14K White Gold Pave Ring Setting
This custom made ring setting is engineered to present a center gem with maximum brilliance while maintaining an elegant, low profile. The band is available in 14K and 18K rose gold, 14K and 18K white gold, 14K and 18K yellow gold, a bi tone yellow and white option in both 14K and 18K, and in platinum 950. Each metal choice alters the tactile weight and malleability of the mounting, and informs the finishing steps such as rhodium plating on white gold or the hand burnish on rose gold to enrich tone. The design style is pavé, where a row of closely matched melee stones is seat cut into the shoulder to create a continuous corridor of sparkle. In a true pavé implementation the jeweler mills a series of precise seats along the shank, establishes even spacing and depth, and then secures each melee with micro beads formed from the surrounding metal. The four or six prong head that will hold the center gem is engineered to accept sapphires, rubies, emeralds, or other calibrated gemstones, with a reinforced basket and gallery that preserve light return and enable a secure mechanical hold.
From a gemological perspective this setting is optimized for brilliant cut center stones as well as for high quality step cut and mixed cut stones, because the pavilion geometry and prong alignment determine optical return. For diamonds intended for the pavé shoulders we recommend melee with consistent faceting, ideally full cut brilliants with 17 to 18 facets on the crown and pavilion symmetry that promotes scintillation. Typical pavé melee stones range between 0.8 millimeter and 1.8 millimeter in diameter, depending on the profile of the shank and the look desired. When specifying center stones the distinction among sapphires, rubies, and emeralds is important, because each species requires a different seating strategy. Sapphires and rubies exhibit strong pleochroism and distinct refractive index values, so pavilion depth and crown angles are set to optimize color saturation and minimize windowing. Emeralds demand extra attention to clarity and inclusions, and often require deeper seats and protective prong geometry to offset cleavage risks. Color grading for diamonds in the pavé is typically matched within one or two color grades to maintain an even visual effect, and clarity grades are chosen to balance cost and durability while ensuring the bead setting hides any minor inclusions from lateral view.
The craftsmanship is carried out under high magnification using rotary burs, needle files, and an optical microscope to ensure micro seat uniformity and bead consistency. First the shank is prepped with a centerline reference and milling marks for each pavé seat, then the jeweler cuts consistent tangential seats with a tangential burr to preserve girdle contact and minimize metal displacement. The melee are set in matched pairs when the design requires perfect symmetry, and each stone is checked for table flatness and girdle integrity before being placed. Beads are raised using a fine graver and then burnished with a cone burnisher to pull metal securely over the girdle without cracking the stone. The prong head is fabricated separately and laser welded or hand soldered to the shank assembly, with internal burrs removed and the gallery smoothed to prevent fiber snagging. Final finishing involves micro polishing the bead tops, light satin finishing to the underside where indicated, and if the alloy is white gold a rhodium plate to achieve a consistent white sheen. For platinum 950 the final polish is applied with diamond pastes to achieve a superior lustre and to harden bead edges.
Imagine the jeweler bringing a calibrated sapphire to the workbench, the stone held in a pair of brass tweezers and examined through a loupe to verify facet symmetry and pavilion depth. The artisan places the empty setting under the microscope and aligns the head so that the stone sits perfectly level with the circumference of the pavé shoulders. A delicate trial seating follows, with the jeweler lowering the gemstone into the basket and observing the light return from each facet, adjusting prong heights by micromilling to obtain perfect girdle clearance without stressing the gem. Once satisfied the craftsman marks the contact points, lifts the stone, and preforms each prong tip to a taper that mirrors the crown angles of the gem. The stone is then seated and each prong is carefully retipped using a series of increasingly fine gravers and a steel burnisher, drawing the metal towards the pavilion without blurring facet junctions. After seating the center gem the artisan inspects the pavé shoulders, tightening any beads that show movement and repolishing the bead crowns to ensure they sit flush and regular. Final quality control includes a security pull test on the prongs, a light performance check under daylight and a spot lamp to confirm even scintillation, and a visual inspection for symmetry, metal finish, and polish uniformity. The result is a setting that combines metallurgical precision and lapidary understanding, ready to accept the center stone of your choice and to perform with durable elegance.
