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
Jewellery (British English, UK) or jewelry (American English, U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be at ...
. 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.
A common setting for
diamond
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
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.
Characteristics
General features
The head can be handmade, cast, or die struck, and it is made from some type of precious metal, such as
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
,
silver
Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...
, or
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Pla ...
. 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
The princess cut (technical name 'square modified brilliant') is a diamond cut shape often used in engagement rings. The name dates back to the 1960s, while the princess cut as it exists was created by Betazel Ambar, Ygal Perlman, and Israel Itzk ...
, 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.
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.
Drawbacks
A prong setting offers less protection to the gem than inset mounts.
In addition, prongs can snag on clothing or fabric.
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.
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.
Tiffany design and trademark
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.
The Tiffany setting popularized the general use of prong-setting engagement rings, and as of 2012, the trade association
Jewelers of America
The Jewelers of America (JA) is a trade association of professionals in the United States jewelry
Jewellery (British English, UK) or jewelry (American English, U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, ...
reports that multiprong solitare rings are the most sought-after form of engagement ring available.
While some in the jewelry industry use the term "Tiffany setting" to describe multiprong solitaire rings,
the Tiffany setting is a specific trademarked design of Tiffany & Co.
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
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from oth ...
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.
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. However, in August 2020, a court of appeals in New York tossed out that judgement and sided with Costco, sending the case back down to the trial court.
On July 19, 2021, Tiffany and Costco settled their dispute with no details being offered.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prong Setting
Jewellery making