Over 14 years in the making, Setting Repair documents the repair, modification, and restoration of gem settings in gold, silver, and platinum jewelry. At a time when metal prices are higher than ever, nobody is thinking about throwing their old jewelry away. Instead, customers want to extend the life of their precious jewels and heirlooms. As the only book ever written about this subject, Setting Repair is a valuable new resource for every bench jeweler and in every store where jewelry is repaired. Setting Repair offers clear visual documentation of the most common setting repair jobs faced by bench jewelers. Concise step-by-step instructions are accompanied by outstanding photography to capture every step in each project. Setting Repair is an important addition to the jewelers' library, with 143 pages within its soft cover and 163 close up color photographs plus 64 black and white sketches. The photographic artistry of Barry Blau makes this volume both unique and invaluable. Images of antique tools used during setting repairs are interspersed throughout the text. Black and white sketches were executed by George McLean (deceased), Emiko Oye, and Christine Dhein. Setting Repair begins with ”Getting Started,” a chapter with information on procedures, tools, and safety. This includes an overview of the theory of setting stones, with topics such as inspection, writing up a job envelope, cleaning, soldering, gems, heating gems, and more. The tools section identifies and suggests modifications to the implements used to repair settings such as pliers, burnishers, tweezers, gravers, burs, and much more. The chapter on Safety reviews health and injury prevention practices that are essential to proper jewelry work. Dozens of tips and ”trade secrets” appear in the book, which have been collected by Revere during his four decades at the bench. An appendix includes a key chart on the Care of Gemstones, plus diamond sizes and resources.
