Here is my little wonderful ‘easy’ setting project I encountered a
while back. It was a full-bezel 18kt. 5.25 ct. heavily flawed,
Emerald with a wholesale value of only $10,000.00.
I was given the task & privilege after 2 other setters refused it on
sight, dunno why? No gluing took place, just loads of patience & no
interruptions!!! I had to sit & look over where the facet-edges
would touch the bezel. Where they did, I made little grooves with a
bud-bur, into the wall of the Oval-Bezel. All I wanted was the flat
facet to do the touching to the inside of the bezel-wall, not the
corners/edges. I didn’t want any pressure-points & stress put on the
stone. for obvious reasons.
Two & half hours later, the job was done. As you can see, I took as
many photographs as I could during & after the intense setting
process. My client arrived at my office on the Monday, extremely
pleased with the finished project. I also bead-set the multitude of
diamonds. On ‘Difficulty Scale of 10’, I gave it about a 50+!!! On the
inside edge of the bezel, I also Bright-Cut the inner wall with a
“Right-Sided, Onglette #2” graver.
This was a ‘semi-difficult’ project, but glad it got done.
Good work Gerry! I always wonder on job like this if the customer
will choke on the setting fee. I usually get told, " I can’t charge
my customer that much. I’ll have to take a loss." It makes me feel
inferior. I don’t hold a gun to their head, but they make me feel as
if I do. Thank you for being honest about the amount of time it took
to do this job. I don’t think anyone could have done it faster. I
hope you got several hundred dollars to set that emerald. Again,
good work!
There are days when one must tell the customer, "If you want me to
set the stone so it will be a prized memento, this is my fee for my
skill "…etc.!!! Today, I will charge at least $375.00. Ten years
ago, I charged my wholesale-client only $150.00…but look at the run
I’m having with it. It now adorns my business card & advertising &
talk about it. well worth the effort, eh? If your client won’t go your
fee. give it back to them, don’t blink an eye & tell them to “have a
good life”. Sometimes I did actually refuse setting jobs.
gut-feelings, design flaws, insult to my skill level. Not including
the attitude of the ‘trade’-client who wanted me to do setting for
ultra-cheap prices. get my drift? - Kevin, it’s better if the
customer chokes on your fee-structure than you-. After all, it’s you
who is doing the setting. I always say “if my prices are too high.
here are my tools & you can set it yourself”!..
Kevin- As you know one of the “Three Great Lies” in the retail
jewelry trade is…
“I’m not making any money on this. Can you lower your price?” The
second one is " Can you put a rush on this? My customer is leaving
town." The third one is not suitable for a public posting.
