Do diamonds ever loose their sparkle? Do diamonds break?

[PinkishFlower]

Do diamonds ever loose their lustre and sparkle? I''ve heard of diamonds chipping. Does this have anything to do with its dimensions?
thanks.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I think that the greatest risk for any diamond chipping is during the setting process (maybe someone shed light if this is accurate or not). . .also, a very thin girdle is more at risk than a thin to medium girdle (as well as medium to thick, etc.).

Diamonds do become less sparkily when dirty. Stock up on jewelry cleaner or amonia and wash your diamond jewelry regularly and your diamond will look at great as the day you bought it for your entire lifetime.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 12/6/2004 11:44:20 PM
Author:PinkishFlower
Do diamonds ever loose their lustre and sparkle? I''ve heard of diamonds chipping. Does this have anything to do with its dimensions?

thanks.

yes.. when they get dirty
yes.. usualy too thin a girdle.

Any diamond can get broken they are fairly brittle beasts with cleavage planes.
See this thread on why princess diamonds break more than some other cuts.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/princess-breakage-and-extra-corner-facets.22195/

 

[LesleyH]

Hi Pinkishflower:

In general it is very hard to break a diamond, although I personally broke a diamond once.

I had a 7 stone diamond ring - they were all .15 round diamonds and were set in a flower shape on a wide gold band. The diamonds were my husband''s grandmother''s and we had them set into a new setting as an engagement ring. Anyway, I wore it for about 18 years. I never cook or clean with my rings on. As usual I placed them on the kitchen counter, as I did every evening after work. I was busy cooking and turned around and hit the ring on to the floor by mistake. One of the diamonds must have hit the tile floor at the wrong angle and it literally shattered. It stayed in one piece but it turned cloudy white and looked like nothing. I was pretty devastated, but have since had the 5 of the 6 remaining diamonds set into a 5 stone eternity band.

Since that day I have taken my rings off in my bedroom and I put them safely on a crystal ring tree in my closet.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[ame]

I haven''t chipped or cracked mine yet. I check it compulsively and freak out every time I hit it on something, STILL, 6 months later.

If Im going to be cleaning, cooking, banging my hands around, or pretty much doing anything that could damage it (evidently walking or washing my hands counts here too!) I take it off and put it in the ring box in my purse, or the one next to my bed.

I inspect it with a loupe EVERY morning, and clean it EVERY night. A little insane Im sure but every time I hit it on something I panic.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Probably you could put your diamonds on a wooden block and hit them with a hammer. All that would happen is you''d have diamond shaped dent. I know somebody who did that - his boss never knew. Then he threw it in the cruicible with molten gold and later flushed out, a still, perfect diamond. I think. I left the room at that point.

Diamonds do chip on setting, but it is one in a 1000. The edges of facets can be scratched though and they scratch each other when they are in a bag together, but even that would take force, or time. (moreso, rough edges get worse over time)

A lot depends on the inclusions and the natural cleavage lines.

They are far from invunerable, but you have to be unlucky and the odds are, you won''t be.

I hope this rests your minds a bit. I know you love your rocks, but you needn''t worry too much. Keep looking after them and keep them clean. We jewellers love that. We love your jewellery too

Cheers,

PS

 

[belle]

ps, how could you have watched the beating? ......wow, you are tough...........i''ll remember that

 

[chantal990]

Diamonds loose their sparkle and can become a bit dull looking when they get dirty. But a nice clean and they sparkle up again

 

[PinkishFlower]

Thanks everyone for you responses.
I''m still concerned. My diamond has a thin girdle. The person who will be setting the diamond in a ring does not guarantee his work. If the diamond is damaged during setting he''ll have it cut to a smaller diamond.
All at my expense.
Is it common practice for the consumer to assume all the risk?

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

We all hated the boss, so it was... lets see how tough a diamond really is. He blamed us all for each of his mistakes, and we entertained ourselves, thus-wise. He was a very forgettable part of my apprenticship. In fact that was a highlight.

A thin girldle on a brilliant cut doesn't worry me a bit. Can't say I have ever chipped one in 10,000 stones that I remember. I guarantee my work as far as retail goes, but most of my setting is trade and when they do chip, as they can do, I don't take responsibilty. I factor that into retail setting and change a little more for that 1 in a 1000 1ct stone that sits in a box of cleavaged stones (ok, one so far).

You could offer him a little extra to guarantee his setting...

Chipping is one thing, a whole shard might come off, or the inclusions (in a stone lower then SI2) might cloud under pressure. These are things that happen to diamonds. Obvious chipping by the setter is rare, and a result of good honest poor setting, but the rest is unexpected and often non-prevetable. The former is by far the most common.

You will be all right, anybody can set a round stone

no worries

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Why won''t he guarantee it? It sounds very strange. Does your diamond have a flaw on the crown? He should have looked and said ''all care but no resposibility'', otherwise he should take responsibilty...

It does seem very odd.

I would be cautious

 

[PinkishFlower]

PlatinumSmith, thanks for your reply. You''ve eased my mind.

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Let it be eased. Thank you

 

[ame]

Date: 12/9/2004 11:44:42 PM
Author: PinkishFlower
Thanks everyone for you responses.

I''m still concerned. My diamond has a thin girdle. The person who will be setting the diamond in a ring does not guarantee his work. If the diamond is damaged during setting he''ll have it cut to a smaller diamond.

All at my expense.

Is it common practice for the consumer to assume all the risk?

Find a better jeweler. Id NEVER let anyone touch my stone that doesn;t guarantee their work 110%