Revamp Your Watch with Stone Setting: A Guide to Blinging Out Your Luxury Timepiece

We all want to stand out from the crowd and make a statement with our luxury watches. One way to do this is by revamping your timepiece with stone settings; adding gems and diamonds can take your watch to the next level, making it even more interesting, fun, and customized. Whether you're searching for a classic, timeless look or a more modern style, chances are you can set stones in your watch to achieve it. In this article, we'll explore exciting ways to bling out your luxury watch, how to select a stone setting, and how these choices impact your watch’s resale value. 

Stone Setting Types

A stone setting is the way that a gemstone fits securely into a piece of jewelry. There are several types of stone settings to choose from when it comes to adding gems or diamonds to your luxury watch. Here are the most common options:

1. Bezel stone setting: This type of setting plants gems or diamonds around the perimeter of the watch face with a secure ring of metal surrounding each individual gem. It’s often used for watches with larger faces, as they provide ample space to showcase the stones.
2. Pavé stone setting: This setting involves placing the gems or diamonds closely together, giving the appearance of a continuous sparkle instead of distinctly highlighting each gem separately. It’s often used on smaller watch faces to make the best use of the limited space available.
3. Channel stone setting: Similar to the pavé setting, this type of setting places the gems or diamonds close together in a line, and then sandwiches the stones with a row of metal on either side. This setting is popular on watch bands because it provides a sleek, understated look.
4. Invisible stone setting: This type of setting is also known as a mystery setting, because it hides the metal setting so the gems or diamonds appear to float on the watch face without any visible supports. This creates a modern, interesting look.

Choosing the Right Stones

Once you’ve chosen your setting, it’s time to choose the stones you’ll use to bling out your watch. A gemstone’s quality is based on the four C’s: color, cut, clarity, and carat. All four factors contribute to a gemstone’s value and ultimately inform its value and price. Here’s how to consider each one when selecting your stones:

1. Color: Do you want your stones to match the color of your watch, or do you want them to make a statement in a contrast color? Diamonds are a popular choice because their colorless, transparent appearance is easy to match with any metal or color.
2. Cut: The cut of the gems or diamonds you choose will affect the way the stones refract light, which impacts how they will sparkle. When looking at gemstones, the number of facets (the flat surfaces of a stone) will give you an idea of how much a stone will sparkle; the most common number of facets on a round gemstone is 58.
3. Clarity: Clarity refers to the clearness and purity of the gem or diamond. Gemstones with blemishes or inclusions won’t refract light in the same way, making them sparkle less. Finding a gemstone with high clarity means that light will pass through it more easily.
4. Carat: The carat measurement refers to the size and weight of the stone. When choosing the size of your gemstone or diamond, consider the size of your watch face and the overall look you're trying to achieve; if you’re going for a more subtle aesthetic, a lower carat count will do just fine. But if you’re looking to make the stones a centerpiece of your watch, you might want to opt for a higher carat count.

Lastly, consider your budget when choosing the stones for your watch. Keep in mind that larger gems or diamonds will be more expensive than smaller ones, and that different types of gems or diamonds will also vary in price. 

Luxury Watch Stone Settings and Resale Value

Adding gemstones to your luxury watch can greatly enhance its overall appearance and make it a one-of-a-kind piece. However, it's important to consider how your planned glow up will impact the watch's resale value. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Quality of the gemstones

When adding gemstones to your luxury watch, it's important to choose high-quality gems that are well cut and have high clarity. Bedazzling your watch with low-quality stones might look nice for now, but your watch could lose some of its value if not today, then over time. 

Brand and model

The brand and model of your watch will also play a big role in determining its resale value, especially when gemstones are added. Note that some luxury brands are considered collector items and most people will seek to buy them in their original condition. 

With the right stones and stone setting, you can create an even more stunning luxury watch that you'll treasure for years to come. Contact our expert jewelers at Quick Jewelry Repairs to get started on blinging out your luxury watch today.