Prong Setting

Also known as claw setting. In a prong setting, usually four to six talons of
precious metal reach around the girdle (side) of the gemstone and arch over
its crown (top), holding the stone in place.

Even though the visible part of the prongs may be shaped into decorative
shapes, more often they’re rounded to avoid catching on other objects and
causing harm to either the objects or the prongs.

Bezel Setting

The bezel setting is precisely crafted to clinch a gemstone and hold it

securely in place. It is one of the oldest settings used to protect both the
girdle (middle) and the pavilion (bottom) of a gemstone from chips and
scratches.

Flush Setting

Another type of Bezel setting is the flush (or gypsy) setting. A window is cut
into the base; the gem is set into it and secured underneath.

Pave Setting

The pave setting appears as precious gems “paved” across a piece of

jewelry. When arranged in a pave setting, diamonds and white gold shine
and twinkle as the light touches each of the small “cobblestones” that come
together to create the pavement.

Tension Setting

This setting uses pressure to hold a stone between two open ends of a metal
mounting, making the stone appear as if it’s floating. Platinum is often the
metal of choice when creating tension settings for fine gemstones.

Channel Setting

In this type of setting, two long bands of precious metal hold multiple
gemstones in place, giving them the appearance of floating in the setting
since no metal can be seen between the stones.

Bar Setting

A variant of the channel setting, it appears as if several stones float in

adjacent berths with each stone set in its own private channel and set apart
from other stones by two thin metal bars.