Thanks for the clarification Wendy - I know more about gold work than gem setting... I have seen this artist's other designs and many where she works with a form that's a cabochon, which would work for a blister or mabe. Those appear to be bezel set with some of the leaves, etc. just worked a bit over the edges. From a jewelry standpoint, those seem very stable.
Looking at this design I am reminded of something posted elsewhere on this forum, I think in Beaders..., where someone was working on a wire-wrap effect to make little cages for the pearls. a concept we all like but that really does seem difficult to pull of well.