Hi Tom,

That piece shows how proper pave is done with hand cut grains.
The whole idea of "pave" is that it should look like a "paving of stones".
The metal "spaces" (islands) that are left between each stone then get "cut up" to form the grains (claws)
Each of those grains gets pushed over the seated stone & is "beaded" (rounded & burnished) down onto the stones "crown" (angled top edges)

This technique is not something that every Jeweller can do, most will shop this work out to a highly skilled Setter who specialises in it.
In a "real world" situation, the metal piece would typically be handed over to the Setter along with a bag of stones & HE would do the layout & markings to drill, then open up each hole to fit each individual stone.
Here's a few YouTube videos that'll give you a better insight of what happens & how it's done.
https://youtu.be/_h-VQavSPWM
https://youtu.be/cqaIAlSIagQ

The CAD versions of this technique being created within Rhino/ RhinoGold/Matrix/MatrixGold is just a poor man's copy.
You can emulate the basic look of pave in CAD but it never looks truly like the "real article".

HTH, Colin

Thanks Colin - those Setters do have incredible skills ! Unbelievable what they achieve at such
microscopic scale !
I agree, the CAD pave looks pretty "industrial" and lifeless compared to the handmade ones.
A realistic rendered fake look could maybe be achieved by using sculpting tools. Any images
with closeups of such handmade grains you may know of, just post them here please.

Hi Brian, I agree, fantastic advice !

I am pretty impressed by those automated pave tools, but I also like to cook up my own
soup - with the kind help of amazingly skilled MOIers ;-)


""MoI often has alternative ways to accomplish a task.""

MOI has its own very individual and ingenious philosophy which could not be better expressed
as in its name : "Moments Of Inspiration" It is exactly its reduction to a handy array of essential tools
which makes the magic work - its more an artists workshop than an industrial hall jam packed with
an infinite number of hightech tools. Thats why I love to work with it as it matches my own philosophy
in so many aspects.

""The iso-curves of your surface are "angulated", absent remeshing?""
Sorry, I dont get what you mean.

Barry, btw, is the Dimension tool you used in the screenshot one of MOIs scripts ?

Hi Tom,
The dimension tool is in the latest V4 beta.
Barry

Colin, those videos have been very instructive. So there are many options to achieve a
diamond covered "pave" surface : From a pure geometrical one with cylindrical prongs
like being used in specialized software solutions like Rhino to more sculptural, organic
approaches like shown in the picture of the panther ring I posted, up to the "classical pave"
shown in the last video where the diamonds are embedded in metal which is treated rather
organically like cement than as a geometrical shape.

I have unsuccessfully tried to find an extensive and illustrated treatise about all the aspects
of the pave technique, it looks like there is more information around as video.

Hi Tom,
I think this video maybe of interest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y00EEeZC4x4&list=PLCoK1Ao0T01KhfestF7xCic1jf5YjXiVh&index=13

As a test I took your model into blender and was able to pick gems from the JewelCraft addon
and place them on the surface of your model.
Also you can add the prongs as and where you want.
Anyway I think it's worth a look.
Cheers
Barry

Hi Tom,

There are specific books that cover the technical aspects of pave setting but they're not cheap.
It should also be noted that within pave, there's what Setters loosely describe as "American style" or a "Euro style".
Basic techniques are the same but knowing there's a difference within styles could help when looking at various references.

I've attached a PDF which Stuller released to help novice Jewellers venturing into CAD.
Given you're venturing into jewellery design then I figured its info might prove to be helpful?
I'm also including a ZIP file with a collection of different stone shapes in NURBS that I've collected from various sources.
You'll find these to be much more useful than the DXF versions available on the web.

For constructing your model with round stones just use a simple rotated shape to keep the file small.
Then just substitute those for the NURBS version when it comes time to doing your render.

HTH, Colin

Precious documentation and amazing Blender videos!

Hi Barry, wow that is amazing, did not know that Blender has that much
features, will have a look now !

Colin, thank you so much for your Christmas gift ;-)

I REALLY appreciate your kind tips, links and files !! It is not so easy
to find information about this specialized topic, so it makes your infos
specially valuable. Downloaded your files and will have a look at them
right now at my working computer.

Hi Tom,

No prob's & glad to hear they'll be useful.
I don't profess to be any kind of expert with regards to pave, I've just accumulated info from those much more knowledgeable on the subject.

If looking for good examples of real jewellery then try searching for old stuff by Cartier & Tiffany as they were "hi-end" Makers.
Genuine old Art Nouveau stuff will have "animal subjects" & any with pave will be ALL done by hand, so that's your better reference.
Same will apply to Art Deco period as it was heavy with pave but being more geometric style, a lot of it's pieces are typically flat & so wont offer the same kind of reference.

Cartier's "Panther" range would be another good reference source.
https://www.cartier.com.au/en-au/maison/cartier-and-the-panther/the-panther-through-time.html

HTH, Colin

Hi Barry,

You wrote : ""I swept circles and used the pipe produced to cut surface.
The cut edge is used to sweep and cut the next edge and so on.""

I wonder what you did with the pipes where the radius of the rail curve
got so narrow that it forced the pipe to buckle ?

Getting a smaller circle for the Sweep wont help as the pipe will buckle
later when moving upward to the top ...

Hi Tom,
in my example I had split you model in two so that didn't happen.
Anyway have just checked and you can get round it.
Create the curves as before and then trim them back with a circle or sphere.
The curves can then be blended and joined.

Barry

Hey dear MOIers,

Currently putting all the input of this thread together I want to thank
everyone who has contributed with his infos, suggestions and ideas.
The MOI community has the same amazing spirit of contribution and
support as the maker of MOI and that is wonderful !