Stone setting
How stones are held: bezel, prongs, pavé, channel, tension and more.
11 entries
Techniques
Bezel setting
The bezel setting surrounds the stone with a thin burnished metal rim; the most secure, ideal for cabochons and daily wear.
Techniques
Channel setting
The channel setting places stones in a row between two metal walls, with no prongs between them; very common in wedding bands and diamond bands.
Techniques
Flush (gypsy) setting
In a flush setting the stone sinks into a hole and sits level with the surface, with the metal burnished around it; very secure and clean-lined.
Techniques
Halo, cluster and three-stone settings
The halo surrounds the center stone with a ring of small stones to give it size and sparkle; the cluster and three-stone are other multi-stone settings.
Techniques
Invisible (mystery) setting
In the invisible setting, cut stones are placed together with no metal between them, held by grooves in their base; patented by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1933.
Techniques
Pavé setting
Pavé covers a metal surface with many small stones held by tiny beads of metal, as if “paved”; it gives continuous sparkle.
Techniques
Prong retipping
Retipping rebuilds the worn prongs of a setting: metal is added to the tips, reshaped and the stone is checked to be secure.
Techniques
Prong setting
The prong setting holds the stone with 4 or 6 metal claws that let light through; the classic solitaire, like the Tiffany.
Jeweler's dictionary
Stone setting glossary: bezel, prongs, pavé, gallery and more
Stone-setting vocabulary: bezel, chaton, prongs, grain, pavé, channel, tension, gallery and the parts of a cut stone, with the Spanish term.
Techniques
Stone settings: types and how to choose
A setting holds the stone in the jewel: prong, bezel, channel, pavé, tension, invisible and flush; how each works and which to choose for the stone and use.
Techniques
Tension setting
In a tension setting the stone is held only by the pressure of the band, with no prongs; it gives a floating-stone effect but demands hard metals and very hard stones.