Question about making used settings work

[CaseyLouLou]

Hi. I am considering looking for used settings to save money on setting some of my stones. Has anyone done this and is it expensive to have the prongs redone to accommodate a new stone?

I would definitely try to find a setting with a stone of a similar size to the one I want to set but it’s not likely to be perfect. None of my stones are calibrated.

Any idea how much it would cost to set a new stone in an old setting with some prong work?

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Tagging @Bron357 as the eBay setting queen!

 

[Bron357]

Yes, I am the queen of being “tight”. I love me a pre loved setting.
Best to forget using bezel, rim or tension settings as preloved. The setting gets damaged removing the old gem and the dimensions of the replacement gem have to be virtually identical. You’d only do it for love as it’s not price effective.
With claw heads, the claws can be manipulated, within reason, or the whole head can be replaced. 4 prong heads are easiest to work with.
A new head is usually a few hundred fitted.You have to look at the overall shape of the setting if you’re thinking of replacing the head - will it work?
I find oval, round and cushion shaped gems are usually interchangeable in a 4 prong setting.
My jeweller charges between $150 and $300 to change gems over for me. Some require more work or need prong re - tipping.
Be careful if considering a well worn setting with ie vintage settings. While it’s a fine idea, the Victorian ring I had rehabbed cost me $1,000 as many prongs needed work.
Here are some of my preloved / gems swapped over rings.

 

[Mreader]

I’m in awe @Bron357 bc gemstones can have such varied depth!

 

[Bron357]

Yes, I am the queen of being “tight”. I love me a pre loved setting.
Best to forget using bezel, rim or tension settings as preloved. The setting gets damaged removing the old gem and the dimensions of the replacement gem have to be virtually identical. You’d only do it for love as it’s not price effective.
With claw heads, the claws can be manipulated, within reason, or the whole head can be replaced. 4 prong heads are easiest to work with.
A new head is usually a few hundred fitted.You have to look at the overall shape of the setting if you’re thinking of replacing the head - will it work?
I find oval, round and cushion shaped gems are usually interchangeable in a 4 prong setting.
My jeweller charges between $150 and $300 to change gems over for me. Some require more work or need prong re - tipping.
Be careful if considering a well worn setting with ie vintage settings. While it’s a fine idea, the Victorian ring I had rehabbed cost me $1,000 as many prongs needed work.
Here are some of my preloved / gems swapped over rings.

The blue sapphire came out of the small halo ring and went into the large diamond halo. It was a cushion shape sapphire going into a setting that once held a 9mm round diamond. I just bought the setting.
The white sapphire, an deep oval OEC cut went into the setting the blue sapphire came out of. The pink sapphire went into a preloved setting with 6 claws (done by Ivy and Rose). The busy small diamond halo ring I bought with a treated 1 carat ruby. The Alexandrite was around 7 x 5 and fit in easily. The purple sapphire ring setting I bought off a fellow PSer. It was only a small ring so I wear it on my pinky.

 

[Bron357]

And the Alexandrite that came out of a bracelet, I myself put a 7 x 5 mm blue sapphire in.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

And the Alexandrite that came out of a bracelet, I myself put a 7 x 5 mm blue sapphire in.

Wow! You just bent the prongs and switched the stones?

Did you mail your items to Ivy and Rose to evaluate and give you a price to do the work? Do you know how much they charged?

 

[Bron357]

Ivy and Rose just did the pink sapphire ring. They had the setting, pre loved, on their website and the setting could take an 8mm round so I just posted the sapphire over. I think they charged me $100 to set the sapphire. The setting was $1,000 and luckily I didn’t get “hit” with customs upon return.
My jeweller, in Sydney, is happy to do my projects. I am obsessed with re using / re purposing jewellery, especially old watches into bracelet and old brooches into bracelets or necklaces. I also have a pile of unset gems aka the gem hoard and I could never afford to buy or have made new settings. So I just seek out vintage settings and/or rings with ugly gems, in my ring size to save money, to use.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Ivy and Rose just did the pink sapphire ring. They had the setting, pre loved, on their website and the setting could take an 8mm round so I just posted the sapphire over. I think they charged me $100 to set the sapphire. The setting was $1,000 and luckily I didn’t get “hit” with customs upon return.
My jeweller, in Sydney, is happy to do my projects. I am obsessed with re using / re purposing jewellery, especially old watches into bracelet and old brooches into bracelets or necklaces. I also have a pile of unset gems aka the gem hoard and I could never afford to buy or have made new settings. So I just seek out vintage settings and/or rings with ugly gems, in my ring size to save money, to use.

That’s exactly what I’m thinking of doing. I have managed to collect a bunch of gems and now I am realizing that setting them all is unaffordable. I think I will need to do it over many years and find some clever ways as you have done. I did find a couple of used options so it will be interesting to see if I can find a jeweler who can swap out the stones without breaking the bank.

 

[lilmosun]

Finding and developing a working relationship with a skilled local bench jeweler is priceless.

First, I would be cautious of any place that sends their work out. You want to have discussions with the person who will be doing the work - things they say or don't say can be telling - regarding details on the work that needs to be done, risks based on the stone, etc. Setting colored stones has added risks. Start with some fairly straight forward projects and look at other custom work they have done to get a sense of their knowledge/skill and what type of work they are good at.

One of my jewelers also allows trade ins/buys used jewelry and scrap - so he is another source of preloved settings and any work to use the setting is included in the price.

I think the prices Bron quoted are similar to what I've heard from many. I've been lucky as my benches are very inexpensive....starting at $20/$25 to set a stone or size a ring...more if there is prong work to be done, head replacement, etc. Even with major work (such as bezels, new head, shank replacement), I don't think I've ever spent more than $150. But from what I have seen/read, these prices are well below market and things may have gone up since Covid.

The one catch is that because it's fairly affordable for me to utilize preloved settings, I tend to set things as soon as I find a setting that works. I find there can be benefits in the long run to waiting for and finding the perfect setting. That being said, most of my stones would still be setting unloved in their gem boxes without going preloved and having good affordable benches...and it's fun always having new pretties to wear

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Finding and developing a working relationship with a skilled local bench jeweler is priceless.

First, I would be cautious of any place that sends their work out. You want to have discussions with the person who will be doing the work - things they say or don't say can be telling - regarding details on the work that needs to be done, risks based on the stone, etc. Setting colored stones has added risks. Start with some fairly straight forward projects and look at other custom work they have done to get a sense of their knowledge/skill and what type of work they are good at.

One of my jewelers also allows trade ins/buys used jewelry and scrap - so he is another source of preloved settings and any work to use the setting is included in the price.

I think the prices Bron quoted are similar to what I've heard from many. I've been lucky as my benches are very inexpensive....starting at $20/$25 to set a stone or size a ring...more if there is prong work to be done, head replacement, etc. Even with major work (such as bezels, new head, shank replacement), I don't think I've ever spent more than $150. But from what I have seen/read, these prices are well below market and things may have gone up since Covid.

The one catch is that because it's fairly affordable for me to utilize preloved settings, I tend to set things as soon as I find a setting that works. I find there can be benefits in the long run to waiting for and finding the perfect setting. That being said, most of my stones would still be setting unloved in their gem boxes without going preloved and having good affordable benches...and it's fun always having new pretties to wear

You are lucky to have found someone. Nothing where I live in CA is inexpensive so I’m going to have to shop around. I have only done one small earrings project and a repair a few years ago and the prices weren’t too bad so I might try that place first. They have an in house bench and it’s a family business.

 

[Mreader]

Finding and developing a working relationship with a skilled local bench jeweler is priceless.

First, I would be cautious of any place that sends their work out. You want to have discussions with the person who will be doing the work - things they say or don't say can be telling - regarding details on the work that needs to be done, risks based on the stone, etc. Setting colored stones has added risks. Start with some fairly straight forward projects and look at other custom work they have done to get a sense of their knowledge/skill and what type of work they are good at.

One of my jewelers also allows trade ins/buys used jewelry and scrap - so he is another source of preloved settings and any work to use the setting is included in the price.

I think the prices Bron quoted are similar to what I've heard from many. I've been lucky as my benches are very inexpensive....starting at $20/$25 to set a stone or size a ring...more if there is prong work to be done, head replacement, etc. Even with major work (such as bezels, new head, shank replacement), I don't think I've ever spent more than $150. But from what I have seen/read, these prices are well below market and things may have gone up since Covid.

The one catch is that because it's fairly affordable for me to utilize preloved settings, I tend to set things as soon as I find a setting that works. I find there can be benefits in the long run to waiting for and finding the perfect setting. That being said, most of my stones would still be setting unloved in their gem boxes without going preloved and having good affordable benches...and it's fun always having new pretties to wear

So who is your jeweler and does he take customers from out of state?! Lol!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

So who is your jeweler and does he take customers from out of state?! Lol!

Good point!

I just purchased these used settings and I’m trying to decide if I’m going to keep them. They both have sapphires and one is very small and one is very large. The large one is about 6x8 and will fit some of my pink spinels. I’m just not used to wearing rings quite that big. This one was $550 and it looks hand forged.

The smaller one is 18k and the stone is only about 3.5x5 and most of my stones are at least 5mm round. It was only $400 and I do like it but I was hoping to use it to set one of my stones. It’s a pretty sapphire if it’s real. I could wear it as is but that wasn’t the plan!

Both of them have a nice heavy weight. Opinions?


@Bron357

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Good point!

I just purchased these used settings and I’m trying to decide if I’m going to keep them. They both have sapphires and one is very small and one is very large. The large one is about 6x8 and will fit some of my pink spinels. I’m just not used to wearing rings quite that big. This one was $550 and it looks hand forged.

The smaller one is 18k and the stone is only about 3.5x5 and most of my stones are at least 5mm round. It was only $400 and I do like it but I was hoping to use it to set one of my stones. It’s a pretty sapphire if it’s real. I could wear it as is but that wasn’t the plan!

Both of them have a nice heavy weight. Opinions?


@Bron357

my kind of setting !
best of luck,

 

[CaseyLouLou]

my kind of setting !
best of luck,

Which one do you like?

 

[2Neesers]

Those are both nice setting @CaseyLouLou . I especially like the bottom one with the smaller stone. I think a good jeweler could fit a 5mm round in that one..here’s a very rough idea of what round would look like.

You could also have a round put a the other setting.


My jeweler charges me $50 to set stone without any extra work, but I think that’s on the low side. I would plan on $75-$150. I’m not sure if he still does, but I recall David Klass used to offer setting services and charged in the $150 range.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Those are both nice setting @CaseyLouLou . I especially like the bottom one with the smaller stone. I think a good jeweler could fit a 5mm round in that one..here’s a very rough idea of what round would look like.

You could also have a round put a the other setting.


My jeweler charges me $50 to set stone without any extra work, but I think that’s on the low side. I would plan on $75-$150. I’m not sure if he still does, but I recall David Klass used to offer setting services and charged in the $150 range.

I visited a jeweler today and he said he couldn’t fit my 5mm into the smaller setting so I’m going to have to return it.

The bigger one is just too big on my hand I think. Maybe it would look less big with a smaller stone in it??

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I visited a jeweler today and he said he couldn’t fit my 5mm into the smaller setting so I’m going to have to return it.

The bigger one is just too big on my hand I think. Maybe it would look less big with a smaller stone in it??

the one you think is too big
Don't give up on her
your eyes might just have to get used to the size, tha'ts all
wear her around the house or out for the day a few times

 

[2Neesers]

I visited a jeweler today and he said he couldn’t fit my 5mm into the smaller setting so I’m going to have to return it.

The bigger one is just too big on my hand I think. Maybe it would look less big with a smaller stone in it??

That’s too bad! It’s nice you're able to return it though. I don’t think the other looks too big on you, but you have to be comfortable wearing it. It can be hard to find the just right pre-loved setting.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

That’s too bad! It’s nice you're able to return it though. I don’t think the other looks too big on you, but you have to be comfortable wearing it. It can be hard to find the just right pre-loved setting.

I wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing purchasing used settings so I made sure they could be returned. Thanks for the help!