Tru-Seat Setting System

Hoover & Strong, Inc. in Richmond, VA provides a line of Tru-Seat setting system that include solitaire earrings, pendants and solitaire rings in yellow, white and palladium white gold alloys. By using Tru-Seat mountings and the system outlined below, jewelers can reduce material costs, labor and improve quality.

Hoover & Strong Tru-Seat Setting System
	Hoover and Strong provides a range of die struck and cast solitaire earrings with pre-notched bearings in 14 karat yellow and white gold alloys for a full range of gemstone sizes in rounds and fancy cut shapes (C & D). For ease in setting the Tru-Seat mountings, they have developed a system for setting and provide tools necessary to complete the process. The tools include; (A) Plexiglas setting block and (B) the Hoover Tru-Seat setter's punch.
	To begin the Tru-Seat setting procedure for solitaire earrings, measure the gemstone and select the proper size settings. Pre-polish the earring settings. Place the gemstone to be set table-down on the Plexiglas setting block. To avoid abrasion to the gemstone, make sure there are no filings or other debris between the gemstone and the block. Place the earring finding directly over the gemstone and firmly press until the gemstone has clicked into its bearing. View from all sides and check the gemstone is level and uniformly seated.
	Place the post of the earring in the hole of the Plexiglas setting block. The base of the earring setting rests on the surface of the block. Then place the larger end of the Hoover Tru-Seat setter's punch squarely over the four prongs. Align the punch so it is perpendicular over the setting and gemstone.
	Lightly tap the punch with a chasing hammer to bend the prongs. It should take about 3 or 4 taps of the hammer. If hammered too lightly, the prongs will not be flush on the crown and if hammered too hard, the setting could collapse.
	This close-up shows the prongs formed over the crown of the gemstone. Hoover & Strong has removed about 40 percent of the prongs depth for the bearing in the manufacturing process. The gemstone is securely seated in the bearing and the prongs after forming and the prongs are flush with the crown of the gemstone. Finally, shape the prongs and polish.
	For a Tru-Seat solitaire, pre-polish the setting. Place the gemstone in the Tru-Seat. Place the ring on a ring mandrel and the mandrel in the mandrel hole on the front of your bench.
	Place the Tru-Seat setter's punch over the prongs and lightly hammer them over the crown of the gemstone.
	When completed, the prongs should be flush with the crown, the gemstone should be level and the setting ready for prong shaping, pre-finishing and final polishing. The depth of the Tru-Seat pre-cut bearings is calibrated according to the height of the gemstones crown and is a graduated percentage depending upon the size of the gemstone. The amount of the prong cut away to accommodate the girdle of the gemstone is based upon its diameter. The bearings are pre-cut at the correct angle to securely hold the gemstone

Hoover & Strong Tru-Seat setting styles are available in solitaire earrings, pendants and rings. All styles offer a range of settings for rounds and fancy cut gemstones of most sizes and are offered in yellow and white gold alloys. New to the line of solitaire rings are designs featuring comfort fit shanks.

The Hoover & Strong stock number of the featured earring is ERP42 and is a 14 karat yellow gold medium weight die struck setting. The featured ring is stock number SH617/SP61 with a 14 karat yellow gold shank and a 14 karat palladium white gold setting.