The Art of Setting Loose Diamonds

The Art of Setting Loose Diamonds

You may have browsed hundreds of jewellers’ stores and sites and come away disappointed every time, leading you to get your jewellery custom-made to your own design. You are not alone: often pieces of jewellery important enough to contain expensive gemstones like diamonds tend to be once-in-a-lifetime purchases, and many people like to have input on the design. Here is how you can go about getting a loose diamond set to your satisfaction.

Start Before the Beginning

Let us go back in time. Before you decide upon a custom design, you must source and purchase your diamond or diamonds. You will find loose diamonds for sale in most areas, but choose a reputable vendor, and insist on a certificate of authenticity from GIA or AGS, the two authorities on diamond grading in the USA. This will ensure that your diamonds are real, as good quality as they are claimed to be, and will let you know all the details of the diamond’s rating.

Setting the Stone

Most loose diamonds are sold already cut – it is very rare that a retail customer would be able to buy a rough diamond – and your choice of cut will affect the mount or setting of the stone. The most common cut for a diamond is the round brilliant cut, which is the ‘typical’ diamond shape, and found in more than half of all commercial diamonds sold. Round diamonds can be set into most pieces of jewellery, while oval and rectangular stones are great as solitaires, or with two similarly shaped smaller stones next to them to make a three-stone combination. More unusual cuts are the pear or tear-drop shaped cut, or the marquise cut – a sort of football shape, originally based on the shape of the lips of Mme de Pompadour!

On Your Metal

While purists insist that diamonds must be mounted in white metals such as white gold, silver, or platinum, in fact, the choice is yours. There are very dark – almost black – metals which look striking next to a diamond which picks up the darkness from the metal and includes it in the scintillation (play of dark shadows and light fire) that it produces for an unusual and otherworldly effect. Yellow or rose gold can look good too and will tint the diamond’s sparkle to shine like fire.

If you opt for white gold, it is best to check which other metals have been mixed with the gold to create the alloy, especially if you or the person who will wear the piece has any allergies. Gold needs only to be about forty percent pure for 10k gold, and white gold is the same, with the remainder being made up from white metals which can include nickel – a metal known to be allergenic.

Keep It Safe

No one would mount a large, three or more carat, diamond in a delicate four prong setting, simply because the risk of losing or damaging the large stone is so high. There are a great range of ways that the stone can be secured in place, from the tight grip of a bezel edge to the spidery security of an eight-prong fastening. Your jeweller will advise you on the best mount to show your stone off in the best possible light while keeping it safe and secure