pave setting question

[allycat0303]

Well as many of you know, I''ve had a few problems with my setting. In any last night, I was playing with the setting (not a good idea) bascially I was applying really slight pressure to the individual stones on the halo. Just to kind of see if they move or anything. In any case when I got to the stones in the halo behind the claw prongs (this is where I lost the diamond previously). The stones sunk slightly. Just kind of moved downwards. In any case I have 4 claw prongs, and the two stones behind all of the claw prongs depressed slightly into the setting so that''s 8 stone (It''s only noticeable if I look at the ring under a loupe, so I don''t really care about the look of it).

So my question is, what happened? And did I make my setting more (or less secure?). I''ve had a similar experience with a prong set eternity band, but the diamonds were bigger, and I got the impression I just snapped the stone back into place. I''m a bit worried about the setting, so any insight would be great.

 

[Mara]

why don't you take it to a local jeweler and have them check those 8 stones? i don't think you should be able to MOVE stones with your fingers, but what do I know?!

 

[BeaudryBabe]

I agree with Mara, take it to a local, reputable and jeweler and have it examined. Moving stones doesn''t sound good.

How does the ring look since the repair by Leon? Leon just started my ring and I am beyond concerned after reading about your horrible experience.

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree with BB and Mara. You shouldn''t be able to move the stones just by pressing on them. Do you have a local jeweler that you like and trust?? I lost a stone out of my asscher too. I am waiting a bit before I send it back to Quest.

 

[Lorelei]

Yes get it checked - better safe than sorry

 

[BeaudryBabe]

Hi All,

Kaleigh, where, on your setting, did you lose the stone from? Wow, are we all asking for trouble buying all this pave?

 

[Kaleigh]

BB,
It''s a tiny one on the bottom of the shank on the side. I did have it replaced by my local guy and it fell out again. So it needs to go back to Quest and be fixed for good. No one can see it though. Thank god it''s not on the top of the halo. My local guy did say I might have troubles with it and to not wear it everyday. I think it was made very well. maybe I banged it, who knows??

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 11/1/2005 1:51:27 PM
Author: BeaudryBabe
I agree with Mara, take it to a local, reputable and jeweler and have it examined. Moving stones doesn''t sound good.


How does the ring look since the repair by Leon? Leon just started my ring and I am beyond concerned after reading about your horrible experience.

BeaudryBabe- I don''t think you have to worry. for some reason ally seems to be having troubles but lovey, reena and others have been very happy with their leon rings. you also live in the states which, from what i''ve read here, makes it a lot easier to find quality people to do the repairs or send it back to Leon.

ally- i agree, you''re going to have to find someone who can look at your rings and be able to do minor repairs if necessary. I don''t think stones should be moving around either.

 

[allycat0303]

Hey everyone,

Urgh... took it to Birks who are beyond evil... such snots. After much prodding, they told me that the metal holding the diamonds is still there... but that the stones are slightly depressed (lower then the other ones in the halo).

Aside from that, they couldn't tell me anything unless they sent it to their jeweler (two weeks) and for an indeterminate amount of money. I'm not sure what to do because, I don't know if the stones are going to fall out??? Or if they are fine?? My appraiser had warned me that the reason Birks doesn't tell you ahead of time is because they come back with a $300 bill for replacing a tiny, melee stone.

Beuadry: I don't think you have much to worry about. Losing a Pave stone is pretty common, but in the US, there's A LOT of jewelers that can easily handle all the repairs. My problem is that in Montreal there aren't any jewelers that will even touch my setting (except for Birks, which allows them to dictate crazy prices).

I've been to 3 jewelers (aside from Birks) and each of their bench jewelers said they wouldn't touch the setting, so it's pretty much a NO GO in Montreal.

And I also think I know why I'm having problems with my setting. If you look at Lovey's ring, she has an airline, and the diamonds right in back of the claw prongs are large (similar size to the other one's in the halo).

If you look at my setting (no airline) the diamonds in back of the claw prong are tiny, and they (maybe??) are held down by the side of the prong.....I also know that my halo is a lot smaller then Lovey's, so maybe the diamonds in back of the claw are smaller too...who knows...

ARGH... Ok, I'm going to email Leon. Ask him him what to do. Although I really don't want to send it back again

 

[Melinda]

Ally,
I''m so sorry to hear about all these problems you''ve had with your ring.
Is it safe to assume that pave (beautiful as it is) is more prone to problems?

 

[Mara]

Seriously this crusted pave stuff is beautiful and all but what a pain in the a$$!!!! I didn''t know that you had lost a stone out of your new ring K, and you don''t even wear it daily.

It would drive me nuts to be losing stones every few months or similar. I think after hearing some of the stories here that I would probably not get a ring even a RHR like this because I''d be too friggin paranoid about it.

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes I worry about mine all the time. I don''t even wear it everyday. I am waiting to send it back to Quest to see if anymore fall out. So far it''s just the one and I had it replaced by my local guy and it fell out agin. So perhaps it''s a problem with how that stone is seated, or set?? I haven''t told Pete at Quest yet. Kind of nervous to tell him.

 

[belle]

it fell out again!? oh sister, that totally sucks!

that pretty pave'' stuff is high maintenance.

 

[ame]

Jeez. Ok this is more trouble than it''s worth. Your e-ring is supposed to be somethin you can wear every day (shut up, I know you all wanna say somethin...) and if you have to worry about stuff fallin out of your setting....that''s not worth it. You paid a ridiculous amount of money for all the problems you have been having with this ring.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I agree. I wish I knew the risks of bead set melees before I got my ring (which I love, don''t get me wrong) but I wouldn have probably asked Tacori to make all three rows channel set if I had known. I am so sad I cannot use my US for my e-ring

Oh well. I am getting a channel set w-band for sure.

 

[Demelza]

I agree! What a pain!! I''m so sorry, Ally, to hear you''re having MORE problems. You too, Kaleigh. It just shouldn''t be THAT delicate.

 

[mrssalvo]

it still makes me think of workmanship issues. My grandmothers ring has pave all over it. she wore it 24/7, rarely took it off and never lost a stone. It was an antique passed on to her. Why all the trouble with today''s pave and not pave made back then??

 

[Lynn B]

Dang! That is such a bummer. I am so sorry for you, Alley -- and Lisa too.

Who knew that this beautiful pave would be so delicate? It wouldn't be quite so bad if these masterpieces were coming to us from local B&Ms who would service them quickly and easily... but for most of us PSers, every repair means shipping time and expense... oh, what a drag. I am so sorry.

That's it. Note to self - no pave for me. Ever. I couldn't take the pressure!!!!

 

[Demelza]

Date: 11/2/2005 3:37:00 PM
Author: mrssalvo
it still makes me think of workmanship issues. My grandmothers ring has pave all over it. she wore it 24/7, rarely took it off and never lost a stone. It was an antique passed on to her. Why all the trouble with today''s pave and not pave made back then??

Yeah, Kaleigh''s grandmother''s ring never had any problems either. I don''t get it. You''d think with a skilled jeweler and recent technology, it would be even more secure. I can see that cheap pave might not be, but these are handmade, very fine pieces of jewelry. What''s going on??

 

[Kaleigh]

And my grandmother''s ring is over 100 years old. It was my great grandmother''s ering. Nanny is 94, so it could even be like 125 years old and no probs what so ever.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My mom wears her grandmother''s e-ring (my great-grandmother) that has a pave split shank and she has never had any problems either. (She wears it daily and is hard on her jewelry) ALSO her engraving is in tact too, so maybe rings were better 100+ years ago or maybe some of us just get "lemons"

 

[MissAva]

It makes me wonder about the alloys though too. Are the metals being used today mixed differently then the ones from older pieces. I have inexpensive little pave rings from QVC that were “best friend rings” in high school and were worn daily for over four years, no problems but the metal was different then the ones being used for fine jewelry.

ETA: SS with platinum plating “Epiphany”

 

[snogirl17]

I am sorry to hear about your troubles and frustrations!!!!
I have been doing some searching around, and i have really fallen in love with some pave settings... does this mean that it may not be the route to go? i have two small tension set rings my boyfriend gave me and i dropped on once and the stone fell out, i was crushed... would pave be just as fragile??

 

[allycat0303]

You know, the pave and stones falling out seems to be everywhere now. CuteX (the octogon halo) also lost one when she got her ring, and I believe Snowbunny too. I don''t think it''s that uncommon, but maybe no one mentioned it before......

I think if I''d known about the possible hazards of pave I would have gone a different route. I''ve had 2 prong set eternity bands, and I''ve never loss a stone (and I treated those bands a lot less nicely).
Basically though, I''ve dicussed it with my boyfriend, and if I lose another stone, we''re going to change the setting. I''ve had enough, I want to wear my e-ring without worry incessently that something is going to fall out. I''m thinking a shared prong eternity band might be more solid...as of yet, I haven''t heard of any stones falling out of those settings. I know about the rubbing against the wedding band, but I''m not going to wear one, so it won''t be a problem.

Lisa, I''m afraid to wear my ring too. I''m always very, very careful with it. I don''t sleep with it, wash my hands wearing it, dishes, cooking, etc. Basically the only time I wear it is when I''m sitting in class. Doing nothing. But the stones shifting under pressure give me the feeling that the setting isn''t solid. I really hope you don''t miss your ring to much when it''s gone back for repairs.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 11/2/2005 5:03:53 PM
Author: allycat0303
I''ve dicussed it with my boyfriend, and if I lose another stone, we''re going to change the setting. I''ve had enough, I want to wear my e-ring without worry incessently that something is going to fall out.

Hey Ally!
Sorry to hear about the new trouble! If, for any reason, you did decide to change settings - would you consider putting a colored stone, pink sapphire? blue sapphire? in the Leon & wearing it for special o''s only? It''s so lovely I hope it works out as your e-ring!

 

[laney]

I just have to say that my tacori rings.. knock on wood -- haven''t had a problem with the pave. And I have 3 sided pave on both rings. I go to the gym with them and basically wear them all the time.

I''ve only had the e ring 1 year though.. and the w-band for 7 months. But no probs yet...

 

[Kaleigh]

Ally,
I know it sucks doesn''t it?? I think my problem is that this darn last stone on the shank wasn''t set properly in the first place. Knock on wood all the others are fine. Perhaps that is the case with yours too. Who knows, but it''s a shame to have to feel scared about wearing such a beautiful ring. I hope your problem gets solved once and for all. I am hoping the same for me.

 

[allycat0303]

Decoded: I think it's a cute idea (colored stones) but I'm not that much of a jewelery person. My e-ring is the only thing I wear, so I'm going to just let the setting sit somewhere I think (kind of as a token of my engagement) I'm also much more attached to the actual stone then the setting because my boyfriend actually sent me a link to it before Aldj suggested it, so it's special to me.

Though to be totally, 100% honest, hmmm.... my boyfriend is actually going to look at getting a bigger stone if we decide to get a shared prong eternity set, he thinks my stone might not have that much impact if it doesn't have the halo (and especially since we've both gotten use to the size of a halo). We discussed it briefly today, and he thinks maybe a 1.8-2ct stone might be better in that setting. Of course, then comes the inevitable dilemna...do I keep the stone that I'm attached to, or do we trade it in. Hopefully though, it won't get to that point, and the stones in my setting will stay put. I don't want him to spend more on my e-ring. I think it's already enough, but I think we both need something that we are comfortable with (him size wise...I thin'k he's fixated on a certain look to the e-ring) and me with a worry free setting. So we'll see.

 

[icekid]

yikes... I haven''t lost any pave yet, thankfully. I don''t wear my ring if I am doing anything active, so I really don''t bang it around. Hopefully I won''t lose any for a long time!

Lisa- why did your local guy tell you not to wear your asscher everyday?? Do they really think the setting is that delicate?

 

[Kaleigh]

I think perhaps he was mad I didn''t have him make it for me. Just the feeling I got from him.