- Joined
- Dec 12, 2000
- Messages
- 670
Bob’s Flashes – Setting your Center or Solitaire Diamond
We get a number of questions here on Pricescope about how their diamonds should be set, four prongs or six, who is responsible if my diamond is loose, how did my diamond get loose, etc.
Most diamonds are prong set with either four or six prongs. The prongs are either in a removable head or the prongs are part of the ring design. Most tiffany style rings have what is known as a removable head. So if someone has one of these rings with a ¾ carat round diamond in it, that diamond and the head can be removed and replaced with a 1 or 1.25 carat marquise or pear shape. If the prongs are part of the overall design of the ring, maybe a slightly larger diamond with a different shape can be put into the ring and maybe not.
Many people ask about the four or six prong issue. Which is better? Are four prongs just as safe? In my experience, four prongs are just as safe as six prongs. Six prongs put more metal around the diamond and take away from the beauty of the diamond. Six prongs make the diamond more difficult to clean. I once overheard a sales clerk tell a customer that you want only four prongs so that light can get under the diamond and make it more brilliant. I had to bite my tongue. The problem is many people believe that little lie, including the sales clerk. Light does not enter a diamond from the bottom.
Speaking of prongs. Hold your finger up and think of it as a prong. Cut a V shape into the prong almost half way. The angle of the V should be the same as the angle at the girdle of your diamond. Now, look at the prongs on your diamond. Is the diamond seated into that V on the top and bottom or is there space around the diamond and with it touching in a couple of places? Is the cut into the prong about ¾ the way through and the top just bent over? If that is the case, you will need your prongs re-tipped sometime in the future because that deep cut is now a weak spot and could bend back and break. Why is my ring snagging my hair and clothes? This snagging is caused by a prong or prongs not firmly down on the diamond or a spur in the metal somewhere. A good jeweler can easily fix a snag.
A diamond can be loosened in the ring by dropping the ring or hitting it in some way. Some people check to make sure the diamond is not loose by trying to twist it. Not a good ideal. If you twist your diamond back and forth for a time it will get loose. A simple way to see if your diamond is loose: put your ring finger nail under your thumb and flick your finger away from your thumb near your ear. If it is loose you will hear it. Take it off and take it to your jeweler for tightening.
Who is responsible if something happens to your ring or diamond? You are responsible and if you want to pass that on to someone else, you need insurance on your jewelry. Your ring can be stolen, lost, broken, burned, etc. Insurance will cover it.
Your diamond can be bezel set or tension set. If it is tension set, the company setting the diamond (this will not be your local jeweler) will usually warranty the ring and diamond as long as there is no work done on the ring except by the company that did the original work. This includes having the shank engraved by your local jeweler. You local jeweler can clean your ring, but that is all the work they should do for a tension set.
We get a number of questions here on Pricescope about how their diamonds should be set, four prongs or six, who is responsible if my diamond is loose, how did my diamond get loose, etc.
Most diamonds are prong set with either four or six prongs. The prongs are either in a removable head or the prongs are part of the ring design. Most tiffany style rings have what is known as a removable head. So if someone has one of these rings with a ¾ carat round diamond in it, that diamond and the head can be removed and replaced with a 1 or 1.25 carat marquise or pear shape. If the prongs are part of the overall design of the ring, maybe a slightly larger diamond with a different shape can be put into the ring and maybe not.
Many people ask about the four or six prong issue. Which is better? Are four prongs just as safe? In my experience, four prongs are just as safe as six prongs. Six prongs put more metal around the diamond and take away from the beauty of the diamond. Six prongs make the diamond more difficult to clean. I once overheard a sales clerk tell a customer that you want only four prongs so that light can get under the diamond and make it more brilliant. I had to bite my tongue. The problem is many people believe that little lie, including the sales clerk. Light does not enter a diamond from the bottom.
Speaking of prongs. Hold your finger up and think of it as a prong. Cut a V shape into the prong almost half way. The angle of the V should be the same as the angle at the girdle of your diamond. Now, look at the prongs on your diamond. Is the diamond seated into that V on the top and bottom or is there space around the diamond and with it touching in a couple of places? Is the cut into the prong about ¾ the way through and the top just bent over? If that is the case, you will need your prongs re-tipped sometime in the future because that deep cut is now a weak spot and could bend back and break. Why is my ring snagging my hair and clothes? This snagging is caused by a prong or prongs not firmly down on the diamond or a spur in the metal somewhere. A good jeweler can easily fix a snag.
A diamond can be loosened in the ring by dropping the ring or hitting it in some way. Some people check to make sure the diamond is not loose by trying to twist it. Not a good ideal. If you twist your diamond back and forth for a time it will get loose. A simple way to see if your diamond is loose: put your ring finger nail under your thumb and flick your finger away from your thumb near your ear. If it is loose you will hear it. Take it off and take it to your jeweler for tightening.
Who is responsible if something happens to your ring or diamond? You are responsible and if you want to pass that on to someone else, you need insurance on your jewelry. Your ring can be stolen, lost, broken, burned, etc. Insurance will cover it.
Your diamond can be bezel set or tension set. If it is tension set, the company setting the diamond (this will not be your local jeweler) will usually warranty the ring and diamond as long as there is no work done on the ring except by the company that did the original work. This includes having the shank engraved by your local jeweler. You local jeweler can clean your ring, but that is all the work they should do for a tension set.
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