Stone setting is what unites gemstones and precious metals into a single entity. Whether envisioning the use of a particular gemstone, or assembling the finished piece, it is impossible to proceed without consideration of how the gemstone will be set. It is often said that the gemstones determine the design of jewelry, but it would not be an exaggeration to also say that the method of stone setting determines the quality of a piece’s style.

The three rings shown to the right illustrate the basic methods of stone setting. Ring A at the top is an example of prong setting. The large center gemstone in ring B is set in a bezel setting. A third basic stone setting method, bead setting involves setting the stones by pushing metal from the jewelry’s surface onto them. The small diamonds set in the shank of ring B are pavé set, which is an application of bead setting. Ring C shows a bar setting, in which a single stone is set between two parallel rails of metal.