Review: Gemstone Setting: The Jewelry Maker's Guide to Styles & Techniques

Gemstone Setting: The Jewelry Maker’s Guide to Styles & Techniques
by Anastasia Young

Just when you think the title says it all…

Let me preface this review with a little about the author. Anastasia Young is from London, a graduate of the Royal College of Art and a working Designer and Jeweler. You may remember her previous publication for Interweave, The Workbench Guide to Jewelry Techniques.

There are a lot of gem setting books on the market but what I think sets this one apart is not so much the techniques pages but the chapters surrounding them.

The book is divided into four chapters…in Chapter One Young looks at design – the process (from inspiration to sketch) – the history of gem set jewels – the process of stone selection and what goes into choosing THE stone – Outsourcing complicated or tedious portions of a project – and the “how to’s” of taking commissions.

Chapter Two – is all about the Gems – a fairly comprehensive Gemstone Directory with information covering availability, common treatments, care and handling of each stone.

Chapter Four – is the Reference material – measurement conversion charts – ring size charts and Mohs Scale. This section includes detailed diagrams of stone cuts and templates for settings.

….last but certainly not least – the Chapter the book is all about the Techniques Directory. This chapter begins with an in depth look at the tools used to set and finished with almost 150 pages of various tube setting to styles. Over 50 settings are covered from prongs to fancy settings that cover Tension and Cage setting.

With a Suggested Retail of $29.99 this book is well worth the expense and would be most ideally used by a student who picks it up to supplement a workshop or course.

Thank you to Interweave for providing a review copy of this book.