Claw and Rub-over Setting Technique with Niall Paisley
- Date
- 01 Apr 2025 - 02 Apr 2025 · All day
- Price
- £389 (8 places), Bookings close 18 March 2025
- Venue
- The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London EC1M 5AD
- Programme type
- Technical Skills Training
Stone setting is the art of securing gemstones to a piece of jewellery to make it come alive. Experienced diamond setter, Niall Paisley will show you how to seat your stones securely in your work and showcase their brilliance, while protecting them from dirt and damage.
Through this two-day short course, you will understand the intricacies of two popular stone setting techniques: Claw and Rub-over setting. Niall will guide you through every step, ensuring that you grasp the nuances of securely positioning gemstones of various shapes.
Our small class size offers you the chance to get group as well as individual guidance and 1:1 time with your tutor. You will receive tailored advice to deepen your knowledge and understanding of this technique.
“I came to learn the correct techniques, the techniques that don’t use multiple pieces of expensive equipment, but hand tools that allow you to connect with your work. I went away with all that and so much more! Niall is a superb teacher. He tells you why as well as what and that is so very important when learning.”
FAQs:
Delivered in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, this course will enable:
- Effective Collaboration: Understand and communicate efficiently with your setter, fostering a more professional and effective work environment.
- Cost Savings: Gain the understanding and skills to set your own stones, reducing your reliance on external setters and saving on costs.
- Time Efficiency: Learn to assess the correct size and material tolerance for your collets, saving valuable time in your production process.
- Enhanced Production: Improve your practice by knowing how to properly prepare and maintain your tools, leading to a smoother workflow.
- Quality Improvement: Elevate the quality of your work by mastering finishing and polishing techniques, achieving commercial-grade results.
Day 1: Rub-over Setting
- Preparing the mount using appropriate tools.
- How to adjust the stone into the collet so it fits straight and level.
- How to set princess and oval cuts stones.
- How to work the metal over the stone to hold it securely.
- Step by step demonstration followed by a series of practical setting exercises to build up confidence and understanding of the rub-over technique.
Day 2: Claw Setting
- How to make your own prong pushing tool.
- How to set stones in a double-gallery four claws setting.
- How to set stones in a 6 claws Rex collet setting.
- Trouble shooting and problem solving.
- Step by step demonstration followed by a series of practical setting exercises to build up confidence and understanding of the claw setting technique.
- Basic tool kit.
- Protective clothing or clothing you do not mind getting dirty e.g. apron, and closed toe shoes.
- Everything else will be provided by the Goldsmiths’ Centre and is included in the price of the course.
Optional:
- Spectacles or head visor (if required) to work on small details.
- You can bring your own spritz stick, scorper and other setting tools.
- Notebook and pen.
What will I be provided with?
- Different size burr as required.
- CZ’s in required size and quantity.
- Silver setting blank and collets.
- All tools including Spritz stick, scorper and pusher.
- Files and other materials to make some tools.
- Buff sticks.
- Beginners: No practical experience or understanding of the listed skill required.
- Intermediate: Some practical experience and understanding of the listed skill required.
To benefit most from this course, participants should have experience of being in a workshop environment and able to work independently on basic tasks such as drilling, and filling. You should also have good control of the pendant motor.
We believe that talent should not be held back. Here at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we are open, accessible and inclusive to all. Our Access Grants help anyone to build thriving creative careers, supporting jewellers, silversmiths and allied industry practitioners to access our training courses for free.
If you need help to cover fees for our business and technical skills short courses, please apply for one of our Access Grants. To find out more and read our application criteria, click here
The Access Grants are delivered by the Goldsmiths' Centre and funded by the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity.
Who is the tutor?
Niall Paisley embarked on his jewellery career in 1989, where he undertook a 5-year apprenticeship with B&B Setting under his Master Eddy Brown. Following this, Niall spent the next 10 years setting stones as an outworker for various names and companies, including Cartier and Leo de Vroomen. In 2005 Niall opened his own shop in Greenwich, specialising in bespoke jewellery and also ran a gallery that supported 40-50 young jewellery designers from the UK. In between all of this, Niall has taught Setting at Holts Academy and now teaches on our Apprenticeship Scheme and Foundation programme here at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Niall is a fellow of the IPG and has also judged the Setting section of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council awards.