Are Uneven Prongs a Problem?

[goldstein]

Aside from aesthetics....

Do uneven prongs pose any other problem as long as they are all well-tightened on to the stone?

 

[goldstein]

40 views... No answer?

Does it depend on why the prong is uneven? So therefore no a straightforward answer and will depend on a case by case basis.

Meaning is it because it is bent or merely the length of the prong are variable.

 

[wordie89]

huh. I'm probably like the other 62 viewers and wondering if anyone has an answer.

Well, I have a lovely ring with uneven prongs and my stone, oval 3ct spinel, is loose after a couple of years. I think that better placed prongs would have done a better job of holding the stone. And really, it's poor workmanship to deliver a ring that looks uneven..... but that was another thread!!

 

[lilmosun]

Depends on what other issues there might be..as wordie89 said, it could be due to carelessness by the setter. At a minimum, I'd have a jeweler with a good bench check it out.

I had a stone set in a new setting by a vendor who I had not done business with before. I noticed one of the prongs was shorter so put it away after having another stone from the same vendor fell out right after purchasing. Sure enough, that stone fell out too (while still in the box). When I took the setting to my regular jeweler to fix, he pointed out that not only was one of the prongs too short but also the grooves inside were cut too deep for the stone.

 

[T L]

I think it depends on how the prongs are holding the stone and if they're long enough, rather than "uneven-ness." I would also venture to say I've had more problems with high karat gold keeping stones in place than lower karat gold. Platinum shouldn't be a problem. Many antique platinum settings hold their gems for 100 years or more.

 

[T L]

I think it depends on how the prongs are holding the stone and if they're long enough, rather than "uneven-ness." I would also venture to say I've had more problems with high karat gold keeping stones in place than lower karat gold. Platinum shouldn't be a problem. Many antique platinum settings hold their gems for 100 years or more.

 

[ElleK]

I'm afraid of what you mean by "uneven". It could mean a whole variety of things, as prongs may be quite small, but are also very dynamic. So knowing more about where they are uneven would be helpful.

 

[chrono]

It depends. Pictures of the setting in question will allow us to answer your question better.
How uneven is it?
Is one longer than the rest?
Is one tilted off to the side compared to the rest?
Is one lumpier than the rest?
How well do the prongs sit on the stone itself?

 

[goldstein]

Had a good local jeweler take a look it and he said that they do not pose any problem and with the way they are seated from the pendant on to stone; he does not recommending trying to fix it as it would be both be extremely costly for minor unevenness and highly risky towards causing potential damage to the stone.

Furthermore he has said that your prongs are completely fine and the stone is not loose either nor moving. It is stable.

It is a handcrafted and custom pendant; I've heard that in handcrafted and custom jewelry; there could be unevenness in the prongs.

 

[chrono]

Unevenness in prongs under the pretext/guise/excuse of handcrafted and custom is BS. It is all about the quality of workmanship. If I paid $500 for a handcrafted and custom setting, I'm fine with some unevenness. If I paid $3000 for a handcrafted and custom setting, it had better hold up to scrutiny under close inspection and magnification.

 

[T L]

Another way to tell if your stone is in peril of falling out, uneven prongs or not, is if you wear the ring, and rattle your hand. Listen very carefully for the stone making some shaking noise in the setting. If you hear that, time to tighten and/or add more metal to the prongs.

 

[minousbijoux]

Unevenness in prongs under the pretext/guise/excuse of handcrafted and custom is BS. It is all about the quality of workmanship. If I paid $500 for a handcrafted and custom setting, I'm fine with some unevenness. If I paid $3000 for a handcrafted and custom setting, it had better hold up to scrutiny under close inspection and magnification.

I agree, with the exception of an asymmetrically cut stone (like a cab for example) which needs prongs of varying length to secure the stone. I guess even in this case, I might make them all as long as the longest prong unless that ruined the look, in which case I might accept a more organic/rustic look (I also might just not set the stone too )