Once the piece has been tested, passed and fully hallmarked then I can set the stones.  No glue used here!  It is vital that when I have made the settings I have been really accurate.  Too big and the setting can look uneven and cover too much of the stone, too small and it simply will not fit!  Trying to encourage a stone to fit into a setting that is too small or not quite the right shape will always end in tears!!   To hold the stones the metal is pushed over onto them to keep them in place – this can be nerve wracking when you are setting brittle stones like opal and emeralds – however careful you have been making the settings!

Sometimes I have to leave setting the stones until after I have polished the piece to avoid risk of damage during polishing or cleaning in the ultrasonic tank.