On their own, gemstones look subtle and elegant.but when arranged in a perfect and original way, the result is a simply wonderful jewel and this is what happens when the pavé setting technique is used.
Pavé setting is a mounting technique that, in the world of jewelry, It is used to arrange different precious stones on a garment, medal or metal ring, letting it shine in all its splendor, highlighting its brightness and color. The idea of this practice is to uniformly and completely cover the piece of metal that you want to decorate or, as the literal translation of the word pavé indicates: stone
In the beginning of this technique of French origin, the solid setting was used in which all the stones are placed on a metal sheet. Later, other versions emerged, such as the claw setting, which allows more separation of the stones in the metal sheet and with it, a greater probability of appreciating its characteristics.
The end result of any piece made with this technique is a true work of art. and as such, it needs dedication time and in this case, several artists. Usually, this type of jewelry decoration requires the work of two or three people, including carvers, craftsmen, and jewelers.
To start the pavé setting work on a piece, stones similar in color, size and depth must first be selected and then adjusted to the millimeter in each metal plate. Once assembled with the application of the setting, the craftsmen proceed to polish it in order to remove any imperfections and a smooth finish that prevents damage to the future owner of the jewel.
Despite the tradition that weighs on the pavé setting, today it is still an artisan technique that requires patience and mystique for the executora reason that also makes this type of clothing more expensive.
As they are pieces of great value, they obey certain standards in the pasting technique; the pavé setting must be made with uniform stones of no more than 1.4 millimeters, mounted without walls or separations. Likewise, the rows and the continuity between them must be perfectly appreciated.
Pavé setting is a technique that seeks balance and symmetry in the setting of stones on all types of jewelry, although it is more common to observe this work in rings or wedding bands.
Because it is a subtle, elegant and timeless practice, there is no jewelry house that can resist having a couple of editions of jewelry that require the use of this technique, as the New York jewelry store Tiffanys did with its ring edition with pavé setting introduced in 1886 and famous to this day.