I have a set of pendant and matching ear drop settings, that are
defined in the Rio Grande catalog as back mounted pinch settings. I
THOUGHT I understood how to set the stones in them, but have had
absolutely no luck! I simply cannot get the stones properly seated
in the settings, either in the pendant or the ear drops.
I would love helpful suggestions from anyone who has used these
before! Mine are 14kt, and I think would be lovely with the
emeralds I intended to set in them!
I’ve used these as a quick solution. Usually the stones refuse to
seat because they are far from ideal cuts. There’s nothing wrong with
the settings but the stones table facets are irregular. There’s no
way round this. Only use the size of stones that the settings are
made for.
I have a set of pendant and matching ear drop settings, that
are defined in the Rio Grande catalog as back mounted pinch
settings. I simply cannot get the stones properly seated in the
settings, either in the pendant or the ear drops.
I had the same problem with these settings. The topazes I was using
had a thick girdle, and the stones wouldn’t quite clear. Emeralds
tend to have thick girdles also. I finally removed some material from
the inside with a Mizzy wheel and sandpaper (then polished). On the
earrings, I had to remove a good deal of the material holding the
post (the outside edge of the little tab thingie), and pull the post
tab up after annealing the setting. By carefully manuvering the
stones at an angle into the settings (using a needle to properly
angle the stone), I was finally able to get them in. All in all,
however, it was not worth the effort expended, and not something I
would wish on a novice. It might be easier if the stones are
perfectly proportioned, but the thick bezel prevented easy insertion
of the stones. I could have made a similar setting from scratch in
less time than it took to go to the extra trouble it took me to prepare
these “easy” settings.