opal setting

[Geoff]

hello everyone,
I have some cabochon cut opals to set in a pendant, should I set them in a claw setting so light can get underneath them, or in a bezel?
thanks all,
Geoff

[Ceri]

Hi Geoff,

Every opal is different and so without seeing the opals in question I couldn't really give you any advice except to say that if you study your opals in different lights from different angles you'll get a better idea of how best to set them. Some opal actually shows it's colours better with an enclosed setting and the light just hitting the front of the stone but others are of a more 'contra luz' nature and need the light to pass through them to display colour. Experiment with a thick paper bezel to check the effect on the stone before setting.

Good luck,
Ceri.

[Dennis]

Its your choice of style Geoff. You're the designer.

When bezel setting you can cut away most of the back plate, leaving just a rim, and raise the whole thing on supports to let light in too.

The secret is to abandon convention and think up a setting from scratch.

However the first question to answer is whether it is translucent enough to benefit from extra light.

My picture shows a pink tourmaline bezel set as described. Dennis.

[Geoff]

hello Dennis, thanks for coming to the rescue, I really like the look of that setting. I will have to look at how opaque they are in daylight, since they are smoked opals.
have a nice evening,
Geoff

[CJ57]

Pretty much as has been said above. I was thinking too that it depends what effect you want to get from your design too. I also think that it has to be remembered unless it's for earrings the stone is going to be against clothing or skin with not a lot of reflected light

[Geoff]

Hi Ceri, missed your post yesterday somehow, and thanks for telling me the method of studying the stone. I put the stone in sunlight before I set it and it seemed show colour from every angle. Anyway I set it with a enclosed bezel and kept it simple. I got another opal in the post so will definitely try your paper method,
all the best,
Geoff

[J Allison]

Just be careful as Opals are soft which is why you will see them mostly bezel set