Emerald Cut Diamond Keel Broken

[emilyylauren]

I’ve had my engagement ring for 9 months. It is an Emerald Cut 1.13 ct diamond (GIA #6223067419)

My diamond is in a basket setting, 4 prongs, with an under halo and pavé band. I tend to look at all angles of my ring quite often, and today I noticed that the underside of the diamond looked different than normal (along the length).

I believe that somehow the keel of my emerald cut diamond had broken/chipped. The whole time I’ve had it, I could always see the point of the pavilion - This diamond’s culet was originally ‘none’. Inside the basket, on the bottom of the setting you can now see that little circle of metal where the keel must have been resting. When I look at the ring from eye level now, the diamond’s bottom is just flat instead of having a point and I can see light straight through, when I could not before. I also noticed that from the short edge, the keel still seems to be intact so it’s almost like the centre portion of the length of the keel is broken/chipped off. I try to be as cautious as I can with my ring because I love it and it’s the most expensive piece of jewellery I own. My fiancé worked very hard to choose this perfect diamond of my dreams.

I usually clean my ring every 2-3 weeks with warm water and dish soap on a soft tooth brush. I try to get a bristle under the diamond in the basket to clean the bottom, but usually there is not enough space to get a bristle through the gaps due to the keel/culet. After, I blot it dry with a soft towel, and then use a couple shots of compressed air (from a safe distance) to blow out any water stuck under the diamond in the setting.

I am really worried I’ve done something bad that has compromised my diamond. Before when I cleaned it, bristles would not fit through the gaps. Now they go right through. I can’t seem to find much online with other people talking about a broken keel on an emerald cut. Should I be concerned? Can this be repaired?

I’ve read that damage to the keel or culet could result in light reflecting differently. I am starting to think my diamond looks different now when looking at the table. I will be taking it to my jeweller soon but in the mean time wanted to get some opinions. This has only happened within the last two days or so as I believe I cleaned my ring on Thursday or Friday and it is now Sunday. I just noticed today. My heart is hurting over this..

 

[Karl_K]

I can't tell anything from the pictures.
Take it to a none mall jewellery store and have them look at it and more importantly you look at it under their microscope.
The keel should not have been resting on anything.
Another explanation for a change at the bottom is its coming out the top for some reason.
I strongly recommend not wearing it until you get it checked out.
I have never seen nor heard of an emerald cut chipping this way once set but I guess its not impossible but it is highly improbable.

 

[distracts]

I can't tell anything from the pictures either - but I'm really unsure how you could have damaged the keel without having obvious damage to the setting.

 

[luvmysparklies]

I am sorry you are going through this.
Can I ask, was this setting custom made for this stone or was it a setting that was purchased separately?
The diamond does look snugly set and from the looks of it, I can believe that prior to this, no brush bristles could fit between the stone and the metal. I wonder if the diamond was damaged (chipped) during setting and the piece just finally broke away. Agreed that no culet should be "resting" on metal. I don't think it was anything you did from how you described cleaning it.
Agree with the other posters to have it checked by an independent jeweler (not in a mall).

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I would be heartsick, too, very sorry you're going thru this with your beautiful ring.
I don't know as much as the other posters but I'm pretty darned sure it's nothing you did wrong.

 

[emilyylauren]

I can't tell anything from the pictures either - but I'm really unsure how you could have damaged the keel without having obvious damage to the setting.

Thanks and sorry for the pics I know they don’t really show much. There is no damage to the setting

 

[emilyylauren]

I can't tell anything from the pictures.
Take it to a none mall jewellery store and have them look at it and more importantly you look at it under their microscope.
The keel should not have been resting on anything.
Another explanation for a change at the bottom is its coming out the top for some reason.
I strongly recommend not wearing it until you get it checked out.
I have never seen nor heard of an emerald cut chipping this way once set but I guess its not impossible but it is highly improbable.

Thanks for your reply and advice. I may have misspoke when I said the keel was resting on something, I should clarify it never fully touched the bottom of the setting, however now this little metal circle area is exposed and I never saw it before. That whole area near the red circle is now empty/exposed.

 

[emilyylauren]

I am sorry you are going through this.
Can I ask, was this setting custom made for this stone or was it a setting that was purchased separately?
The diamond does look snugly set and from the looks of it, I can believe that prior to this, no brush bristles could fit between the stone and the metal. I wonder if the diamond was damaged (chipped) during setting and the piece just finally broke away. Agreed that no culet should be "resting" on metal. I don't think it was anything you did from how you described cleaning it.
Agree with the other posters to have it checked by an independent jeweler (not in a mall).

I believe everything was custom made. I apologize I misspoke when I said the culet was resting on the metal, it never fully touched it. But there is now that little metal circle that is exposed when it wasn’t before. Thanks for your advice

 

[emmy12]

But there is now that little metal circle that is exposed when it wasn’t before

Are you 100% certain it never existed before because you have photos of this part of the ring when you got it? Or is it possible that this is the first time you noticed this area?

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Is the ring insured?

 

[emilyylauren]

Are you 100% certain it never existed before because you have photos of this part of the ring when you got it? Or is it possible that this is the first time you noticed this area?

Yes the underside of the diamond used to come down into a point that I could clearly see. The point never fully touched that circular metal area but there was minimal gapping and now it’s fully exposed

 

[emilyylauren]

Is the ring insured?

Yes

 

[molecule]

Can you take a picture of the emerald from above? A broken keel seems like it should be visible from above.

 

[emilyylauren]

Can you take a picture of the emerald from above? A broken keel seems like it should be visible from above.

This is the best I can do with the quality of my camera. My ring is VS1, to the eye the inclusions are barely ever visible (shown below From GIA report). Since this ordeal, I have spotted something from the top view of the diamond on the right side. I can see it with my eyes when it’s on my hand, off my hand and in the box. I can also see something there now on the left side but could not get a good picture.

 

[molecule]

I believe you are seeing leakage through that facet. If the keel was broken, I'd expect to see jaggedness in the bottom facets, which I don't observe.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Do you have a good photo of when it was new? That seems like more going on than just a window you never noticed before, but please don't let my observations alarm you. I am not an expert.