After pre-finishing and pre-polishing

the ring, Smith places the ring on an inside ring holding device for setting. He’s already cut the bearing for the diamond at the top of the ring. He placed the diamond in the bearing using a pusher tool. The diameter of the diamonds is 3.5mm and the width

of the channel wall is 3.20mm.

To properly position the diamonds depth in the ring, Smith scribed a line on both channel walls that serve as a guide. When set, the diamonds table is equal in height to the channel wall. He determines the spacing as he progresses down the curved top surface of the ring. Here the red arrow indicates the guide line that Smith scribed as the central placement of the bearing. He will bur the bearing on one side of the channel at the intersection of his depth and spacing guidelines.

Smith hammer set the top diamond using a Micro Motor setting and engraving handpiece. He hammered the metal directly along each side of the diamond. He adjusted the handpiece for medium impact and used the footpedal to control slow to moderate speed. Smith sets and then hammer sets each diamond individually.

After he’s cut the bearing on one side, he puts the diamond in and pushes down (indicated by the red arrow) on the other side. This technique creates an indentation and gives him the precise location of where to cut the bearing on the opposing channel wall.

Smith burs the second bearing. Next he removes the rag of metal on the channel walls that was created by the burring. With the bearing precisely cut, Smith places the diamond in its seat.

After tightening the diamonds, Smith uses ceramic impregnated polishing wheels to remove tool marks. These wheels are available in 6 color coded

grits ranging from 1500 (fine) to coarse (120). He started with the blue 120 grit wheel and is using the violet 320 grit wheel in this image. After using the finest 1500 wheel, there are

little or no visible surface scratches and the 950 palladium ring is ready to polish.

The first cut for each bearing is

completed with a 3.0mm 70 degree bearing bur. For the second cut on the opposing wall, Smith angles the bearing bur upward to provide a slightly enlarged opening to place the diamond (indicated by the red arrow).

To polish, Smith uses a stitched treated yellow buff and Platinum Blue polishing compound. Next he cleans the ring in the ultrasonic and then polishes it with a loose stitched buff

and Platinum White 8000 grit final

polishing compound.

After each diamond is placed in its bearing, Smith uses the Micro Motor setting and engraving handpiece to lightly hammer the 950 palladium downward. Once all the diamonds are in place, he goes along the channel

wall to do the final tightening of all

diamonds.

The 950 palladium ring is bright white,

finished to perfection and requires no

rhodium plating.

Photographs – Mark B. Mann