Bezel setting

A bezel is a band of metal containing a groove and a flange (i.e. projecting lip) holding a watch crystal or gemstone in its setting. This was the earliest method of setting gemstones into jewelry. An extension of the word used in this sense can refer to a rotatable rim on a clock or watch used to indicate certain data such as elapsed time.

Method

The bezel is shaped into the size and shape of the gem and then soldered into place on the metal of the jewelry. The prepared stone is then placed into the bezel and the metal is pressed down over the edges of stone, locking it into place.

A cabochon stone, a gemstone that is not faceted, usually relies on the shallow angle cut into the side of the stone which helps the metal to stay in place. With a clear faceted stone, such as a diamond, a shallow groove is cut into the bezel itself. The girdle or widest part of the gem stone is placed in the bezel, which is then pushed down over the girdle. The pressure of the bezel over the edge of the diamond keeps it in place.

Bezel settings for diamond rings are also called rub-over settings; they have a diamond completely surrounded by a precious metal band which fastens the diamond securely into place. Bezel settings use a type of elevated collar which wraps the rim of the diamond in a complete metal edging. This type of diamond rings setting is the most secure fastener for the stones. The bezel setting also protects the diamond better than other types of settings, such as the prong setting. A flush setting for diamond rings is a variation on the rub-over or bezel setting. In the flush setting, the stone is placed into an opening and affixed at the bottom of the stone. The top of the diamond is extended above the base.

Advantages

Diamond rings with bezel settings give the rings a more elegant, understated and streamlined appearance than the prong setting^{[citation needed]}. Another advantage of the bezel setting is that the diamond is better protected from accidental rubbing or blows and less likely to allow the diamond to scratch or mar something it comes in contact with. The bezel setting is more secure, so the diamond is less likely to be dislodged by the wearer's activity.

Some expensive watches have diamonds in bezel settings.