IN THE world of jewellery the designer-maker is not a new phenomenon; custom design has been a part of the jewellery market for years, but it is only recently that designer-makers have become such a noteworthy part of the market. The designer-maker can offer unique designs which, in the age of mass-market consumerism, are very attractive to the customer.
The pleasure and challenge of including gems in a jewellery object (beyond the intrinsic beauty of the gem, of course) is to resolve the various factors that come into play.
A well-designed setting must achieve several goals simultaneously: it must secure the stone, enhance both the gem and the metal object, stand up to wear while protecting the stone and harmonise with the aesthetics of the piece.
The simplest of the basic settings is the bezel. The stone sits on the base plate and is held by the perpendicular wall that surrounds the stone.
This wall is pressed over the stone so that it leans against it, securing it to the piece.
Bezels are most commonly used for cabochons, a gem shape that has a flat bottom.
Because light does not usually enter a bezel set stone from behind, the setting is most commonly used for opaque stones.
A frame setting may be thought of as a backless bezel, in that the holding aspect is a wall that completely surrounds the stone.
Frame settings are particularly good for translucent and transparent gems, because light can enter from the back side; but they can, of course, be used for opaque stones as well.