First ever claw setting (help!)

[Aurarius]

Ahhh, and I thought I'd done quite well lol! Thanks tho

I'd say you've done quite well, Faith, but agree with Sarah that the stone should be a bit lower in the setting.

I'd take the stone out and cut the higher pair of seats slightly lower so that they are on a level with the other pair and you don't have that gap. Once everything is secured I'd keep filing/reducing of the tips to a minimum, buff/polish and move on. Your next piece is bound to be better. Do thirty and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

[Faith]

Thanks Sarah, James and Mark,

Okay so I'm shooting for lots lower, I might even be able to take the stone out of that one and cut the seats off altogether and start again with the stone in the right place. I also have 3 more silver ones to practice on - 26 short by Marks count!

Thanks for the photo too James - you know all the jewellery I've seen you'd think it'd be obvious to me where the stone should go!

Well, I'll see how I get on and pop up a photo of the next one

Faith

[Faith]

Attempt 2:



Was a bit of failure... if you can see, I obviously cut the notches in the wrong place, photo is at step 3 going on 4 of Josef's diagram, but as soon as I tried to pull the claws back up the stone got stuck tilting to one side or tother, and wouldn't slot into the opposing notch.

I think rather then cutting the notches and then opening the claws I need to get all the claws open and the stone in sat on the girdle, before trying to cut the notches and or seat. I'm also tempted to try using the hart burr the same size as the stone again so I know I'm getting the right shape between seat and notches...

Any other advice would be appreciated based on my failed little pic.

Ta as always
Faith

[Aurarius]

I can't really get a clear idea from the image what is going on, so it's difficult to say why the girdle won't slot into all the seats when you pull the claws upright; the most likely reason is misalignment of the seats relative to one another. The alignment does have to be very accurate, unfortunately, if you want the stone to sit level and be equally supported by all four claws.

Personally I wouldn't ever pull the claws back that far; you risk stressing the metal excessively.

The usual guidance on stone size relative to setting is that when the stone is placed on top of the claws its girdle's perimeter covers about half the thickness of the claws. Obviously, if your setting has steeply angled sides and you plan on setting the stone near the base of the claws you may have to adjust your stone size downwards.

[Faith]

Thanks Mark, I think the problem was that I cut the seats too low, even shaping the gallery to make the stone sit a bit lower the stones girdle was too high for the seats.

So I think the stones are about the right size based on your description, here's a pic from above:



And the outside diameter of the claws at the height of the upper gallery is about a millimetre bigger than the stone.

I am struggling now tho, having tried with a few different burr sizes, I don't know how to get in there and cut the seats the right height and all level, without practically pulling the setting apart.... :s

Faith

[josef1]

Its difficult to see from the picture but it looks like you need to remove more metal from above the stone the claws are contacting the stone before they can go back

[enigma]

Yes, always gently ease the claws out enough to sit the stone down onto the base first , then mark the height you need to cut the notches.

[Aurarius]

I don't know how much meat you've removed from the upper gallery already (i.e. it's best not to remove more than can be helped), but if it was me I'd get the gallery's upper surface smooth and even (it looks lumpy in the pic), seat the stone down on it, then trim back any parts of any claw that are preventing either the pavilion sitting down level on the gallery or the claw coming down on to the crown. Your bearings won't be ideal but the stone will at least sit level and you'll be able to push down all the claws on to the stone.

[Faith]

Thanks Josef, Sarah and Mark,

Tomorrow I shall have a go at number three, and try to find a way to more accurately mark the seat position.

Thanks again,
Faith

[Gemsetterchris]

You should be able to re-try those first two attempts as they aren't ruined yet.
My biggest heart shaped burr is 1.7mm & generally I use 1.4mm.
You can mark inside each claw with dividers to help see you cut each claw individually at the same depth...once the claws are secure & upright snip off & file down evenly before rounding off or shaping.
It just takes practice & you'll want to stick the earrings into something to hold them as holding by hand isn't going to help.

I`ll also add that you don`t need to set them ever so low, a small gap is quite ok so long as the culet & some of the pavillion is covered & it looks about right.