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Today, students continue practicing Stone Setting technique.
After punching a hole with a drill, they enlarge it to fit the size of the stone. To do this, a round drill head is used, with a ball slightly larger than a ballpoint pen.

It’s important to whittle the hole little by little to the exact size of the stone, every time checking whether the stone fits the hole. In fact, if the hole is even slightly bigger than necessary, it’s impossible to bring it back to a smaller size.

Once the hole fits the gemstone perfectly, raise its 4 corners with a tool called Ciappola and set the stone in the middle, as if claws on the corners hold it.

Since the raised corners are sharp and can scratch the stone, a tool called bezel pusher is used to give them round shape.

Copper plate for practice.

Practice setting each stone in the hole with 4 corners.

From the left: round drill bit, bezel pusher (there is a round dent on the tip), Ciappola (an engraving tool, similar to the burin).

Adjusts the size of the hole with a drill to the size of the gem.

The student takes the gemstone with a small iron bar, and put it into the hole.

The student raises the 4 corners, and press them with a bezel pusher to give them round shape.

The student continues practicing clean and accurate finish.

　

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