cracked diamonds

[penne_h]

My mother’s diamond ring (which was originally my grandmothers’ engagement ring and is 65 years old) has developed a crack. The ring is 1.1 carets and when last valued for insurance 3 years ago had no problems cited on the report. I’ve been overseas 5 months and just today over lunch noticed the crack which is about 2mm sort of running from the side and across the top.

Can anyone give me an idea how the crack may have originated? My (albeit VERY limited) understanding diamonds are the hardest rock on earth? Can something like this be repaired? How can we prevent the crack getting bigger?

 

[penne_h]

Sorry I forgot to add thankyou!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It is possible to chip some off a diamond - it sounds like what you have done.

There is a list of appraisers in the upper right. Or post a photo if you have a good macro camera - or hold a magnifyer in front of the ring.

At 1.10ct it is likely after recutting your stonne may be less than 1ct

You may be able to make an insurance claim - the appraiser can help you do that.

 

[lct]

Diamond will break or shatter. Slam a hammer on a diamond and it will break into pieces and a whole bunch of diamond dust. May be the old timers remember the old tv commercial about this old man sitting in the back seat of a Rose Royce holding a chisel on a diamonod in one hand and a hammer in the other to demonstrate how quiet, smooth and steady of a Rose Royce that he could cut a diamond. The old man was breaking a rough diamond!

Since you have the diamond insured, file the claim and have the diamond replaced. That is a real peace of mind except the sentimental value will not be accounted for.

It is amazing that most chain stores in the country offering so call "Life Time Warranty" on the diamonod and claim that if you break, chip or lose the diamond, it will be replaced and amazingly, most consumers fall for that type of false warranty. That tells you the generations are detiriating in education. READ THE SMALL PRINT. THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH! You don''t think if you buy a one carat diamond and take the diamond out the next day, they will give you another one carat with no hesitation, do you? They will be out of business.

If you want to be safe, have your jewelry insured. Please tell your friends about the fault of such so call life time warranty and teach your kids not to be a sucker.

 

[RockDoc]

RE; The diamond cleaver in the back of car.


If memory serves me correctly, the car was a Mercury Marquis and the diamond was Lazare Kaplan.

HRD in Canada also has a wonderfully fascinating video tape (VCR) that sells for about $ 10.00 plus shipping. They may have a DVD now.

In this "film" which is rather promotional about the Antwerp Diamond Community in Belgium it does show a diamond being cleaved, how fast it happens.

Plus there is great visual diamond cutting, sawing, faceting ( both by hand and by an automatic machine - Octopus) and various high tech equipment.

It is worth twice the price, in seeing these things.

here's a link for it http://www.diamond-portal.com/ShowLab.asp?Lab=H.R.D.

Rockdoc

 

[SeaOats]

Hi Penne, just wanted to add to make sure that this crack isn''t actually something stuck to the diamond. It has happened to many people, and it ends up being dried glue or other gunk. Just a thought!! Here''s to wishful thinking!!

 

[penne_h]

Thanks for all your help. I drop the ring off at the jewelers this morning and he is going to get back to me this afternoon with the options. He thinks he can re-cut it as Garry suggested.

My Mum’s pretty upset about it because she thinks if she noticed earlier it wouldn''t have become this big. Sad but I guess its just one of those things?

 

[Diachi]

Date: 5/10/2005 10

8

0 PM
Author: penne_h

Thanks for all your help. I drop the ring off at the jewelers this morning and he is going to get back to me this afternoon with the options. He thinks he can re-cut it as Garry suggested.

My Mum’s pretty upset about it because she thinks if she noticed earlier it wouldn''t have become this big. Sad but I guess its just one of those things?

I''m not sure but it seems to me that you should go to your insurance first? If the stone is recut, won''t it be worth less? Perhaps they will allow you to claim it and replace it and then you can get it recut? I don''t know but I''d be very careful about who recuts it...you want the best cut possible (and the least amount taken if it were me

)

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It is very likely to have happened in a single blow - if you do a google search on diamond cleavage you will find loads of suff if you want to let her know it is a (rare) fact of life.

 

[Maxine]

I have a crack on the diamond I wear as a pendant....no piece came out, but it''s a U shaped crack at the girdle....It was set high (and has a shallow crown)...and I hit it on a pot doing dishes...and actually heard a large noise ...surprisingly loud for whacking that tiny diamond!!! (5/8ct)

 

[fire&ice]

Is what you are seeing running from the bottom to the top or from side to side? If it''s the later, it could be girdle reflection.