Invisible set gems

Jewelry Discussion
1

i am looking for advice on how to tighten invisible set diamonds that have not fallen out yet. My clients ring has two baguettes side by side, five in a row, the center seam is invisible set, the outer edges are channel set. I cannot get to the bottom of the diamonds w/out major work, it has a scrollwork inner race.Please do not tell me to decline the job , or use glue. both are non answers. Thanks in advance for your advice

2

To again additionally secure the diamonds, this can be a ring from
"Hades". Do this so very gently!!!
1) When you invert the ring, you will see a little thin band of metal in
between the “invisible-set” stones situated against their Pavillion!
This is your only solution, so be darned careful on what you have to do.
Once you find this little band, with a thin and I mean a very thin pushing
tool, push the metal FURTHER up & in between the two diamonds. These
stones will be now resting ON the metal!!!
.What you are is basically doing is now applying pressure to the metal, to
rest in between these stones further up against their “Pavillion”.
2) Another process is to very gently get your Flat Graver #40 and with a
’twist of metal’ as to have a little sliver of metal to cover BOTH of the
stones.“Gluing two stones”? Gimmee a break! That was not a viable Diamond
Setting option!..:>(

  • The cost for this delicate maneuver should cover ‘your beads of sweat’.
    Hope these two methods work for you.*

*Gerry Lewy *
Toronto.

3

My best advice for those is send them out to a company that specializes in
them.
If you’re stubborn do you at least have a microscope / laser welder?
You actually tighten them by tapping/pressing the gem down to mushroom out
the gold under the stones. Sometimes you can tighten them from the outer
channel edge if it is an outer stone. If you break them they need to be
specially cut to fit and sometimes that means building up that T of metal
underneath, that needs a laser welder.
Sometimes “No I need to send that out” is better than “I broke a
couple diamonds and now we have to send it out” and now you’re paying for
it.
Could be a good lesson in why those things should be the headache of
whoever made them.
Good luck

4

OK, I won’t tell you to decline the job, but that’s exactly what I would do, unless the ring was made by the originator of invisible setting, Cartier.

Invisible set stones have grooved girdles. They must be cut to fit exactly for each seat. Cartier used to have a diamond cutter and the setter working together to create such a piece. The cheap knock-offs we commonly see are not constructed with the same degree of precision and so will not have the same degree of security.

The main problem with tightening those stones is not the difficulty of doing it, it’s the fact that from that moment on you own the piece. Every time there is a problem with it, it will be your responsibility. When a stone inevitably falls out, you will be expected to replace it. If you don’t have the ability to source precisely sized diamonds and then cut a groove in the girdles, you will have to send it to someone that can.

If you still don’t want to decline the job, my advice would be to take it in with the understanding that you will not be able to guarantee the security of the stones in the future, and then send it to someone that specializes in invisible setting to do the repair. In the long run it will very likely be much cheaper to pay someone that is properly equ[pped for such work than to do it yourself.

Dave

2 Likes
5

In Toronto, the leading invisible setting manufacturer just discontinued their line. Too many problems and repairs.
They look great but the setting can be fraught with continuing problems!

I’m Gerry, On my iPhone!

6

FWIW, invisible setting, AKA mystery setting, was invented by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Your confusion may be with Cartier’s Mystery Clocks, which are a different animal entirely.

7

Part of good craftsmanship is knowing when No is the not only the correct answer, realizing that it is OK to say No when you know that the results will not meet your standards.

8

Thank God!!! I love the beautiful pieces Van Cleef and Arpels made, but much of their invisible set stuff was in the form of pendants, earrings, pins and necklaces. Invisible set stuff just can’t stand up to being worn in a ring.

9

From various articles I’ve read, they stated that is was originally invented in France in the late 1800’s, but Van Cleef had a patent in France and Cartier had a patent in the US. Whether their techniques were identical or not I do not know.