On Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:38:58 -0800, in rec.crafts.jewelry
" wrote:

Thanks so much for your reply, Peter. I did ask for the settings to be
prenotched, but they must have missed that. Hopefully I can find a
jeweler who'll prepare the settings for cheap. :-)

"pre notched" settings are a concept mostly marketed to either amateurs and
hobbyists, or in the case of a few types made for pros, for those product lines
intended to keep costs low by reducing the labor of stone setting.
Unfortunately, pre notched settings can never be quite a well fitted to a stone
as a properly cut seat, so they run the risk of prongs not being quite as secure
and long lasting. The concept of pre notched settings only applies to prong
settings, as the flexibility of the prongs makes up, some, for the lack of
proper fitting to the stone. That, of course, doesn't work with a bezel, such
as the mountings you posted links to. So pre notching of a setting simply isn't
done with bezels. Plus, those settings you sent links to are commercially made,
probably with minimal hand work in order to keep prices low. It's quite likely
that the ebay dealer is just that, a dealer and seller, rather than anyone able
or skilled in actual stone setting, as would be needed if they were to be trying
to cut a seat for you before shipping the mountings.

And don't just let the jeweler "prepare" the settings. Let him or her set the
stone too. It's a total package, not a seperate job. Among other things, the
way the jeweler cuts the seat will be in part dictated by the method they will
use to close the bezel (hammered, versus burnished, or some combination
thereof.)

Cheers

Peter