In the 18th and 19th century silver settings were considered better than gold, to enhance the brilliance of diamonds.It was considered to display a white stone within a white metal setting was better than a yellow setting which might draw a yellow light into the stone.
Settings were much heavier during this period with a tendency to enclose the sides and underneath the stone.

Early silver was imported from Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, and Peru.
Open back settings were introduced in 1800, which allowed light to penetrate from the back of the stone,with a simple ring of silver set around the girdle of the stone.
In1860 in West Nevada USA ,the Comstock lode of silver was discovered ,this led to a dramatic increase of silver jewellery production.
A lot of this silver jewellery was mass produced and so became much more affordable as there were fewer labour costs involved.
Silver filigree is the use of silver wire, widely used throughout the ages in the intricate production of jewellery. Because the wire is so malleable it could take the form of swirls, circles, wavy lines and straight lines, thus allowing the form of animals, birds, flowers and butterflies to emerge in the form of jewellery.
It is difficult to put a date on filigree pieces as it is a technique used in Europe for centuries

Platinum became fashionable in the 1920s and 30s, although it had been discovered much earlier by Spanish settlers in South America, they called it Plata which is their word for silver
It was very rare and difficult to melt ,due to the high temperature recquired and therefore seldom used in jewellery manufacture

In 1805 The Prince of Wales purchased a watch chain made of Platina but it was not until 1870 that it was recorded as a strong setting for diamonds. There are very few early examples of platinum jewellery as it was so difficult to work with that most jewellers did not attempt to use it.

It was not used widely as a setting until 1900
Many of Cartiers early 20th century pieces were set in platinum