Mounting Three Stones in a Semi Setting Fitting

Creating a piece of jewelry can be very rewarding. Not only does it give a satisfaction in being able to say it was handmade, it also is a piece that is unique and appreciated by others. Most jewelry pieces include gem stones to add to their beauty and presence. Setting these stones can be a delicate process, but it pays off in the end, creating a beautiful piece. With the addition of multiple stones, the difficulty increases, but often creates a spectacular piece of work.

Types

There are many types of settings for jewelry pieces, each with its own look and use. Some include bezel settings, prong settings and semi settings, often called invisible or pressure settings. All of these types can be used for either single settings or multiple settings.
The type of stone plays a large part into considering which type of setting is best for the piece. For instance, a cabochon--a stone that has a smooth surface--is often used in bezel settings. A prong setting is often used for a faceted stone--one that has many cuts. A semi mount setting is often used on a faceted stone that has at least two flat edges, such as a princess cut or emerald cut, but can be used with round stones as well.

Identification

Once the stone of choice has been selected and the amount of stones has been set, the next thing to identify is the type of setting that is best for the design. A bezel setting will have a thin piece of metal surrounding the entire edges of the stone. This is why it is best for the cabochon setting because that stone will have smooth edges for the metal piece to secured against, making it visually appealing.
The prong setting has many small pieces of metal centered at a base, holding the stone up to allow light to reflect the many cuts. The faceted stone is best with this because all the intricate cuts will be displayed with this raised setting.
The semi setting creates a tension between the two pieces of metal to hold the stone in place. This is why a stone that has two flat edges will have the best support, but exceptions can be made for round stones. This setting shows the least amount of metal, which is why it is often called an invisible setting.

Considerations

The choice of setting and stone will often be decided based on what is available as well as what would look best if being made from scratch. Also, if multiple stones are going to be set, the layout of the design and how close each are to one another will often designate which type of setting will be used. The easiest setting to use for a design with multiple stones is a prong setting. Each setting would then have a set with a notch in each prong to have the stone rest on before closing the metal to the top of the stone. The semi setting also has this notch in each, but since it only has two sides versus the three to five that a prong setting has, it is not as easy to set.

Time Frame

Setting a stone can take anywhere from a few minutes to hours. The determining factors would be if the setting is being made from scratch or if it is a prefabricated setting that would then just have the stone set into. The type and size of the stone can also play a large role. A smaller stone is harder to get into the right place. Being able to enclose the metal around it without having the stone pop out or break is difficult. Getting an irregular-shaped stone to sit flat in the setting, and setting it into place without it moving can be a problem.
Setting multiple stones can take a long time. If they are very close together, getting the metal to set around the stone without disrupting the other settings can be challenging. When the setting is made from scratch, the process can take days depending on the complexity. Each setting would have to be custom-made to fit each stone and then assembled using a torch. It would then need to be incorporated into the whole design of the piece.

Function

Bezel settings may be the one of the hardest to set, yet are almost always the first that are taught in school. The metal has to be cut to just the right size and then shaped precisely to meet up with the stone that it will hold. It is then soldered onto a flat piece of metal to make the base. Then the stone is inserted, and the steel push tool is used to enclose the metal around the stone until the entire stone is surrounded smoothly.
Prong settings contain several spokes of metal from a base, each of them having a notch at the top. The stone is dropped into these notches, also referred to as a basket. The steel push tool is then used to enclose the metal tips over the stone. It is best to begin at one corner, then the opposite corner, and then continue around until the entire stone has been set.
With semi settings, the ends of metal will have notches just like the prongs, to hold the stone in place. Since it only contains two ends, it is easiest to use a stone that also has at least two flat sides so these can rest against the metal ends. A round stone requires the two pieces of metal to also be round in shape to match the stone, which is harder to keep the stone in place while using the steel push tool to secure the metal over the stone's edges.