Diamond broke off. What would you do??

[CindyZ]

I'm posting this for a friend who is not on here. She is having a NIGHTMARE situation with her engagement ring and jeweler! She has (had) a gorgeous 3ct VVS2 round cut diamond engagement ring with a tiny halo around it set on a thin pave band. She has only had it for three years and doesn't wear it to do anything rough with her hands at all. The worst thing she does with her ring on is the dishes.

So the other day she was about to do just that and looked down and realized that her STONE HAD BROKEN OFF. All four of the prongs appeared to have snapped clean off in the same spot and her center stone IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. She noticed this before she even turned on the sink so she knows it didn't break while she was doing the dishes. And she knew it was in one piece that morning when she put it back on after showering. But between morning and dishes she had been to the park and the pharmacy. We have torn her house apart and can not find it anywhere.

Of course, she had discontinued her ring insurance this spring in an effort to save money in 2020 since her office closed and she's furloed. So she has no way to make a claim against it. The center stone was appraised at $28K and she and her husband are obviously crushed. Because it is such a weird break AND because her jeweler had just seen her ring not more than two weeks ago when he cleaned it, she and her husband called him immediately to ask what might have happened and how he couldn't have detected the problem before this happened. Their jeweler proceeds to tell them that she clearly inflicted the damage herself because the break "looks forceful". And said that there's nothing he could have done to help. She is trying to find another jeweler to give her a second opinion.

SO we have two questions. For any jewelers, is there any malpractice (for lack of a better word) when making a ring, that can cause the metal (platinum in this case) to be brittle or break easily in the same spot like here on these prongs? Also, is there any daily activity that could exacerbate it like washing hands with super cold water or anything? Any other jeweler insight? Just to reiterate, she didn't bang or slam her hand against anything that day, she had only pushed a stroller through the park on a walk and picked up a prescription. And she is normally very careful with her ring.

Second, for everyone else, what would you do? Her jeweler is being super defensive about it and it looks like he is not returning their calls or emails. I know this is why people buy ring insurance but neither of us have ever seen or heard of someones setting breaking clear off in a non-event situation.

Any advise would be super appreciated.

 

[Karl_K]

That is what insurance is for and she chose to self insure.

Just lookin at the picture some force was involved.
The odds of a successful lawsuit are 0 in my opinion.

I am not saying this is what happened but a lot of rings are damaged doing dishes or pushing carts\strollers.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Look in the car. I'm sure you did but look outside in daylight. Then take it to a shop you trust and have them remove the seats.

 

[whitewave]

Her only hope is to find the stone.

It happened to my mother also, a few weeks after she brought her Er to get a prong fixed. She never found her stone and my father is deceased so it’s extra crushing.

Your friend put a large diamond on a thin and delicate band. This is what happens.

If I were her, I’d put a reward on it on craig’s list, etc. maybe an honest person will find it and return.

Yes, also look in the car. The first time my mom’s diamond popped out, she found it on the floor boards.

When your friend’s jeweler gave her the ring back in one piece, that was the last of his liability in this.

The liability is unfortunately 100% on her (and believe me, my heart is aching for her) and she chose to not keep insurance on it, so she is left holding this.

I really hope she finds it.

Also, platinum is a softer metal than say 14 or 18k gold. For a 3 carat stone, she should have put it in a more substantial setting,IMO with more than 4 prongs and I don’t mean to pour salt in her wounds...

 

[whitewave]

Not only take the car apart, but take the stroller, the car seat and the diaper bag apart if you haven’t already.


Can we get a pic of the setting full on instead of a side view? It seems super thin and perhaps under 2mm which we don’t recommend here for safety reasons.

 

[LightBright]

I lost a ring in the garbage disposal. Look there? Employ a psychic? (This is not a joke.)

 

[whitewave]

Heck, I’d go back to the park (maybe grandma can watch the baby) and get on my hands and knees, with DH of course. People will inevitably ask what you are doing and tell them you are trying to claim a $500 reward for a 3 carat stone.

You’ll likely then get several more helpers lol.

(But you are talking to a woman who goes to crater of diamonds park in Arkansas and gets on my belly to look for diamonds, so this is no big deal to me )


And FWIW, I’d do the same thing in the pharmacy! Tell them why. People are looking for a feel good story right now. Call the local news and see if they need a personal interest story. Etc.

It’s a 30k Stone. I’d do what needs to be done to find it.

Also, I lost a stud once inside my house. If you can find that post in the history, many people gave their stories of where they lost and found their diamonds. (Or it might have been the thread about my mom losing her stone).

People did find theirs in grass and on sidewalks etc.

 

[Bonfire]

What a nightmare! Literally, I’ve had dreams like this!

The base of the prongs look so tiny to accommodate a 3ct stone.
Everything @whitewave suggested are good ideas. Without insurance there isn’t any recourse. What a horrible lesson to learn.
(Hopefully you take your rings off when you do the dishes. They get knocked around plenty even if you think they don’t.)

 

[LightBright]

I once lost a ring at my child’s school. The school was teaming with children, parents, workmen, at the beginning of the day. I searched all the places I had been and didn’t see it. Then an art teacher said he’d help me. His trained eyes found the ring on a sidewalk I’d looked at several times already, it was disguised because it had landed on top of a pattern. I gave him a reward, which he never expected and was grateful for. When I found my -other- ring in the garbage disposal, I had recalled an unusual metal-on-metal “clink” I’d heard hours prior. Yes, read Whitewave’s thread on how people find their lost jewelry!

 

[diamondsR4eVR]

OP, tell your friend GL! I would search high and low and post on my local community pages and mention there’s an award if found. I hope she finds it!

 

[rungirl]

I don’t know if this is helpful, but when I lost a diamond stud earlier this year I found that there are people who specialize in finding lost stones and jewelry. From what I read, you describe where you were and they bring heavy duty metal detectors along with their expertise. If the missing stone is still in the prongs it might be easier. You can do a google search and read some incredible stories of found jewelry.

 

[marymm]

I am so sorry your friend's ring broke and she lost her diamond.

I am also so sorry she had to cancel the ring insurance.

She did have the ring for 3 years and apparently wore it daily, so it is unlikely to be a design flaw or manufacturing defect (I am assuming you would have mentioned it if previous work was done on the diamond basket).

I echo other posters' suggestion to keep searching and ask others to help.

When possible, get down flat to the area being searched and use a flashlight ... sometimes the diamond will become more visible.

Check all clothing and stroller blankets/bags/accoutrements worn or used the day the stone went missing; check the laundry basket; check around where the car is parked at home as well as the park and pharmacy; check the floors of the house and any vacuum bags; check shoes; check around the beds; try to have more than one person look in each area ...

I really hope your friend finds her diamond. You are good friend to try to help, perhaps you could search again with her.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i feel so bad for your friend Cindy
i wish she hasnt been furlonged and had to cancel her insurence
and i hope somehow she finds her diamond

i wish someone had told her not to wear her ring doing the dishes

 

[Bron357]

Devastating.
Apart from her retracing her steps another 100 times and also posting up flyers on lampposts, dropping flyers into letter boxes offering a reward, there’s not really anything else she can do.
she also needs to thoroughly check and recheck the whole pram, her nappy bag, any other bags she used, pockets of pants and jacket for that day as well as the car boot (if she drove).
While it’s possible the metal had an inherent flaw, proving that rather than her accidental mistreatment of the ring would be impossible.
A 3 carat Diamond really shouldn’t be set with 4 prongs, her choice of course, and no doubt her desire for a fine elegant design meant fine prong work as well. These design elements have undoubtedly contributed to the loss of the top of the setting.
Were the ring claws/ prongs “diamond set”? This design choice gives me the chills, putting diamonds into the claws/ prongs dramatically reduces the structural integrity of claws. People love the look but it’s not a good idea in my book.
it is very easy to “catch/bump” a ring setting and not even be aware of it.
hoping that by some miracle the diamond / ring head is found.

 

[daisygrl]

I am a lawyer and, regretfully, she cannot sue jeweler for anything as he did nothing wrong. Without the insurance, she has no case. This kind of a damage seems rather forceful (as if she had gotten the ring stuck somewhere - remember, a 3ct is a pretty big ring - and she might have been pulling it, applying a force...etc) Furthermore, given it is a 3ct + halo - that alone suggests the ring was pretty heavy - hard to imagine for her not to feel it when it broke off.

She can trace her steps, and perhaps buy a metal detector? - in case the ring is at home. She can also vacuum the house, car... and check the vacuum cleaner if it is there. Otherwise, the stone is considered lost.

 

[aljdewey]

The jeweler isn't returning her calls because it's literally not his problem to solve.

She's worn it for three years - well past the window to blame it on manufacturer's defect, save for the fact that a 3 ct stone shouldn't be mounted in a setting this thin. But, having worked for a jewelry company, I can also tell you that people don't want to hear it when their jeweler recommends a sturdier setting, and oftentimes disregard the expertise of their jewelers.

Rings don't just spontaneously disintegrate; that ring looks like it took a knock (whether or not she was aware of it). There is no way the jeweler should have been able to predict that or anticipate it.

She can try claiming it under her general homeowners policy - that's about her only option at this point.

EDITED TO ADD: You said she went to the park and the pharmacy - did she use her car? If so, she should grab a flashlight and thoroughly check the car. Check the floorboards under and around the driver's seat and also inside the trunk (if that's where the stroller was stored). To me, this looks like it took a knock that could have been while adjusting the position of the driver's seat, reaching down between seats, or perhaps removing the stroller from the trunk.

 

[whitewave]

I would love to see a photo of the ring as it was whole before she lost it.

 

[whitewave]

The jeweler isn't returning her calls because it's literally not his problem to solve.

She's worn it for three years - well past the window to blame it on manufacturer's defect, save for the fact that a 3 ct stone shouldn't be mounted in a setting this thin. But, having worked for a jewelry company, I can also tell you that people don't want to hear it when their jeweler recommends a sturdier setting, and oftentimes disregard the expertise of their jewelers.

Rings don't just spontaneously disintegrate; that ring looks like it took a knock (whether or not she was aware of it). There is no way the jeweler should have been able to predict that or anticipate it.

She can try claiming it under her general homeowners policy - that's about her only option at this point.

General homeowners likely won’t work because most of my jewelry policies are with State Farm and I believe the jewelry policy falls under the homeowner’s policy (like guns as well). So if she didn’t have the jewelry policy, then it’s not going to be covered.

She should ask though! You never know. What about if he charged it on Amex or some other card with purchase protection or benefits. That’s a stretch too, but if we are looking for desperate things, I’ll throw that one out too...

 

[123ducklings]

I am so sorry! In addition to everything mentioned above I would check the car seat very closely and take it out from the car to look beneath — it can take a lot of force to wrestle kids into those seats and I can imagine how a break would happen and go unnoticed in the process. My heart goes out to your friend and I wish you a happy ending.

 

[whitewave]

I am so sorry! In addition to everything mentioned above I would check the car seat very closely and take it out from the car to look beneath — it can take a lot of force to wrestle kids into those seats and I can imagine how a break would happen and go unnoticed in the process. My heart goes out to your friend and I wish you a happy ending.

Yes, I would not be surprised if it was the car seat that did it.

 

[Laila619]

What a bummer. I feel so bad for her. This is why it’s so important to have a sturdy setting, even if it might not be as cute. I truly hope she finds it.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

There have been many good answers.
Sadly not the ones you or friend wanted to hear.

We almost fight with clients who come in with photos of rings that are just not adequate for daily wear.

Yesterday we turned down a job to copy a diamond wedding ring so one could be worn either side of the Ering. We would never be able to prove which ring was loosing diamonds. A marriage made in Hell for a jeweler!

Worst ever story. Couple come in with a ring minus it's 1ct oval Argyle pink diamond (serious 6 figures). They ask me to write an affidavit that the jeweler who sold it should replace the diamond because it fell out. I found an oval gem a touch smaller than their specs and showed them that it was impossible to put the stone into the mount. The owners had broken the diamond.

Diamonds and gems break when two rings turn inside the hands while clapping at concerts and sports events.

Check inside all the drawers - heads get ripped off when removing hands from drawers etc.

 

[headlight]

This is devastating and, short of hope and prayers that it is found, going forward it should be a lesson to others to have the ring insured, and that these delicate, thin rings - while so pretty - are just not a wise choice. I do hope this has a happy ending. I do know someone that had to pull over to the side of the freeway due to car trouble. When she got home she realized her ring was missing. They went back to the side of the freeway and found the ring. Let’s all put it out there into the universe that the ring finds its way home.

 

[yssie]

A few months ago I inspected my daily studs and was horrified to see that one of the posts was a good twenty degrees askew.

I had absolutely NO idea how I had done this. An earring post bending!? If it had been foreceful surely it should have hurt my piercing, right? I should have felt something!

I was much luckier than your friend - the head was still attached. I now check all earring posts compulsively.

All that to say - I do understand how it’s possible for a piece of jewellery to break unexpectedly, without notice or warning, and I’m so, so sorry for your friend’s loss

She needs to understand, though, that her jeweller is not at fault here. Not after three years of wear. No matter how tempting it might feel to blame him. He has zero liability in this situation, and turning to lawsuits will be expensive, stressful, and (rightly) unfruitful.

Now is not the time for this conversation, but when this situation is resolved, she also needs to understand that washing dishes is incredibly rough on gemstones and delicate pave - banging and clanging, changes in pressure and temperature, soapy water making everything slip and slide. The fact that she considers this sort of treatment “going easy on her jewellery” tells us that she’s actually very rough on her jewellery - quite the opposite of what she believes!

A flashlight is her friend. Others have given fantastic advice. If it’s safe, tell her to also try searching the park at night with a good flashlight - when I drop a diamond the fastest way to find it is to turn the lights off and see what sparkles where it oughtn’t!

You’re a very sweet friend to help her. I so hope the dratted thing turns up soon!! I can imagine how gutted she must be feeling

 

[seaurchin]

I misplaced my big diamond once and it did make me kind of re-think the whole fine jewelry issue tbh. I remember at the time hugely regretting that we ever bought something so expensive in the first place, when it didn't serve any needed purpose and could so easily be lost or stolen.

I resolved that if I didn't get it back, I would get a nice big moissanite or CZ ring instead and call it a day. But I finally found it under the nightstand by my bed (I think the cat had gotten ahold of it).

Later (but only AFTER I found it again lol) I realized that losing an unnecessary luxury item was really far from the worst thing that could happen to someone.

I don't think I'll sell it but also not sure I'd buy it again if I had it to do over. I doubt I'll ever buy another piece of jewelry that's more than maybe 20% of its cost because I don't like the worry that comes with it.

Anyway, I hope she finds it!

 

[monipod]

I'm not sure how it works where you are (in the US, yes?), but don't forget to stop in on the local police station in case an honest person hands it in. They won't be able to locate the owner (or want to advertise they have the stone), so it's worth a visit and see if they have a procedure for lost and found.

Also keep an eye on any community groups offline and online. If I found a 3ct stone, I would visit the police first, hand the stone in and formally lodge it, then discreetly post in my local Facebook group that a significant gem stone was found at the location. Only the owner with photos should be able to reclaim it from the police.

Other than that, everyone else has given great advice. Very sad for your friend but if I buy a 5-figure stone in future, I will be looking at 6+ prongs and insurance for sure.

 

[motownmama]

Time to call on Saint Anthony!!

 

[LightBright]

Bron357, Per your post above, can you explain what a “diamond set” prong is, and why you wouldn’t set a diamond in it? I’m curious but couldn’t find any info on this concept. Thanks in advance.

 

[WillyDiamond]

Prior to my wife having the stone mounted in a halo, when it was just a solitaire setting, she hit it on something and broke the tips of three of the prongs. Fortunately, the stone was floating between the remaining prongs.

A 3 carat ring and no insurance? Are you kidding?

 

[yssie]

Bron357, Per your post above, can you explain what a “diamond set” prong is, and why you wouldn’t set a diamond in it? I’m curious but couldn’t find any info on this concept. Thanks in advance.

I’m not Bron obviously, but I’m pretty sure she means prongs with diamonds set into them, like this:



Adding “pave” (lots of tiny diamonds) to prongs means cutting seats for the little stones, which means less metal to hold the big centerstone. Sometimes the pave is extended all the way to the tops of the prongs (unlike in this photo). Usually prongs with pave will be thicker and heftier than plain prongs, to counter the fact that metal had to be removed to set the little stones, but an unadulterated length of metal will always be stronger and less liable to catch, even if thinner.