Know-How: Why do jewellers set gemstones upside down?

August 31, 2018

3 min read

In every artistic discipline, there are traditionalist maestros with methodical practices and formal education, and there are rebellious types who think in their own revolutionary ways, who refuse to limit their potential by submitting to rules and regulations. And, of course, the latter exist in the world of jewellery art. Thanks to them, jewellery design is constantly developing, with the new techniques and forms regularly emerging. Recently, I was particularly intrigued by an alternative type of gem setting: the gemstone displayed with the culet facing outwards, creating the effect of a barbed surface.

One of the pioneers of this technique is the Hemmerle family, who are famed for their love of experimentation. First Stefan and Silveli, and then latterly their son Christian and his wife Yasmin all developed new methods for setting gemstones. Hemmerle is the first name which comes to mind for many jewellery lovers when discussing diamonds and gemstones set in reverse.

Hemmerle earrings with sapphires, spessatite garnets, copper and white gold, courtesy of Hemmerle

Hemmerle earrings with aluminium, white gold, aquamarines, courtesy of Hemmerle

Ara Vartanian double finger ring with 24ct fancy grey diamond, and grey, brown and colourless diamonds in white gold

Ara Vartanian ring with ruby, grey and colourless diamonds on white gold

Ara Vartanian 'Octopus' ring with 27.76ct Paraiba tourmaline and diamonds in white gold

Ara Vartanian 'Octopus' ring with rubellite, colourless and brown diamonds in white gold

Nam Cho ball earrings with diamonds, blue sapphires, and emeralds in white gold

Nam Cho ball earrings with blue sapphires and diamonds in white gold and black rhodium

Nam Cho oval spike drop baby hoop earrings with grey and white diamonds

D'joya 'Red Square' ring with rubies, tsavorites, natural saltwater pearls, sapphires and diamonds

D'joya 'Weaver's Nest' earrings with ruby beads, colourless and yellow diamonds and enamel

NUUN 'Tuwait' collection ring in howlite, diamonds and yellow gold

NUUN 'Tuwait' collection earrings in howlite, diamonds and yellow gold

NUUN 'Tuwait' collection bracelet in howlite, diamonds and yellow gold

WORDS

Katerina Perez With more than 12 years’ experience in the jewellery sector, Katerina Perez’s expert knowledge spans everything from retail sales and management to content creation, including brand building, jewellery writing and styling. Born and raised in St Petersburg, Katerina’s favourite hobby as a child was playing with the treasures in her grandmother's jewellery box, inspiring a lifelong love of jewellery from a very early age. She spent five years in St Petersburg University of Culture and Arts studying not journalism but business studies and languages, and her writing skills have developed as her passion for her favourite subject – jewellery – has grown. This is why her writing comes straight from the heart rather than the pages of a book. Daughter of an entrepreneur mother, Katerina exchanged her retail management job for jewellery writing in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since.

JEWELLERY TYPE:

Ring Necklace Earrings Bracelet

BRANDS:

NUUN Jewels Nam Cho Mattioli Hemmerle D’Joya

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