A question for benchmen.

[Rank Amateur]

My wife noticed a fiber from her shirt caught on the prong of one of her rings. She then noticed that the fiber was under the diamond. With a bit of manipulating, she was able to work the fiber out from under the stone, thereby showing that the diamond is not tight in the setting. The stone does not seem loose to the touch or (to the naked eye) look dislodged. Maybe it''s not a problem at all.

I know that it would need to be seen to be sure, but if the stone has become unseated is it possible to re-seat it without removing the entire head and starting over? Can one tell if the stone was not set properly originally? If it does need to be re-set can the existing head be re-used? Sorry if the questions seem so basic - I''m pretty ignorant about benchwork.

The head is a four prong platinum. The head is just a few years old, so I don''t think it''s wearing thin. The prongs still look substantial. Under the scope it is apparent that the stone is no longer properly seated in the notch in the prong, but it''s hard to tell when it happened.

I hate to pay for a new head, but if that''s the only way to remediate the problem we''ll do it.

Thanks!

R/A

 

[fire&ice]

Rank, I don't know how many benchman frequent this forum. I can tell you from my experiences that this has happened to me on several rings. I look at it kind of like flossing your teeth. The prong & stone are not one. They just work together.

But, would like to know if indeed this is a problem.

 

[Rank Amateur]

Flossing is an excellent analogy.

We have one opinion to have it completely taken apart and re-set but that seems a bit extreme to me! This jeweler (not a benchman) is a young guy and I generally don't trust people who are younger than me.

 

[Hest88]

I don't know RA, but since jewelers suggest you have your rings checked every year or so, I always assumed that if the prongs "loosened" it would be an easy thing to "tighten" them up again. I always pictured something along the line of pliers...

 

[Mara]

Yes our jeweler suggested we come in every 6 months or at least 1ce a year to have the prongs checked and tightened.

 

[Rank Amateur]

Wierd.

I now have a second opinion from a bench guy with 20 years in one store. He says the diamond is fine and doesn't need to be adjusted at all.

One guy says "new head" the other says "no worries". I guess this is why you never take just two measurements in an experiment. If they differ you have no way to guess which one is correct!

R/A

 

[Hest88]

Good.

I've been told that if I want to check the security of my stone by myself I should just try to jiggle it with my finger. If the stone moves then it's loose. Also to hold the ring up to my ear and shake it. If I hear the faint "clink" of the stone hitting against the prongs then it's also loose.

 

[fire&ice]

A benchman with 20 years of experience - no worries.

A young jeweler - new head, etc.

If it makes you feel better, get a third opinion. Me, I'd take the 20 year veterns advice. The young jeweler sounds a bit like chicken little.