Invisible Settings: A Guide to Mystery-Set Jewelry
In an invisible setting, the gemstones sit edge to edge with no prongs, beads or metal showing between them. What you see is an unbroken surface of color, as if the stones were floating. It is also called a mystery setting, and some jewelers call it an illusion setting. It is one of the most difficult techniques in fine jewelry, and one of the most beautiful.
How an invisible setting works
In most jewelry, metal holds each stone from the front: prongs over the edges, a rim of metal around it, or small beads of metal pushed over the girdle. An invisible setting holds the stones from behind instead.
- Each stone is grooved. The cutter makes a fine groove just below the girdle, on the sides of every stone.
- The stones slide onto hidden gold rails. Under the surface is a lattice of thin gold rails, and the grooves slide onto the rails one stone at a time, like tiles on a track.
- The rows lock each other in. Once a row is full, the stones press against one another and the frame closes them in. From the top you see only gemstones. From the underside you see the gold lattice, called the gallery.
Why it takes so much skill
Every stone must be cut to almost exactly the same size, usually as a small square (princess or French cut), so the rows meet without gaps. The stones also have to match in color, or the surface looks patchy. Cutters often have to cut through many rough stones to find enough that match, and every stone is then fitted to the frame by hand. A large piece can hold dozens or even hundreds of stones and take many hours of bench work. That is why well-made invisibly set jewelry is valued, and why it is seldom mass-produced at a high standard.
A short history
The technique is most closely linked with Van Cleef and Arpels, which patented its Serti Mystérieux, or mystery setting, in Paris in 1933. It became a hallmark of high jewelry, used for rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds in flowers, leaves and domed shapes. Later improvements in cutting and casting made the technique more widely available, but it still depends on the cutter and the setter, stone by stone.
A note on the names
Invisible setting, mystery setting and illusion setting are all used for this style of jewelry. In the trade, "illusion setting" can also mean a different technique, where a small diamond is set into a polished, faceted metal plate that makes it look larger. When we describe a piece as invisibly set, mystery set or illusion set, we mean the grooved-stone technique described on this page.
What to look for when you buy
- Even color. Look across the whole surface. The stones should match closely, with no single stone noticeably lighter, darker or a different shade.
- Tight, even rows. The stones should sit flat and level, meet cleanly, and show no gaps, tilted stones or chipped corners.
- A clean gallery. Turn the piece over. The gold lattice underneath should be neat and well finished.
- Treatment disclosure. Most rubies and sapphires are heated, which is the standard and accepted trade practice. Ask whether any glass or flux filling has been used. The rubies and sapphires in our invisibly set pieces are natural and heated only, with no glass or flux filling.
- Origin and weight. A good description gives the gemstone, the total carat weight of the colored stones and of the diamonds, the metal, and the origin where it is known. Ours do.
Caring for invisibly set jewelry
Because the stones are held by hidden grooves rather than prongs, an invisibly set piece needs a little extra care.
- Avoid hard knocks. Take it off for sports, gardening, heavy lifting or other physical work.
- Clean it with warm water, a few drops of mild soap and a soft brush, then rinse and dry. Do not use an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, which can loosen the stones.
- Store it on its own, so other jewelry cannot rub against it.
- Have it checked by a jeweler from time to time.
- If a stone ever looks loose or goes missing, stop wearing the piece and bring it to us. A replacement stone has to be cut and matched to fit, which is specialist work.
Sizing
Invisibly set rings can usually be sized only a little, and some cannot be sized at all, because bending the band can strain the framework that holds the stones. Ask us before you buy, and we will tell you what is possible for that piece.
See the pieces
We have a selection of natural Burmese ruby and sapphire, and natural yellow sapphire, mystery-set rings in 18kt white gold in the collection. Each one is shown in photos and on video, and we are happy to show any of them in person in the New York area or on a video call.