Choosing a Platnum Setting - Pros & Cons

[losttiff]

Hi there,

So I have just sourced a nice 1.3ct round brilliant diamond and have chosen a replica tiffany style setting.
I have been told by the shop there are 2 types of platnum settings I can get and not sure which one to choose from.
1. Cast Platnum Setting
2. Hand Made Platnum setting

Obviously the hand made one is alot more expensive. I was just wondering what the pros and cons are for both settings?
Which is better and why .

I will also get it irrodium plated to give more shine.

Another thing is, the store wants to sell me a tiffany replica setting they have but it will need to be resized. What are the pros and cons of getting something resized?
Would I see the join? Will this make the ring weaker over one that isnt resized?

Thanks

 

[swingirl]

I personally would not want my setting resized. I''d want it ordered new and in my size. I know a lot of stores want to carry your average size 6 or 6.5 and sell the ring they have in their show case.

I have never heard of coating a platinum ring. Platinum has a certain look and color and usually that''s what people like about it. If you want it coated why not get white gold because you''ll be paying for platinum but covering it up to look like WG.

 

[neatfreak]

I''d be a little skeptical of this store...there is really no need to rhodium platinum. And have you seen the different settings in person? Seems weird that they would offer the same setting in two different fashions.

 

[oldmancoyote]

A hand-fabricated ring will generally be lighter (and the metal a little harder from the working). It will also require many more hours of work. Some shapes are more suitable for casting, and others are more suitable for fabrication. Although it''s not always the case, since the fabrication process is very labour intensive, the finish is often better on fabricated pieces. On the other hand, if the caster knows what (s)he is doing, the finish can be remarkably good on cast pieces.

I''m sorry if it sounds undecisive, but it''s tough to find precise pros and cons; ultimately it comes down to personal preferences/skills/knowledge of the chosen jeweller...

I don''t think rhodium plating is a smart idea - firstly because platinum can be polished to a very high shine by itself, and secondly because if you do plate it then you''ll need to keep replating it every few months to keep it all looking the same.

Resizing is a very common operation, with no particular issues as long as it''s performed by a competent person. The ring should not be weakened in normal circumstances* and the signs should not be visible to the naked eye. If you took a loupe to it, you may be able to see some signs of soldering. Not the case for a Tiffany-style solitaire, but some settings cannot be easily resized, so make sure you do your homework before you buy!

* If - as it happened to an acquaintance - you have a 500kg (1100 lbs) safe door closing on your ring finger, perhaps not having had the ring sized may make a difference. It saved her finger.

 

[losttiff]

Thanks for the great advice.

I think I will get a hand made platnum polished and not worry about the irrodium plating.
My supplier just reccomended as he likes the finish of the plating but he said not many people get it done in platnum. He was just saying that he likes it and its an option.

 

[LGK]

I have two rings that were hand fabricated rather than cast. White gold though. They are both very solid, beautifully finished rings, quite well made. I am hard on rings and they've held up amazingly well over the years. If it is a plain solitaire we're talking about, I'd probably just go for cast, however, because I doubt you'd notice any difference unless the casting is done poorly.

I also agree that rhodium plating a platinum setting is kinda pointless. The whole idea of platinum is to look a bit different than white gold- it has a hint of grey, and develops that patina. If you like the super white/ super shiny finish of rhodium plate, just get white gold. (I prefer white gold myself, generally speaking, especially for non-filigree, more modern style rings where the metal shows more... I don't like the way platinum gets scratched up or the look of the patina on what ought to be a sleek, smooth surface... just my opinion, of course.)

A well sized ring should not show any join to the naked eye. However, I run across TONS of rings where you can see an obvious solder line. I'd just have them get the right size in, I think.

 

[losttiff]

Hi,

I finally got my ring! its absolutely stunning! I will post pics of this on the forums when I get time.

I got a platinum setting hand made in a tiffany style 6 prong.
They had to make a join at the bottom, but the only thing I am not happy with is you can see the colour change on this join!. You cant see any indentation or anything just a colour change.

Is this normal?? or should I take it back to the shop and tell them this isnt acceptable.
I tried to get them to make it as 1 peice but because my partners finger is really small they said it couldn''t be done..

what are your opinions?

 

[beach]

Just as an FYI, if you ever get platinum (gold etc...) resized, I highly recommend you get it laser welded. Do not let them do it any other way IMO....Laser welding is the best and if they cannot do it, take it somewhere that has the technology. Some places cannot afford one so you may need to call around. If you don't get it laser welded you will see a joint because they use gold or some other material. It usually fails over time as well! Laser welding fuses the original platinum back together and no joint should ever be seen.