Setting Montana sapphires

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have three 3.5 mm Montana Sapphires that were given an
Octabright cut. They look like little stop signs. Two of them
have an ice blue color although they are not dark and the third
one is almost white.

I was wondering if anyone has any good advice as to whether they
will go better in a gold or a silver setting? Since they are not
round would I have trouble finding a commercial setting for them?
Would it be a lot of trouble building an 8 sided setting from
scratch?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Peter Peterson

2

You should not have a problem setting these in a 4-prong
commercial head that you can buy in either sterling, white gold,
or yellow gold. You would just solder the head on the piece and
then set thw stone.

Choice of sterling or gold is an aesthetic choice. It should
match the metal of whatever the underlying piece is.

Cheers

Virginia

3

Dear Mr. Peterson: Personally I feel the ice blue, would look
best in fine silver. The white one in gold. Or a combination of
gold, yellow & white, if your planning to make a set, i.e.,
earrings and pendant. Interestingly enough, I happen to be
particularly enamored of this stone.

Please contact me. marcea karmaink@aol.com

4

Hiya Peter, Well…about your Sapphires…I dont’ know if i’m a
lil late on this cause i was away…but you shouldn’t have any
problem with a commerical setting…depending on what style
you want. Octagon cuts usually fit into regualar round
settings…at least from my opinion…I just had a pair of
octagon peridots set. Good luck finding your setting

Farooq

5 
 I was wondering if anyone has any good advice as to whether
they will go better in a gold or a silver setting?  Since they
are not round would I have trouble finding a commercial
setting for them?

Peter: I think the yellow vs. white is a preference thing. Since
they are octagons they should go OK into a four prong setting
for a 3.5mm round. You should be able to find something like
that around at a large wax pattern place.

HTH,
Roy

6

I might choose to set the bluish ones in yellow to enhance their
color, give it more depth. I would also set the clear one in
white. As far as settings go, one of the simplest ways I can
think of, if the equipment is available, would be to melt a
little wax, and push the stone in. Once the wax has hardened you
can file away and make your minor adjustments, cast, and viola!
have a bezel. You also might try carving your entire piece, and
then cast with your stone in place, but this is not a process I
am as familiar with, but there seems to be a lot of information
on it available in the archives. Good luck, Alicia Arnold.