From Bow Drills To Micromotors In Diamond Setting

WEEK 10  2026-03-08 A diamond doesn’t “just sit” in a ring. It gets drilled for, seated, cut around, supported, polished, and secured by a craft that has been evolving for a century. I’m Doug Meadows from David Douglas Diamonds, and this week I take you behind the bench to explain the tools that make diamond setting possible, from the earliest days of hand-powered work to the precision tech we rely on now. We start with the bow drill, the simple tool a jeweler might have used 100 years ago to carefully open a hole in metal. From there, we move into the game-changing rise of the Fordham flex shaft, a design that’s still common because it’s practical, affordable, and built for fine jewelry work. I also talk about the surprising overlap between the jewelry industry and dentistry, since both worlds depend on small rotary tools and steady hands. Then we get into what setters obsess over: control. Cutting a clean seat for a gemstone often requires low speed and high torque, which is why modern micromotors and specialized handpieces matter for precision. I break down gravers, pneumatic engraving, sharpening, and the burr shapes that match different stones and cutting angles. We also talk prongs, CAD/CAM, and why stone setting in wax for casting can make future repairs a nightmare, especially if you care about internal polishing and long-term durability. If you’ve ever wondered why heirloom-quality jewelry costs more, this is the workmanship behind it. Subscribe for more stories from our 100-year legacy, share this with a friend who loves jewelry, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question for next week.