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Design Details & Metal

Unique Wedding Set | Era Design Vancouver Canada

Settings

The setting you choose for your diamond or coloured gemstone is critical to the way your jewel will hold and reflect light. For example:

Bezel
A bezel is a lip of metal that surrounds the edge of a precious stone. Bezels are very durable, and are ideal for people with active lifestyles. If you set a diamond in a white gold bezel it may appear larger.

Claw
Claw (or prong) settings are very popular, and don’t seem to go out of style. The stone is held in place by delicate metal claws that are pushed over its outer edge. Such settings showcase diamonds very well, because you can see 3/4 of the stone.

Flush
Flush set stones lie flush with the metal that surrounds them, without visible claws. If you love the simple, modern look — and if you’re concerned that your ring may catch on clothing — this is the setting for you.

Pavé or Bead
A stone setter drills holes into metal and pushes tiny “beads” of metal around the stone, which hold it. This is a timeless technique often used throughout history. You’ll frequently see it in antique or vintage jewellery – and you may determine that it suits your own tastes, now.

Surface Textures

At Era Design, we offer many different textured finishes. We will explore with you the kind of finish and decoration that best enhances your custom jewellery.

High Polish
Most jewellery comes with a highly polished surface, because it compliments the sparkle of gemstones so beautifully. If this is the finish you choose, you can easily have it re-polished once a year to remove scratches. You can also keep your jewellery bright and shiny by washing it in soap and water once a week and buffing with a rouge cloth.

Brush
Another very common texture is a brushed finish. This finish gives the ring a matte texture for the customer wanting a less-shiny option. 

Saw Blade
Saw blade gives metal a matte look with a slight sparkle. This offers an excellent way to create contrast in your design. However, saw blade is not a permanent surface treatment. If you choose this option, you may want to get your jewellery re-done every year to keep it looking new.

Hammer
The surface of the metal is beaten with a polished hammer to create a web of soft “dents” that pick up the light and sparkle or reflect. It highlights that your piece is truly hand made.

Topography
Our topography design is individually hand carved by our goldsmith at Era Design - no two rings will ever look the same! The ridges in this custom texture have a high polished finish, whereas the groves have a soft brushed texture. 

Engraving
Many beautiful effects can be achieved include the following:

  • Hand engraving can be as simple as having your initials engraved on the inside of a ring. Or you can enhance a plain band with patterns, scrolling lines, or many other types of design.
  • Millgrain looks like a linear beaded pattern on a metal edge.  A stone setter can enhance pavé settings by using this ancient technique.
  • Bright cutting creates mirror bright boxes around small stones bead-set in metal. This technique enhances the sparkle of the stones.

Precious Metals

Virtually all of the gold we work with has at one point or another been recycled during its lifetime. Currently, our gold is between 50-100% recycled content.

14kt and 18kt Gold
14kt and 18kt is most commonly used in engagement rings and wedding bands. 14kt is the easiest to work with, as it is a great karat for resizing.

Platinum
Platinum is one of the safest metals to wear for those who may have sensitive skin or allergies to certain metals. Platinum is a white metal that is very dense, and highly resistant to corrosion. Its hardness ranges from 4 - 4.5, and it is a ductile metal. Platinum has a cooler grey tone, while white gold is slightly warmer in colour.

Palladium 14kt White Gold
Palladium white gold is also a great option for those who have sensitive skin. Palladium replaces the nickel that is found in white gold, which helps with nickel allergies.