Practice makes perfect. Believe me, I started just where you are today with gemstone mounting, from scratch. I understand completely what you are going through when you are just starting out. So remember, it's not that you are a slow learner ... it's that it takes Practice, Practice and Practice ... and one final note before we begin our lesson today ... use Sterling Silver when first starting out, it's definitely cheaper when you screw up <SMILE> !!

Let me run through the gemstone mounting scenario, using our pre-notched mountings.

Understanding the pre-notched mounting:.

     1) Pre-Notched Mountings are made to accommodate fairly proportioned or well cut gemstones. If you have a gemstone that has a "belly cut" or one that is very deep, the stone will try to stand up too high when you are mounting it. We do offer a selection of deeper cut mountings if required. If the gemstone you are using is oversized, say a 6 x 5 mm Oval you are trying to set in a 6 x 4 mm Oval Mounting, then it will try to spread out the prongs when you mount the gemstone. In this case, always move up to the next mm Size Mounting Avail - 7 x 5 mm will work for a 6 x 5 mm Gemstone.  Stay will fairly proportioned or well cut, calibrated gemstones to start off with until you have mastered the practice.. Always be sure to select the proper size mounting before you get started.

     2) Carefully inspect and understand the pre-notch mounting itself. You will notice that on the inside of each prong, there is a notch cut out in each of the prongs, or a place which has been filed. This filed area or notch as we will call it, is where girdle or the edge of the gemstone needs to ultimately rest (or close to it). The notch is also the point where the prong tips will eventually be used to bend the prong tip over the gemstone girdle to hold the gemstone in place. This notch rests up against the girdle of the gemstone such that when the prong tip is bent over side of the gemstone girdle, the very tip of the prong is what will keep the stone secure in it's place. Do not try and bend over the prong below the notched area, it is made to bend or roll over the top of the gemstone at the very pre-notched point. If you think the gemstone is too large or the girdle is too high - use the next larger size pre-notched mounting before proceeding.

      3) A few tricks I have learned over the years working with these pre-notched mountings ... before you mount any gemstone, make sure all the prongs are relatively straight and that they are in alignment ( not all hosed up ). Take your gemstone and see if it will set inside the mounting. If it does not, very carefully bend each prong back slightly to open the mounting until the stone just barely sets inside the mounting, somewhat snug. I use my fingernail to do this, this way there is no tool wear on sides the prongs. Another trick is to use a hard flat surface to help you ... in this method, using my fingernail, I adjust the prongs to spread apart just slightly smaller than the size of the gemstone. Then I place the gemstone face or table top down on the hard surface and using the "Snap tight method" press the pre-notched mounting down over the gemstone. This will give you a good even placement of the gemstone in the mounting and get you off to a good start to begin the next step. Sometimes (quite often so do not worry) the gemstone will move slightly before you get started. This is not a problem, the gemstone will straighten out as you complete the mounting process. If the stone does not stay somewhat in place using this method, remove the gemstone and bend the prongs inward with your fingernail, repeat the process.

     4) OK, at this point you should now have a pre-notched mounting in hand with a gemstone that is inside the mounting ready for the prongs to be worked. Next, I usually squeeze the sides of all the prongs with my fingers until the girdle of the stone is resting evenly in all the prong notches. At this point the stone looks like it has been set, but the prongs tips are not bent over the girdle of the stone.

We offer a special gemstone mounting tool with a 10:1 Ratio Pressure adjustment (micro adjustable) which works much better than needle-nose pliers, and which always applies the an even amount of pressure to the prongs. Needle-nose pliers do work if you are careful. The first time you scratch an expensive gemstone, you will want to order our gemstone mounting pliers for sure. These pliers can be ordered from Orions Gemz and Jewelry at the following URL Address:

EARRING AND PENDANT MOUNTINGS

     5) Place bottom one tong of the pliers (or Gemstone Mounting Tool) on the base or underside of the mounting prong as shown above, and the other pliers tong just at the tip of the prong you selected to start with. Keeping gentle pressure on the gemstone with your finger to keep it in place, gently apply pressure to the prong tip such that it bends over the top of the gemstone - it will bend at the pre-notched point. The bottom tong of the pliers should be positioned at the base of the mounting for stability, while the top tong of the pliers are positioned  on the tip of the prong you are starting out with. When positioned in place, apply pressure bend the first prong over the girdle of the gemstone. When you do this, do not do it hard, very slight pressure is the key here, just enough pressure to bend the prong tip over until it gently rests around and over the girdle or edge of the gemstone. You will be going back and applying additional pressure later, so this first application of pressure on the gemstone is to just get it seated and level in place.  when working with the first prong, the gemstone may lift up slightly on the opposite side, but this is normal. The more pressure, the higher the opposite side of the gemstone will rise. It really should not rise hardly at all in this first step to seat the gemstone in position. If the stone lifts real high, you have applied too much pressure. If the gemstone lifted way too high to recover - go to STEP 9, below.

     6) On to the next prong --> Next, select the prong which is opposite or diagonal from the prong you just worked. Select the prong on the side of the mounting where the stone may have lifted up slightly or the prong diagonal from the one you just worked. Repeat the above plier process of slightly bending the prong tip over at the pre-notched area of the prong such that once again, the tip of the prong is rolled over the top of the girdle of the stone. Repeat this process, using the opposing sides or diagonal prong selection method until you have stone gently seated in place ... you are not finished at this point. Remember, it's the combination of all the prong tip working together to hold the stone in place, you do not need to "hard crimp" every prong.

     7) Finishing pressure --> Once you have gently bent over all the prong tips to gently seat the gemstone in place, very carefully go over each prong with SLIGHTLY more pressure using the same opposing or diagonal prong method you started with. Keep in mind that you are not dealing with lug bolts on an 18-Wheeler <smile> you are dealing with very delicate gold or sterling silver prongs. Repeat the process of applying additional pressure until you are satisfied with the seating of the gemstone in place.

     8) Completed --> At this stage you should have a completed item, with the gemstone secure in place. Again, it is important to understand that it is all the prong tips working together which holds the gemstone securely in place. Application of even pressure on all prong tips will keep your stone properly in the mounting and not leaning towards one side. If the gemstone in the finished item is leaning towards one side, you have applied uneven pressure. This might be corrected by applying additional pressure to the prong tip(s) on the side which is higher however,  you can crack a gemstone or completely ruin the prongs on that side if you apply excessive pressure..

   9)  If the stone is too high on one side, or if you have completely crushed a prong beyond recognition, you need to immediately do the following :

** Get a cold Beer.

** Think about what you may have done wrong, I do not mean in your life, I mean in working with this pre-notched mounting.

** Carefully remove the gemstone from the obliterated, wasted and hereby useless pre-notched mounting. You may need to use side cutter pliers to cut the prongs away from the gemstone - be careful not to hurt the gemstone.

** Since you just had a beer, carefully distinguish which is the mounting, and which is the gemstone. Then, place the wasted mounting in a recycle bin for future melt down, keeping the gemstone for more practice.

** Grab another Sterling Silver Pre-Notched Mounting, no more beer, start over.

 If you have properly completed all these steps and have ruined three practice mountings, it means that you have now had at least three beers. I would stop for the day and reflect at this point.

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