In The Trade: An Interview With Stoyan Ivanov - SetBySk
Fresh from joining HS Walsh on our stand at the Jewellery Show 2025* and now taking the spotlight as our In The Trade expert this month, we welcome Stoyan Ivanov to the interview seat.
With 5 years of experience under his belt, Stoyan set up his diamond setting service this autumn along with his partner Niles, with their combined skills making for an exciting new business to both feature and follow.
Stoyan will also shortly be working with us on Instagram and YouTube detailing his various skills, eye catching pieces, whilst using products which are all available through our website.
Who, What & Where
I am Stoyan Ivanov and I have been a diamond and gem setter for 5 years, based in London, specialising in all types of melee stone setting and larger centre stones. With the help of my partner Niles, we created SetBySk - an independent diamond setting service offering various setting work and videography of it to the trade and private clients. We officially started the company together in September 2025.
How you started, your route into the trade
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always kept my hands busy making things since a child, whether it was small model making of mini aeroplanes & vehicle scale models or even origami and papercraft model making.
I’ve always enjoyed paying attention to detail and spending hours in my own zone figuring out how even the most complex things come to fruition.
I began my journey into jewellery and diamond setting in November 2020 with the guidance and help of my uncle Dimitar Hitrov, who runs a family established goldsmithing and diamond setting workshop in Hatton Garden. In my first year I learnt how to use a microscope, a pneumatic engraving machine and micromotor, all 3 being backbones of the diamond setting process.
Originally I was working with silver and cz stones practising pave style setting for months on end, with repetition after repetition to achieve smooth bright cuts and proper stone levelling. I’m naturally very patient so I loved immersing myself fully into the techniques and process. Additionally, being able to view all the tiny details under high magnification of the microscope was extremely satisfying, seeing my practice rings and pieces come to life.
Any qualifications?
I obtained my degree in Graphics Design at university, however I feel what I’ve aquired knowledge and skill wise over the past 5 years of learning diamond setting techniques, identifying gems and working with precious metals ultimately are my best qualifications in the trade.
What does your role entail?
My work spans from setting the tiniest of 0.6mm stones all the way up to huge 10ct gems and diamonds in various types of styles to match the needs of the ever-evolving jewellery world. I work closely with 3D Cad and jewellery designers to exchange knowledge on how pieces should be prepped with proper tolerances before they take their place on my setting desk for the final steps in securing and placing diamonds & gems inside the precious metals used to create them.
My main market is the UK jewellery trade - with clients predominantly in London via Hatton Garden workshops, but also spanning to Scotland and Northern England, where other goldsmiths and designers are established, requiring setting work to be completed.
The majority of my work and processes are filmed and edited with the help of Niles, where they are then posted on my Instagram and YouTube for an insight into the creation of interesting and intricate jewellery pieces.
Favourite task
Diamond setting in itself comes with a degree of problem solving and planning. My favourite task would have to be seeing a project which is deemed ‘tricky’ or sometimes even ‘impossible’ to set, and then figuring out how to modify my gravers to achieve the needed geometry to cut the metal and complete the project. The feeling which comes after is extremely rewarding and always adds to my knowledge to broaden my confidence of my skills in the trade.
Least favourite task
Setting chipped or broken stones. Although I fully understand they can be sentimental and cherished through decades of being handed down where they will experience wear and tear, it's a nerve-wracking process to be trusted with carrying on the life to re-set a new piece of jewellery using an already worn gem.
Dream Client
The dream client wouldn’t necessarily be the most famous person or company, but someone who ultimately values the time needed to complete complex setting processes and one who is willing to have great communication through the design and manufacturing process of a piece before it reaches the setting stage.
As setting is often the final part of a large project , it's crucial to establish a great step by step method on how a piece should be designed, to allow for the most detail and quality to be achieved with diamond setting.
Favourite Walsh Product
By far this would have to be the AlexTools Divider by GRS. Great setting requires an equal amount of precision and accuracy, and these dividers give me exactly that.
I use them every day to plan out my lines of bright cuts or centre lines across surfaces of precious metals where stones will be set , and the option of being able to sharpen them with diamond wheels + replace their tips make them a lifetime tool.
Many thanks to Stoyan for being our In The Trade focus for December.
Instagram page where much of Stoyan's work is highlighted:
YouTube: Stoyan will be posting longer format videos soon, showing even more of the process detailed in our In The Trade:
Meet the HS Team
Lisa takes the hot seat for our December HSW team member focus:
Name, role, time with company
Lisa Trigg
Credit Control (& Christmas Party Chief Planner!)
3.5 years.
Favourite food
Spaghetti bolognese - if it's on the menu then it's a yes from me!
Interests & hobbies
Walking in the countryside with my hubby, with the sun shining on us; but the walk must have a pub pit stop at the end for me to have a glass of vino to congratulate me for exercising!
Best way to spend a day off
Shopping with my besties and hiding the shopping from my hubby when I get in!
Favourite Walsh product
Any of the diamond testers, as diamonds are a girl's best friend after all!
Words to live by
"Everything happens for a reason..."
