Channel setting
A setting in which a row of stones sits in a groove between two parallel metal walls.
Where you see channels
Channel settings are common in wedding bands, anniversary bands and the shoulders of engagement rings. Round, princess and baguette stones all work, and square stones can sit edge to edge for an unbroken line.
Strengths and limits
The walls protect the girdles of the stones, so channels are secure and smooth to wear. They let in less light from the sides than pavé or prongs, so channel set stones rely on light entering through the table and crown.
Modelling and rendering channels
In CAD, the channel and the stone seats are usually cut with a boolean operation. Clean booleans matter, because leftover slivers of metal inside the channel show as dark specks in close-up renders.
Keep the stones on their own layer and the band on another, so you can try different metals without affecting the stones. For product images, a three quarter view down the length of the channel shows depth and spacing, while a straight top view shows how tightly the stones line up. Channel bands also look good in a slow 360° video, because the line of stones catches light one after another as the ring turns.
Make sure each stone sits at the same depth in the CAD. Even a small height difference looks like an uneven setting once a buyer zooms into the image on a product page.