A Few Alternatives To Tension Set Rings by Keith Farley

Please click on the pictures to go to specific pages
These pictures represent just a few rings I've made that share much the same appearance as tension set rings. Please feel free to click on any one of these to explore further. I can provide many additional examples as well.

Three reasons why I no longer make tension set rings:

Tension set rings CANNOT effectively be sized. This is due to the inherent properties of any metal with a spring characteristic. It’s the spring property of the metal that literally squeezes against opposing sides of the stone when set by the tension method. To size such a ring by conventional methods creates in the metal a portion that will not be capable of imparting the force needed to effectively hold the stone in place. While I think the tension set of setting stones yields a relatively stunning appearance, I know of nobody whose finger size hasn't changed over a period of years. Pragmatically speaking, I would fully expect the requirement for resizing to arise...and thus a serious issue for most anyone owning a tension set ring. A tension set ring simply can't be effectively resized.

Despite the numerous and repeated claims I've heard that stones can't be lost from tension set rings, I've had in the neighborhood of a dozen or more people come to me asking advice after having lost stones set by tension from their rings. I rely, instead, on the more traditional and time tested method of channel setting. While it doesn't reproduce the exact appearance of a tension set diamond or other gem, this method does allow for me to closely approximate the look of a tension set ring.

And finally there are the legal issues I've encountered. Several years ago I unwittingly made a very small handful of rings whose stones were tension set. I didn't realize at the time that patents for the process were held by another person. My main interest in this method of setting stones had to do with exploring possible design approaches. I felt that the possible design options had barely been explored. Once I became aware of the patents, I immediately refrained from employing this method. In actuality, the stones in the rings I'm making are channel set, which is a traditional and more secure method of settingstones that does allow for the possibility of sizing the ring.