Stone setting is a delicate and technical craft. It requires precision and care so that stones stay in place and are not broken during the setting process. Once these fundamentals are learned, a stone setter can discover creative new techniques.

This sculpted engraving by Sam Alfano shows an interesting way to set a stone. This simple demonstration piece from the 2008 Basel World trade show has four sculpted metal pieces around the small pink stone. Sam intentionally engraved each section of this engraving so he could manipulate the four small protrusions for setting the stone. It really is a clever and neat way to keep the stone in place and work well with the engraving overall.

If you would like to improve your stone setting or engraving skills, the GRS Training Center has several courses available for 2008. To find out more about how these unique and intensive five-day courses will accelerate your learning, call GRS today at 1-800-835-3519 or visit the GRS Training Center website at www.grstrainingcenter.com to browse instructor bios, course descriptions and more.