A buyer specs a halo ring with 32 accent stones at 1.3 mm each and asks the factory to set them on the CNC bench to save cost. The factory quotes $2.20 per stone. A different factory quotes $6.50 per stone and refuses the CNC route. The buyer picks the cheaper quote. On arrival, 9 of the 32 stones are tilted, two have cracked girdles, and one row sits 0.2 mm off-center. Micro-pavé is not just small stones in a row — the geometry, the tools, and the failure modes are different from prong or channel setting. Here is why we set pavé by hand, and what the buyer should specify.

Why pavé cannot be CNC-set

A CNC setting bench mills seats to a fixed plane. On a pavé row the stones follow the curvature of the ring shank, and each stone touches its neighbor — there is no flat plane to mill to. The seat depth also has to drop by roughly 0.05 mm per stone as the row wraps around the curve, otherwise half the stones sit high and half sit low. An automated bench cannot read that curvature. We set pavé under a 20–30× binocular microscope with a 0.8 mm Hart bur, a bead setting tool, and a wax stick to hold the stone. The tool list is described in stone-setting tools on the bench. General setting types are compared in prong, bezel, pavé, and channel setting.

Seat depth and bead formation

For a 1.3 mm round stone we cut a seat 0.6–0.7 mm deep, leaving a 0.15 mm bead of metal at the edge of the seat. The setter then rolls that bead over the girdle with a burnisher, forming four or six tiny beads that hold the stone. Each bead is about 0.2 mm — smaller than a pinhead. The bead has to cover the girdle by roughly 0.05 mm; too little and the stone falls out under wear, too much and it blocks light through the crown. On a halo of 32 stones, that is 128–192 beads, each checked under microscope. The relationship between girdle and seat is detailed in moissanite girdle and seat cuts, and the same measurement discipline applies to accent CZ stones.

Cost per stone vs channel

Channel setting mills a continuous groove and lays the stones in a row, then folds the metal over the girdle with a burnisher. A 32-stone channel band takes about 20 minutes of machine time. The same 32 stones in pavé take 1.5–2 hours of hand bench time. The price difference shows up directly on the quote: channel setting runs roughly $0.50–$1.00 per stone on production bands, while hand pavé runs $4–$8 per stone. The reason buyers still pay for pavé is visual: channel bands look heavy and opaque, while pavé lets light through between stones and reads as sparkle rather than a solid strip of metal. We walk buyers through the trade-off on the first sample so they are not surprised by the quote difference.

Stone selection for pavé

Because each stone touches its neighbor, size variation across the lot shows up as a wavy row. We sort pavé CZs into girdle bands of plus/minus 0.02 mm before setting — a 1.3 mm lot is split into stones measuring 1.28, 1.30, and 1.32 mm, and each band is used on its own row. We also sort by color: a single noticeably gray CZ in a halo of near-colorless stones is visible to the naked eye. Material properties of CZ and moissanite used as accent stones are summarized in the cubic zirconia entry on Wikipedia.

Durability and repair

Pavé beads are small and can catch on fabric. We tell buyers to expect 1–2 stone losses per year on a daily-wear pavé ring, which is normal and covered by most jewelry insurance. Repair is cheap — a single pavé stone can be re-set in 2–3 minutes under microscope. The bigger risk is over-polishing: a polishing wheel will roll pavé beads flat and loosen stones, which is why we always hand-polish pavé pieces (see barrel finishing vs hand polishing) and skip the barrel entirely. Laser welding, covered in laser welding for repair and setting, is used to re-tack loose beads without disturbing neighboring stones.

How long does pavé setting take?

2–4 minutes per stone on a production row. A 32-stone halo takes roughly 1.5–2 hours of bench time.

Can pavé stones be set in gold-filled or silver?

Yes, but we use 14K or 925 minimum wall. Thin gold-plated brass will not hold pavé beads through a year of wear.

Why is pavé more expensive than channel setting?

Because every stone is hand-sorted and hand-set under microscope. Channel setting can be CNC-milled in minutes per row.

Adding pavé to a production line? HOLYCOME hand-sets pavé under 20× microscope and sorts stones by girdle band before the bench. Send us a CAD and stone count — we will quote per-stone setting time and return a macro photo of the first row for approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ring sizes can you supply in bulk?

US sizes 5–12 including half sizes. Send a size breakdown with your order and we cast to that curve; comfort-fit inner bands reduce resize requests.

Can I order a mixed size run instead of one size?

Yes. Mixed runs are standard for wholesale: specify quantity per size and we pack and label by size at no extra labor cost.

What is the MOQ for custom ring designs?

50 pieces per design for existing molds; 100–300 pieces when a new mold or CAD model is required.

How should I price rings for retail margin?

Most partners use a 3–4x markup on FOB cost for sterling and 2.5–3x for moissanite solos, which keeps landed cost under 30% of retail.