Elizabeth Jewelry

Bezel

The bezel is shaped into the size and shape of the gem and then soldered into place on the metal of the jewelry.

The prepared stone is then placed into the bezel and the metal is pressed down over the edges of stone, locking it into place. A cabochon stone, a gemstone that is not faceted, usually relies on the shallow angle cut into the side of the stone which helps the metal to stay in place.

With a clear faceted stone, such as a diamond, a shallow groove is cut into the bezel itself. The girdle or widest part of the gem stone is placed in the bezel, which is then pushed down over the girdle.

The pressure of the bezel over the edge of the diamond keeps it in place. Bezel settings for diamond rings are also called rub-over settings; they have a diamond completely surrounded by a precious metal band which fastens the diamond securely into place.

Bezel settings use a type of elevated collar which wraps the rim of the diamond in a complete metal edging. This type of diamond rings setting is the most secure fastener for the stones. The bezel setting also protects the diamond better than other types of settings, such as the prong setting.

Channel

Channel setting is a method whereby stones are suspended between two bars or strips of metal, called channels. Often when setting small stones and the bars go in a linear line with the design it is called channel setting, and when the bars cross the lines of the design, it’s called bar set. The idea is the same, though.

The sides are made just a bit narrower than the width of the stone or stones to be set, and then, using the same burs as in prong setting, a small notch, which is again called a bearing, is cut into each wall.

The stone is put in place in those notches, and the metal on top is pushed down, tightening the stone in place. The proper way to set a channel is to cut a notch for each stone, but for cheaper production work sometimes a groove is cut along each channel.

Also, since the metal can be very stiff and strong, this is a situation where a hand tool, called a “hammer” which is like a jackhammer, but jewelry sized, is used to hammer down the metal, as it can be difficult to do by hand.

Then, as always, the metal is filed down and finished, and the inner edge near the stones cleaned up and straightened as necessary.

As with all jewelry, there can be many variations of channel work.

At times the walls will be raised — sometimes a center stone will be set between two bars that rise high from the base ring — or the channel might just be cut directly into some surface, making the stones flush with the metal.

Regardless of style, it is still considered channel setting.

Prong

Prong setting is the simplest and most common type of setting, largely because it uses the least amount of metal to hold the stone, thus showing it off to its best advantage.

Generally it is simply some number of wires, called prongs, which are of a certain size and shape, arranged in a shape and size to hold the given stone, and fixed at the base. Then a burr of the proper size, is used to cut what is known as a “bearing”, which is a notch that corresponds to the angles of the stone.

The burr most often used is called a “hart bur” that is angled and sized for the job of setting diamonds. That bearing is cut equally into all of the prongs and at the same height above the base.

Then the stone is inserted so that it goes into all of the bearings, pliers or a pusher are used to bend the prongs gently over the crown of the stone, and the tops of the prongs are clipped off with snips, filed to an even height above the stone, and finished.

Usually a “cup burr” is used to give the prong a nice round tip. A cup burr is in the shape of a hemisphere with teeth on the inside, for making rounded tips on wires and prongs.

There are as many variations of prong settings as there are stars in the sky — 2 prongs up to 24 or more, many variations involving decoration, size and shapes of the prongs themselves, and how they are fixed or used in jewelry. But the method of setting is generally the same for all of them.

Refurbishing

At Elizabeth Jewelry, we process hundreds of pieces of jewelry that are worn or traded-in merchandise from jeweler’s inventories.

Typically, we replace heads and missing stones, repair cracks or thin shanks as well as perform any other necessary adjustments to return these items to sell-able condition.

If you are a large jewelry retailer concerned with your trade-ins or defective merchandise, contact us.

Finishing

Final finishing takes keen eyes and steady hands. At Elizabeth Jewelry, our polishing experts are skilled in all aspects of the process, from lapping and buffing to the application of antique, rhodium and surface finishes.

It is this careful attention to detail that ensures that every item that leaves our factory reflects our high standards of quality.

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Elizabeth Jewelry provides jewelry manufacturing customers with a large array of contract services. It is something that we’ve been doing for 8 years as a company and take pride in the fact that our customers keep coming back to us.

Gregory, the President of the company has been in the jewelry industry over 20 years himself. Starting off as a setter’s apprentice, he excelled to manager of the entire department which consisted of close to 40 setters at one point.

Rest assured, that every production order sent will be handled with experience and dedication.

Whether you need assistance with setting or polishing, our staff of over 20 craftsmen, has access to the latest equipment to meet your production needs.

We are skilled at all facets of jewelry manufacturing and can handle anything from a small order of just a few pieces to larger ones of 1000 or more. Our production services range from a single process to a full turn-key solution.

Regardless of size, you can count on us to deliver your product promptly and accurately.

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