Round Faceted Stone Settings Course

Learn how to make round faceted stone settings for both large and small stones – one of the most versatile settings in silver jewellery making.

What is the Round Faceted Stone Setting Course?

Our Round Faceted Stone Settings Course is a practical stone setting course that teaches how to design and make mounts for round faceted gemstones, working from larger statement stones down to smaller accent stones. You’ll cover both the principles of making the mount and the techniques for setting the stone securely and beautifully. Round faceted settings are the most accessible of all faceted stone settings to learn making this an ideal next step for improver jewellers who want to start incorporating gemstones into their silversmithing work.

What are faceted stones?

Faceted stones have flat planes cut into their surface, known as facets. A well-crafted geometrical arrangement of facets reflects light both internally and externally, maximising the brilliance and fire of the stone. Learning to set them well is what makes the difference between a good piece and a great one.

What will I make?

• Project 1 – Rub over setting for a large round faceted stone.
• Project 2 – A multi-stone ring featuring round faceted stones of varying sizes.

What will I learn?

By the end of the course, you’ll have developed skills and understanding in:

• How to make round faceted stone settings – including how to create a cavity to accommodate the pavilion of the stone
• Soldering and sawing with precision – essential for accurate mount construction
• Using a pendant motor – for refining and finishing settings
• Setting round faceted stones securely and to a professional standard
• Filing, polishing, and finishing a completed setting
• Design principles – understanding how setting choice affects the overall look of a piece

Who is this course for?

This is an improver-level course for jewellers who have completed a beginner term and are ready to develop their skills further. It’s also suitable if you’ve trained elsewhere and have a solid foundation in silversmithing — you’ll need to be confident annealing and soldering before joining. Get in touch if you have any questions about whether your experience level is a good fit.

Age requirements

All students attending classes or workshops at Kingham Jewellery School must be 18 or over unless otherwise stated in the course information.

Course materials

Sundries such as solder and saw blades are included in the course fees. Metals, findings and  a variety of stones are available for purchase at the school or feel free to bring your own to work with.

If you would like to source your own stone or already have a stone you would like to set these are the criteria in order of project;

• x1 round faceted stone of 10mm width.
• x5 round faceted stones of various sizes from 3mm to 5.5mm width. These stones are required for the second project in this course so if you’re unsure what stones to use please discuss with Nerissa in class.

If you wish to bring silver stock we will be using 0.5mm sterling silver sheet.

Materials cost

Cost of course materials can vary based on amount required and fluctuations in market prices.

As a general guide, materials for a single day silver course with semi-precious gemstones are usually between £30-£55. Costs of materials for a full term using silver are usually around £50-£80. To minimise costs silver can sometimes be substituted for copper. Copper is currently around 1/10 the cost of silver.