Basket Settings: Collectors of Gunk?

[Bliss]

Hello! I'm looking at 5 stone settings and while I adore the open profiles, the basket setting sits the best on my finger. Nice and low! My only concern is - since the setting isn't as open, it might be harder to clean the diamonds. No more scrubbing!

Do you find it hard to clean basket settings where the pavilions are covered so you can't scrub them? I just feel like they'll collect soap scum and hidden dirt! Yep, I need psychological help! I'd appreciate hearing your experiences!!!!

 

[Bliss]

Here''s an example of the type of basket setting I mean... Do you think gunk would collect in the crevices? And it''d stay clean over time? I like to keep my diamonds super clean.

It''s a disease.

 

[lyra]

That one would probably benefit most from using an ultrasonic cleaner. My 5 stone semi-bezel has more of an open gallery but it does collect some gunk. The u/s works best, but using the dip/scrub works okay too.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Bliss, I saw the thread title before the poster name and just knew it was you

 

[Laila619]

Isn''t that a shared prong setting?

In any case, it does look like it would be hard to keep clean, but it sure is pretty.

 

[Bliss]

lyra, thanks!

BELLA!!! Hahahahaha! I know!!! I love the low basket setting but I can just imagine what hand lotion would do to it!!!

Hi Laila! Yep, it's shared prong...it's the only one I could find that shows how the diamonds are sitting in little "baskets" and not in a truffle or U setting. I couldn't find the traditional basket setting - but I think gunk would still hide in there! If I get lotion all over my e-ring, I can just scrub it out. But in these settings, I think it would be much harder!

 

[trillionaire]

my basket setting is notoriously difficult to clean. There are some threads about this topic floating around, one fairly recent...

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/19/2010 11:52:26 AM
Author: Bliss
Here's an example of the type of basket setting I mean... Do you think gunk would collect in the crevices? And it'd stay clean over time? I like to keep my diamonds super clean.

It's a disease.

Bliss...your example aren't basket setting,they are call "share prong setting"

this is my wife's 5 stone WF ring with share prong basket setting.and,yes they are PITA to clean!!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pick-up-this-from-fed-ex-today-wf-aca-5-stone-plat-ring-1-27-ctw.28389/

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Bliss-I think b/c yours doesn''t have the airline that DF''s has it won''t get as dirty. that''s one of the things I liked about it. Plus, you have the ultrasonic which I really think will take care of it...if all else fails you can take it to ID everyday and have them clean it properly

 

[Bliss]

trillionaire, thanks! I did a bunch of searches but didn''t find the thread! Maybe a few posts here and there in ultrasonic threads. Yours is very difficult to clean? THANK YOU for saying so. That helps me so much. I suspected it would be hard to clean.

DF - your wife''s ring is gorgeous! Thanks! So it''s a PITA to clean? LOL - guess I''m not getting one, then! They are SO pretty and sit so low... ah well, thank you for setting me straight.

If a ring is hard to clean, I know I won''t wear it! I guess I''ll go with a more open setting! Thanks!!!

ETA: DF! I just read your post about how hard it is to clean and how you use a safety pin to clean out the gunk! Definitely not the setting for me...but sooooooo pretty!!!! You have great taste - your wife is very very lucky!!!

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 2/19/2010 4:38:43 PM
Author: Bliss
trillionaire, thanks! I did a bunch of searches but didn''t find the thread! Maybe a few posts here and there in ultrasonic threads. Yours is very difficult to clean? THANK YOU for saying so. That helps me so much. I suspected it would be hard to clean.

DF - your wife''s ring is gorgeous! Thanks! So it''s a PITA to clean? LOL - guess I''m not getting one, then! They are SO pretty and sit so low... ah well, thank you for setting me straight.

If a ring is hard to clean, I know I won''t wear it! I guess I''ll go with a more open setting! Thanks!!!

ETA: DF! I just read your post about how hard it is to clean and how you use a safety pin to clean out the gunk! Definitely not the setting for me...but sooooooo pretty!!!! You have great taste - your wife is very very lucky!!!

No worries! Here''s one

thread on baskets

 

[Bliss]

trillionaire, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Your sleuthing skills plus DF''s scary stories about cleaning under the baskets has sealed the deal. No basket setting for this girl! So sad, because they really are super beautiful, comfy and low on the finger. Thank you!!! You have all saved me a ton of aggravation and a reset!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/19/2010 6:39:59 PM
Author: Bliss
trillionaire, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Your sleuthing skills plus DF''s scary stories about cleaning under the baskets has sealed the deal. No basket setting for this girl! So sad, because they really are super beautiful, comfy and low on the finger. Thank you!!! You have all saved me a ton of aggravation and a reset!

i''d love the basket style,but yes...PITA to clean!!,plus her earrings are set in basket style too.

 

[lyra]

Oh Bliss, I''m dreaming about a 2.5 cwt 5 stone ring, and I would *definitely* be getting the basket setting like DF''s wife''s ring. Although it may be a bit harder to clean, it''s lower profile like you said. I have a good ultrasound and a steam cleaner, so cleaning would be easy for me. The setting you pictured at the beginning of the thread was very different than a "basket" setting which has some open parts on the sides. Just wearing my current 5 stone in the shower daily cleans it pretty well. Don''t be discouraged if you love the basket setting.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 2/19/2010 6:39:59 PM
Author: Bliss
trillionaire, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Your sleuthing skills plus DF''s scary stories about cleaning under the baskets has sealed the deal. No basket setting for this girl! So sad, because they really are super beautiful, comfy and low on the finger. Thank you!!! You have all saved me a ton of aggravation and a reset!

Very welcome! I was going to re-set my head, until I realized that the idea of my modifying my e-ring in any way was HIGHLY offensive to FI, and I wouldn''t do it without his blessing. I really didn''t think it would be a big deal, I wasn''t changing the setting... *shrugs* So I boil and soak and toil along

 

[risingsun]

Bliss~could you show a side view of the ring you posted. It does look more like a shared prong setting than a basket setting. I have a five stone shared prong ring and it's very easy to keep clean. I'm confiscating your hand lotion! Take off your rings before using it, please

 

[MissGotRocks]

I have the Memoire five stone band (2 ct.) and I''ve never had a problem keeping it clean. There are holes on the underside of the mounting. I put it in the ultrasonic cleaner everyday and I''ve never seen dirt or grime on the stones. I wear lotion on my hands almost daily - put on before my ring of course! - and I clean the ring every evening. Never been the slightest problem with dirt or gunk build up. I''m very anal about clean rings so I never really give it a chance to get ''built up'' on or around the stones.

 

[blingmyring]

Hi Bliss,

I have a 5-Stone ring set like the ring you posted (except mine is bar set - I''ve had it about 16 years). I also have a full eternity band set like DF''s wife''s ring (basket). The 5 stone is very easy to clean because there are only 5 diamonds / 5 cleaning holes; the eternity (basket set) is easier to clean but I don''t have the patience to do a thorough job because there are 18 holes and I never know where I started from. I don''t have an ultrasonic; I use a ''lipstick'' brush and a small ''eyeshadow'' brush to clean my rings. I never get guck in them, ever. I only put hand lotion on at home and I remove my rings for that. The only dirt they see is the film that builds up from washing my hands with soap since I never take my rings off when I am out of the house. I think that if you love the ring you won''t have any trouble at all keeping it clean.

On another note, are you still happy with your 8-prong martini earrings? I''m going to contact Yekutiel to reset my bezel studs (and hopefully upgrade at the same time

).

 

[Bliss]

Trillionaire - that is SO wonderful of you to respect your FI''s wishes. Awww... your ring is gorgeous!

Risingsun, thank you! You''re right - it was a shared prong ring! I will try to keep stuff off of it, but it is hard! Just daily wear would produce some dust in those nooks, I think. Maybe I should go for shared prong over the traditional basket setting.

MissGotRocks, thank you! Oh the Memoire. Be still my heart! I''m a scrubber and I like to scrub the diamonds from time to time. I feel like soap scum builds up over time and I want to be able to scrub it out if I get lazy every so often. Wow, if I had your Memoire I''d be keeping that baby clean 24/7!

Hey Blingmyring! Thanks! I have a diamond cross that I can''t scrub because of the way the diamonds are set. And it drives me nuts! I''m thinking that if I get a ring, the compulsion will be worse. Heehee. Ah, to answer your question - I am still deeply and madly in love with the 8-prong martinis studs! Never have I had any regret or even an inkling of looking around at anything else since then. They are perfect in every way! Each time I put them on, I''m happy I got them. The plus side is, when you put them on - you don''t smudge the stones bc the 8 tiny prongs cradle the diamond. So your fingers never touch the stone! Are you getting an upgrade? Ooooooooh!!!! I love bezel studs! Why are you resetting, if I may ask?

 

[blingmyring]

Hi Bliss,

Thanks so much for your reply. My studs from Yekutiel, which I deemed I really needed after a wonderful exchange between you and Phoenix on one of your earring threads

) are .62ctw (purchased in November). I went with the bezel setting off of the website: #1 to make them look a bit bigger, #2 because 4-prong baskets are not my favourite setting, and #3 because the 3-prong martini would just spread the whole in my aging earlobe.

What I have found is that this particular bezel setting is just too tall for me and I don''t like the look on my lobe. I think that perhaps the 8 prong setting could be a solution for me since it will sit closer to my ear without spreading the earring hole, and it will enhance the ''roundness'' of the diamonds like a bezel.

Regarding the upgrade, I ultimately would like 2.0 ctw studs and I think they would be a wonderful upgrade for my 20th wedding anniversary in a few years (2.0ctw = 20 years,

). In the meantime though, since I''m not currently residing in North America, and my husband will be in New York on business at the beginning of March, I want to take the opportunity to either reset the studs I have or, if reasonable, upgrade to 1ctw and reset

. I''m going to call Yekutiel later today or tomorrow to discuss my options.

 

[Imdanny]

Anywhere that can collect grime, will. I've noticed this on old stainless. Even the slightest crevice.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, Bliss.

 

[blingmyring]

Bliss, sorry, I have one more question. Could you explain how those friction backs work? Thanks in advance.