The Art of the Invisible Setting

The invisible setting — serti invisible in French — is the closest jewellery comes to magic. Stones are grooved along their girdle and slotted into a hidden rail system within the metal framework, so no prong or bezel is visible from above. The surface appears as an unbroken mosaic of gemstone.

At OBSIDIAN, we have practiced this technique since 1962, when our founder's apprentice returned from Place Vendome with the method committed to muscle memory. Today, a single brooch using this setting requires 240 hours of labour. Each stone must be cut to tolerances of one-tenth of a millimetre.

There is no room for error — a stone that does not seat perfectly compromises the entire structure. We accept this constraint not as a limitation but as the discipline that separates jewellery from mere accessories..