Has corundum been known to break while being set?

[jvLin]

Does corundum ever break while being set/polished/resized? How often does it do this? What about stones being removed from setting? Is cracking/chipping/breaking common?

Does it ever worry you when you take one of your most precious stones in for setting?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I''m not too sure, but I do remember being warned by vendors to be wary about what settings I choose in setting my sapphire, and them being careful when it came to the prongs. I''m pretty sure it was because of the girdle, since it''s a concave faceted stone, and they were worried about chipping it. But that''s all I''ve heard of with regard to corundum being broken, chipped, etc. during setting.

 

[chrono]

Unless the stone is badly included from within with surface breaking inclusion, I see no reason why a well trained benchperson cannot set it or unset it without damaging the stone. I haven't had any of my gemstones damaged from the setting process. I've used both PS vendors and local jewellers. I even had no problems bezeling a soft peridot in a ring.

 

[stacy]

I feel your pain, jvLin! I currently have a Jeff White spinel being set with a local jeweler and I am soooooo nervous!

That said, I''ve had a lot of different stones set and -- knock on wood -- none have been broken yet! My fiance is always telling me that things are tougher than I give them credit for (because I baby EVERYTHING)... Maybe he''s right!

 

[jvLin]

Well, I know it''s extremely rare for them to damage the stone while setting/polishing/etc, but I have heard of instances where it happens. My jeweler recently had a peridot (not my stone) that cracked while it was being steam-cleaned. He said it''s the third one in 20 years. That means that it''s rare, but it does happen.

 

[PrecisionGem]

A few things... don''t let your jeweler steam clean your colored stones. It can crack or destroy many of them, and sure it''s pretty safe for some, but it''s best not to take the chance.

It''s rare that I call on a jeweler that they don''t bring out at least one stone that was damaged while trying to set it, and ask if I can fix it or re-cut it. Often a file strikes it and chips it, or squeezing the prongs cracks the stone. And this isn''t just colored stones. I know a guy who makes a living out of fixing chipped diamonds that jewelers chip while setting them.

Take your stones to people who work a lot with colored stones, especially if you have some of the more fragile stones such as Apatite, fire opal, tanzanite etc. They may not admit to you the customer that they break stones, but they sure do bring them out when I come around!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 1/21/2009 6:42:02 PM
Author: jvLin
Well, I know it''s extremely rare for them to damage the stone while setting/polishing/etc, but I have heard of instances where it happens. My jeweler recently had a peridot (not my stone) that cracked while it was being steam-cleaned. He said it''s the third one in 20 years. That means that it''s rare, but it does happen.

Why on earth is he steam cleaning peridot?

Peridot shouldn''t even go in an ultrasonic.

 

[chrono]

I would not go to that jeweller. NEVER ever steam clean peridots!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/21/2009 6:42:02 PM
Author: jvLin
Well, I know it's extremely rare for them to damage the stone while setting/polishing/etc, but I have heard of instances where it happens. My jeweler recently had a peridot (not my stone) that cracked while it was being steam-cleaned. He said it's the third one in 20 years. That means that it's rare, but it does happen.

No, it means your jeweler is an idiot for steam cleaning peridot. If you have a good jeweler who knows their way around colored stones well AND a good benchperson who knows how to set colored stones AND the stone isn't super included or doesn't have issues, then it is fairly rare for a stone to break. But the softer the stone and/or the types of cleavage might make it more common for certain types of stones.

 

[jvLin]

Oh, interesting!

It was actually my jeweler''s setter that steam-cleaned it. Maybe I should research a bit on what stones are eligible for steam/ultrasound cleaning and let him know..

 

[LD]

Date: 1/22/2009 2:21:11 PM
Author: jvLin
Oh, interesting!

It was actually my jeweler''s setter that steam-cleaned it. Maybe I should research a bit on what stones are eligible for steam/ultrasound cleaning and let him know..

I think you''ll be surprised. There are many more gemstones that shouldn''t be cleaned this way than can be.

 

[Pandora II]

As far as I'm concerned, only diamonds go near a steam cleaner.

I'll use a US for sapphires, garnets (except demantoid), chrysoberyl, spinel, tourmaline and most quartz (amethyst, citrine etc) - BUT only if they are loupe clean. I don't use it on anything else. If there are any inclusions that look worrying to me then they just get a soak in jewellery cleaner/liquid soap/hotwater mix and a mini scrub with a baby toothbrush.

Regarding the OP, I would suggest taking out insurance on any stone that you can't afford to replace pain-free, accidents can happen.