8.5 million people watched this 15-second moment: a star-shaped silver piece, fresh from firing… and the stone was never placed. Here's the reel — and everything you need to know about setting gemstones in silver clay, including how to fix exactly this mistake.
How stone setting works in silver clay
Cubic zirconia and lab-grown stones can be pressed directly into wet clay before firing — they survive torch temperatures. Push the stone in until the clay edge sits slightly above the stone's widest point (the girdle); during firing the clay shrinks and locks the stone permanently in place. No prongs, no glue, no setting tools.
Which stones survive firing?
Cubic zirconia (all colors), lab-created corundum and spinel: yes. Natural gemstones, pearls, opals, anything with inclusions: no — set those after firing, or choose their lab-grown cousins. Our gemstone collection is selected to be fire-safe.
Forgot the stone? Two rescues
1. Drill and set after firing — fired fine silver is soft enough to create a seat with a hand drill, then secure the stone with a dab of jewelry-grade adhesive.
2. Add fresh clay — apply a small amount of new silver clay around the stone position, press the stone in, and re-fire the piece. Silver clay bonds to fired silver: that's the fix used in the reel.
Try it yourself
The Silver Clay Starter Kit includes assorted cubic zirconia stones to fire straight into your first pieces. New to the material? Start with Silver Clay: The Complete Guide.
