Hello everyone,
When I was taught cluster setting, I was taught to set the
surrounding stones first, then set the center stone last, with the
seat for the center stone burred just above the seats for the
surrounding stones (but on the other side of the prong, of course).
Today I saw a cluster setting where the center stone was set first
-below the surrounding stones, and then the surrounding stones held
the center stone in.
I’ve always thought that stones shouldn’t be touching -is this
wrong?
Thank you,
Susannah
I just did a cluster setting last night - a 14 x 10mm center stone
(set first) surrounded by 18 2mm accent stones (cornflower blue
sapphire). The setting is constructed so that the outer edge of each
accent stone is held in place by a single prong but the inner edge is
held in place by the center stone above it, with just enough contact
to make it hold.
Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
What works in any individual case is what works. Of course there are
considerations with any job so its dangerous to make broad
generalities.
One good reason to set the outside first is that it enables you to
properly center the main stone. You can mush it one way or the other
to compensate for slight irregularities in the satellite stone
outline. You can view the alignment of the accents without the
distraction of the center. Also. if you’re using a hart bur for the
outsides, you most likely will need the clearance to tip the bur from
the inside, if the center was there it might restrict your movement.
I can visualize this better than I can describe it, sorry.
I don’t believe girdles should ever touch but sometimes it happens
because they are maybe not quite the ideal size for the mounting, so
you may have to shoehorn them in. When I was contracting, retailers
would supply stones that were too big and just say, “Oh you can do
it”. Well, they’re paying and they’re supplying so I would do it
their way. I hated it but I did it.
The example you gave with the center set below the sides…how did
that look? Sounds awkward on the face of it, but maybe its a
different concept?
The example you gave with the center set below the sides...how did
that look? Sounds awkward on the face of it, but maybe its a
different concept?
I think they were trying to go for a flat surface look, but a
regular pave might have worked better than a cluster setting. It
looked a little like someone had poked the center, it was sunken,
but not noticeable to anyone but another jeweler. I think they got a
good deal on oddly-cut or pointy-headed stones and were trying to
use them up.
Susannah