Prong setting or prong mount refers to the use of metal projections or tines, called "prongs", to secure a gemstone to a piece of jewelry. A prong setting is one component of what is known to jewelers as a head, a claw-shaped type of binding (typically three, four, or six individual prongs per head) that is welded or soldered to a jewelry item to mount (or "set") a gemstone to the jewelry item. [1] [2] A common setting for diamond engagement rings, the prong setting allows light to strike a gemstone from more angles, increasing its brilliance.
Prong-setting engagement rings are sometimes referred to as Tiffany setting rings, although this is a trademarked term specifically used to describe prong setting rings sold by Tiffany & Co. A 2017, $19 million lawsuit confirmed the exclusive right of Tiffany & Co. to use the term "Tiffany" within the jewelry sales industry. The judgment was eventually overturned, and the parties made a confidential settlement.
The head can be handmade, cast, or die struck, and it is made from some type of precious metal, such as gold, silver, or platinum. Heads used to prong set a gemstone are made in a variety of sizes and shapes, depending on the shape and size of the gemstone, or whether or not the gemstone is faceted or cabochon-shaped. Common shapes of heads used in stone setting include round, oval, emerald cut, princess cut, marquise cut, pear-shaped, and trillian cut. V-shaped prongs are recommended for a marquise-cut or pear-shaped stone, while flat prongs are recommended for a flat-cut emerald. [1] A prong setting holds the gem securely while allowing the gem to be struck with more light and from more angles, increasing the brilliance of the gemstone. [1] [2]
A prong setting offers less protection to the gem than inset mounts. [1] In addition, prongs can snag on clothing or fabric. [1] [2] High-quality settings are less likely to snag on clothing, as the prongs are firmly attached to the gem and well finished.
Over time, prongs may get worn out or become loose. [2] Getting the ring checked regularly is a good idea to prevent any accidental loss of a mounted gemstone. Some effective ways include using a 10X loupe to check for gaps between prongs and gemstone, listening for sounds made by loose gemstone, and taking it to a professional jeweler once every 6 months for checks.[ citation needed ]
One well-known prong setting is the "Tiffany setting", a trademarked engagement ring design created by Charles Tiffany in the 1880s that has become the signature line of Tiffany & Co. engagement rings. [2] [3] The Tiffany setting popularized the general use of prong-setting engagement rings, and as of 2012, the trade association Jewelers of America reports that multiprong solitare rings are the most sought-after form of engagement ring available. [4]
While some in the jewelry industry use the term "Tiffany setting" to describe multiprong solitaire rings, [4] the Tiffany setting is a specific trademarked design of Tiffany & Co. [2] In February 2013, Tiffany & Co. filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp. over Costco's practice of selling prong-setting engagement rings described as "Tiffany setting" rings. The lawsuit alleged that Costco was unlawfully using the "Tiffany" trademark to describe products that were not made or licensed by Tiffany & Co. In its defense, Costco asserted that it did not infringe because the terms "Tiffany" and "Tiffany setting" were genericized by common usage to describe prong-setting engagement ring. [5]
On September 8, 2015, a federal judge ruled in favor of Tiffany & Co., rejecting Costco's generic-use argument and finding that Costco's usage of the "Tiffany" name violated Tiffany & Co.'s trademark rights. [6] However, in August 2020, a court of appeals in New York tossed out that judgement and sided with Costco, [7] sending the case back down to the trial court.
On July 19, 2021, Tiffany and Costco settled their dispute with no details being offered. [8]
A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals are also used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity and notoriety are other characteristics that lend value to gemstones.
An engagement ring, also known as a betrothal ring, is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married, especially in Western cultures. A ring is presented as an engagement gift by a partner to their prospective spouse when they propose marriage or directly after a marriage proposal is accepted. It represents a formal agreement to future marriage. In most Western countries, engagement rings are worn mostly by women, and rings can feature diamonds or other gemstones. The neologism "mangagement ring" is sometimes used for an engagement ring worn by men. In some cultures, including Northern Europe, both partners wear matching rings, and engagement rings may also be used as wedding rings. In the Anglosphere, the ring is customarily worn on the left hand ring finger, but customs vary considerably elsewhere across the world.
The Hope Diamond is a 45.52-carat (9.104 g) diamond originally extracted in the 17th century from the Kollur Mine in Guntur, India. It is blue in color due to trace amounts of boron. Its exceptional size has revealed new information about the formation of diamonds.
Tiffany & Co. is a high-end luxury jewelry and specialty retailer, headquartered on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It sells jewelry, sterling silver, porcelain, crystal, stationery, fragrances, water bottles, watches, personal accessories, and leather goods. Tiffany is known for its luxury goods, particularly its diamond and sterling silver jewelry. These goods are sold at Tiffany stores, online, and corporate merchandising. Its name and branding are licensed to Coty for fragrances and to Luxottica for eyewear.
A diamond cut is a style or design guide used when shaping a diamond for polishing such as the brilliant cut. Cut does not refer to shape, but the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond. The cut of a diamond greatly affects a diamond's brilliance; this means if it is cut poorly, it will be less luminous.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a nonprofit institute based in Carlsbad, California. It is dedicated to research and education in the field of gemology and the jewelry arts. Founded in 1931, GIA's mission is to protect buyers and sellers of gemstones by setting and maintaining the standards used to evaluate gemstone quality. The institute does so through research, gem identification and diamond grading services and a variety of educational programs. Through its library and subject experts, GIA acts as a resource of gem and jewelry information for the trade, the public and media outlets.
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade. He also traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963 in exchange for 3,800 carats of small diamonds.
When a gemstone is desired to be used in jewelry, it is cut depending on the size and shape of the rough stone, as well as the desired piece of jewelry to be made. As a general rule, a cut gemstone will reduce the mass by about 50 percent.
A trilliant cut, sometimes called a trillion, trillian, or Trielle is a triangular type of gemstone cut. The cut has many variations. It may have curved or uncurved sides. The shape of the top surface, or table, also varies.
A tension ring is a type of finger ring that holds a gemstone in place by pressure rather than prongs, a bezel or other mounting. The metal setting is actually spring-loaded to exert pressure onto the gemstone, and tiny etchings or grooves in the metal create a shelf that supports the gemstone's edges. The gemstone appears to be suspended in the air with nothing holding it in place.
Stonesetting is the art of securely setting or attaching gemstones into jewelry.
The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. Its carat weight was originally 287.42 carats in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa. It was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Jewelry and diamond historian Herbert Tillander refers to this as a "stellar brilliant cut", and lists the gem in his book, Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry – 1381 to 1910 (1995), among other such diamonds: the Cullinan Diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, the Polar Star, the Wittelsbach, and others.
A bezel is a wider and usually thicker section of the hoop of a ring, which may contain a gem or a flat surface. Rings are normally worn to display bezels on the upper or outer side of the finger. In gem-cutting the term bezel is used for those sloping facets of a cut stone that surround the flat table face, which is the large, horizontal facet on the top.
Diamond is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones. They have been used as decorative items since ancient times.
A birthstone is a gemstone that represents a person's period of birth that is usually the month or zodiac sign. Birthstones are often worn as jewelry or as a pendant necklace.
Brown diamonds are the most common color variety of natural diamonds. In most mines, brown diamonds account for 15% of production. The brown color makes them less attractive to some people as gemstones, and most are used for industrial purposes. However, improved marketing programs, especially in Australia and the United States, have resulted in brown diamonds becoming valued as gemstones and even referred to as chocolate diamonds.
The Black Star of Queensland, named after its nature and place of origin, is a 733-carat black sapphire, and was the world's largest gem quality star sapphire until The Star of Adam was discovered.
Tacori is an American jewelry design house and manufacturer based in Glendale, California. The brand is heavily associated with bridal jewelry.
The Shelby Gem Factory was the production facility of ICT Incorporated, a company in Shelby, Michigan, United States, that manufactured artificial gemstones, including simulated diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, through proprietary processes. The gemstones were used in industrial applications, such as lasers, and for jewelry. Tours of the facility were also offered. ICT began operations in 1970 and closed in December 2019.
The Star of Burma is an 83-carat (16.6 g) cabochon-cut star ruby. In 1935, the Burmese ruby was purchased by Howard Hoeffer of jeweler Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin, whereupon it was used in several Hollywood films in the 1930s, including the musical comedy Vogues of 1938. Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin sold the jewel on September 14, 2004.