HI William, I have set a lot of normal princess in groups or four, not
the invisible setting type cut, and with no metal between the stones.
The key question that the table of the stones must be on the same
plane, reflecting light at the same time, to resemble the table of a
larger stone. Each of the four stones must have their own bearings,
which are cut both at the walls of the bezel and on the inner cross
the bezel must have for this type of setting, cross that will support
the culet of the stones, just below the girdles. -I find it really
difficult to try to explain it without a drawing, an what is more,
English is not my language! If you successfuly cut the bearings, the
stones must appear flust to ecah other, with the tables in the same
plane and no space between the girdles. Of course, the stones should
be of the same size and of the same crown height to achieve the best
result. Now it comes the most delicate part: to tap the metal over the
stones without them losing level. To do this, I drop a bit of melted
shellac or sealing wax in the center of the cross formed by the
girdles. When the shellac is hard, press on it with the fingernail or
a small rod when tappin with the hammer handpiece. Pressing at that
point keeps the stones from tilting or rising at the center when
tapping the metal at the sides. You must hammer at the center of the
walls, grasping to stones at a time, little by lillte, on the four
sides, stopping to check the level of the tables. Once the stones are
fixed only by hammering at the center of the walls, keep on hammering
from the center towards the corners, but just in order to close the
gap between the metal and the stones. Remember that the stones are
already fixed, and if you apply unnecessary pressure over the stones
at the corners of the bezel or near of them, the stones might tilt an
rise at the center of the setting. Of course, keep on pressing on the
drop of shellac at the center throuth all the hammering. The shellac,
when melted, fits perfectly to the four stones at the center point,
so, pressing a bit on the shellac, you press equally on the center
corners of the four stones. When all the hammering is finished, file
the bezel and clean and bright cut the metal over the stones with a
graver. I use a flat one. This is the method I follow. I hope this may
help you, William. I suppose there might be others, even better and
faster. For that reason, I would really like to recieve as many
critics as possible from other stone setters around Orchid. Thanks
William. Thanks to All.
Fernando F. Escudero, Spain.