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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Silver Jewelry
 mounting gemstones
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| Author | Topic: mounting gemstones |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 08-21-2006 03:40 PM
  
I just got back from Sri Lanka, where I bought some small sapphires. I was advised to just just purchase the gems and the have them mounted here. I did, however, ask about which metal to use. The sellers/jewlers said they prefer to work in 18k gold, white and yellow. They said, and I agree, that white sets off the blue of the sapphire much better. When I asked about using silver, however, they indicated that the metal was not as good for mounting and that there was risk of the stone coming loose (because the mounting prongs are not strong enough). This explanation sounds bogus and an effort to sell the more expensive metal. However, since I know nothing about making jewelry, I thought I might ask the forum. My plan is to find a jewler, get the stones appraised, price the work, and then give the stones and a "jewler's gift certificate" to my wife for Christmas so that she can design a necklace and earings. She is by the far the more artistic of the two of us. Any advice? Thanks, IP: Logged |
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Paul Lemieux Posts: 1792 |
posted 08-21-2006 04:12 PM
I'm sure there are some alloys of gold that are stronger than some alloys of silver, and vice-versa. I really doubt it's true that silver should automatically be dismissed because stones are at risk of falling out... Sounds dubious. Perhaps FredZ will weigh in on this issue. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 08-21-2006 04:27 PM
My experience has always been that jewelers have a preference between gold and silver. Not sure why few work in both metals, but that seems to be the case. One reason I have heard is that silver is more difficult to work than gold. There also seems to be a caste system here; gold jewelers tend to look down upon silver. It may be that the amount of effort applied to moving silver prongs can damage the stone. Really good question, thanks for posting it. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-03-2006 11:10 PM
Was not silver was used extensively until white gold was invented? I had always thought that after white gold became available it was the perferable alloy to use as it did not tarnish. Also the jeweler would be used to working with this metal and could tell the customer that it was in fact a more costly metal. IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 09-20-2006 03:55 PM
Well, to get a jump start on the holidays, I spoke to two jewelers on setting the stones. Of course, I asked the "why not silver?" question. I got two answers: 1. We don't set precious stones in silver (similar to, "We don't ruin a good steak by putting ketchup on it!") 2. Silver is softer and the stone might come out of the setting. The second answer makes no sense to me. If sterling can withstand prolonged use as tableware and still be around for us to collect 200 years later, I doubt it is soft. Jeweler no. 1 did say that since his labor cost is the same no matter what metal he uses, why not increase the value of the piece by using the more precious metal? That seems to make the most sense. Oh well, I will let my wife pick what she likes, keeping in mind that we have champagne taste on a kool-aide budget! Regards to all, IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 09-27-2006 06:45 PM
Historically, DIAMONDS (and other "white") stones were set in silver---right up to the 1880s when platinum first appears.THe silver would be backed with gold. WHite gold, I believe, was only used widely for setting diamonds AFTER platinum became widespread. Colored stones are traditionally set in gold--but tradition is custom and there's no reason other than that. You see plenty of colored stones set in platinum or white gold in the 1920s and 30s. IP: Logged |
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Paul Lemieux Posts: 1792 |
posted 09-29-2006 12:40 AM
Here is an example of "silver-topped yellow gold," which, as Ulysses points out, was a mounting style employed to enhance the appearance of white stones. This is a brooch from about 1875, made of 10k rose gold with a silver top. The tiny white stones are diamonds. The green stone is a genuine gem. Some think it is a peridot. Somebody also suggested it could be a demantoid garnet, although it would be an astonishingly large example, and I don't want to get my hopes up. Widespread use of platinum was the death knell for silver-topped gold in the late 19th century. And then white gold became yet another alternative in the early 1910's. IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 09-29-2006 11:31 AM
Ulysses and Paul, Thanks for sharing the info and the we do it" seems to be an answer that covers a multitude of sins in many areas of life. Strange to think people would cover gold with silver given the relative value of the two metals today. It shows how much tastes change. Tom IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-30-2006 09:30 AM
 Above is another silver pin has a thin backing or cap made of gold. The silver front was chosen I assume because some stones look better in a white setting. When this piece was made white gold had not yet been invented. I do not know why a jeweler would choose to use both metals as it would appear to me to be much more difficult to make in this manner. I suspect it was simply that gold, a more precious metal, would be better received by the customer. I can not think of any technical reason for this construction. Perhaps someone else knows the answer. IP: Logged |
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