Tips for modeling prong settings in CAD
By Charlie Herner
If you’re designing jewelry using CAD, understanding how the piece will be cast and then set and finished at the bench can mean the difference between failure and success. When modeling prong settings, there are a few tricks you can use to ensure the best results for your pieces. I learned the following rules during an Advanced Stone Setting Class taught by Blaine Lewis at the New Approach School for Jewelers in Franklin, Tennessee—and I’ve been applying them to my CAD models ever since.