In the 19th Century stones were usually set in silver applied over gold settings.

Clockwise from top left:

A pair of platinum and 18k gold and diamond cufflinks, USA, around 1900

An 18k yellow gold pansy brooch inlaid with white and red gold (sakudo technique), with an old mine-cut diamond, USA, around 1900

An 18k gold and diamond ring, English, around 1880