the intended shape. Extend the edges, then place a compass point on that intersection and draw arcs from the top and bottom of the cone. Use the compass to step off the stone diameter three times along the larger arc, and connect this point to the original center point. Transfer this shape to sheet metal and saw it out.

Two: Bend the cone with round-nose pliers. Use a file to prepare the seam, and solder the cone closed with hard solder.

Three: Make the cone round by working it with scribes, punches, and dapping tools. Set the gem into position to be certain the size is accurate and cut away excess on the top or bottom. File the bottom (the tip of the cone) flat.

Four: Use a saw to carefully remove the bottom section of the cone.

Five: Divide the base into four or six equal units and make a notch with a triangle file. These notches should not fall on the solder seam, which means most of the soldered area will be cut away. Once the V-shapes are cut, use a file to angle them gracefully outward. The object is to preserve strength while making the setting appear delicate.

Six: Reattach the base.

Seven: Invert the setting and use a saw to cut away the areas between the ornamental notches just made. Use small files and/or burs to make these openings uniform and graceful.

Eight: Finish the crown with sandpaper to make it smooth and delicate. Then solder it into position on a jewelry piece.

Setting A Stone In Prongs

One: Using a rod of sticky wax to grip the stone, hold it in position in the setting to check the height. If the stone is sitting too high, the setting can be expanded a little by pressing a dapping punch into it.

Two: For round stones- Select a setting bur that perfectly matches the diameter of the stone. If a perfect match is not available, choose a smaller bur.

With the bur mounted in a flex shaft, hold the tool vertically and lower it into the setting with the bur turning as slowly as possible. As soon as it touches the prongs, remove the tool and check to see that the bur has made identical marks on each prong. If one is untouched, or cut deeper than the others, use pliers to move the prong to the correct angle. Cut notches that will seat the stone and aid in bending over the prong. Notches should be cut about one-third of the way through the prong.

Three: For oval and other shapes -Use a Hart bur or small spherical bur to make the following cuts.

With the stone in position, use a felt top pen to mark a location on each prong just below the point where the stone touches it. With the bur turning as slowly as possible, cut away about one-third of each prong at the marked location.

Four: Use a small blade or a fine file to scrape the sides of each prong, removing burs formed in the last process.

Five: Set the stone into place with a snap fit. Check to ensure that it is level and equally engaged in all the prongs. If not, use a file or bur to adjust the notches as needed to correct the problem, but go slowly so you don't cut away too much.

Six: With the stone properly seated, use wire cutters to snip off each prong at the height of the table on the stone. This can be done with the stone in position if you hold it in place with your finger.

Seven: Remove the stone and file the tops of the prongs to make them even, then shape each on individually, usually with a slight taper.

Eight: Snap the stone into place and use a bezel pusher or pliers to press each prong tip inward. Press each of the prongs halfway, check the stone, then complete the setting process. Use magnification to check each prong and to ensure that the stone is level.

Nine: Use a ball bur or a beading tool to shape each prong. The former is a cutting tool, so go slowly. Beading tools require pressure, so again, go slowly, revolving the tool to shape and harden each prong. Use a bristle brush and White Diamond (metals polish) on the flex shaft to polish the prongs, and you're done.

Pedestal Prong Setting

This versatile, hybrid setting lends itself to cabs and faceted stones, large and small, symmetrical and irregular. It's not accurate to say it's the only setting you'll ever need, but its close. The first step it to make a "pedestal" that supports the stone from underneath. This can be as shallow as a millimeter or as deep as you want it. Whatever the choice, the pedestal should be shaped exactly like the footprint of the stone. Once it's made, set the stone on the pedestal and view it from directly overhead. No metal should be visible. If setting a faceted stone, use a bur or round needle file to cut a chamfer or bevel around the inner edge of the top side of the pedestal.