Surface Enrichment of Base and Precious Metals For Small Masses
Rule 10a. Designs in precious metals should call for the minimum amount of metal necessary to express the idea of the designer for two reasons: (1) good taste; (2) economy of material.
Rule 10b. Contour and surface enrichment should never appear to compete for attention in the same design.
Rule 10c. Parts of a design differing in function should differ in appearance but be co-ordinated with the entire design.
Rule 10d. Surface enrichment should at some point parallel the contours of both primary mass and point of concentration especially whenever the latter is a stone or enamel.
Rule 10e. In the presence of either stone or enamel as a point of concentration, surface enrichment should be regarded as an unobtrusive setting, or background.
Rule 10f. Stone or enamel used as a point of concentration should form contrast with the metal, either in color, brilliancy, or value, or all three combined.
Rule 10g. The inceptive axis should pass through and coincide with one axis of a stone and at the same time be sympathetically related to the structure.
Rule 10h. The position of the inceptive axis should be determined by: (1) use of the project as ring, pendant, or bar pin, (2) character of the primary mass as either vertical or horizontal in proportion.
Rule 10i. Caution should be exercised with regard to the use of enamel. Over-decoration by this material tends to cheapen both process and design.
Rule 10j. All surface enrichment should have an appearance of compactness or unity. Pierced spots or areas should be so used as to avoid the appearance of having been scattered on the surface without thought to their coherence.
Rule 10k. Built, carved, and chased enrichment should have the higher planes near the point of concentration. It is well to have the stone as the highest point above the primary mass. When using this form of enrichment, the stone should never appear to rise abruptly from the primary mass, but should be approached by a series of rising planes.
Rule 10l. The lanes or margins between enameled spots should be narrower than the lane or margin between the enamel and the contour of the primary mass.
Rule 10m. Transparent and opaque stones or enamel should not be used in the same design.