Pronged setting

This was the the main focus of my last jewellery course with Yvonne Chaderton. Learning how to make a pronged setting. These are mainly used to set stones on engagement rings. Most of the time these settings are bought ready-made and soldered onto a piece, but it is useful to know how to make them if you ever have to set an irregularly shaped or sized stone.

I started off by cutting 2 lengths of sterling silver wire that were twice the height of the stone (a cubic zirconia) and soldering them ontop of one another to form an "X" shape. I then made a wire ring that the stone sat comfortably in, and bent the "X" up, and soldered the ring in it. I then cut the cross of the "X" off with a piercing saw. I made another ring to go on the bottom of that, and soldered the whole thing together.

The setting was then soldered to the silver bail, and the stone set into it. Here are the links to my previous workshops: 1 part1, part2, part3. 2 part1, part2, part3. 3 part1, (this is part 2).

This is the back of the setting.

This is a page of my sketch book, with a drawing of the above pendant.

Toby.