Have you ever chipped, cracked or scratched your diamond(s)?

[ame]

How did you do it? What did you do afterwards? Replace it? Recut?

 

[icelady]

Hi AME,

YES, I chipped my RB by hitting it accidently. In fact, I hit it so hard it left a bruise on my finger. At the time I didn't know you could damage a diamond, so it wasn't until I wanted to have it reset that the jeweler noticed that it was chipped.

My diamond had dropped 2 clarity grades, and after quite a struggle with the insurance company, I received the difference between what it would have cost to replace it and the salvage value of the RB. So I had the RB mounted in a pendant and used the remainder to get a new Radiant e-ring. I looked into recutting the stone and felt it was not worth it at the time. It looks beautiful in the pendant, and because of how it is set (semi-bezel), you cannot see the chip.

 

[ame]

Wow! What did you hit it on?

Im just paranoid but I freak out hitting it on my plate, my cup, my wall...even if its a tap. Im on crack.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Yes!

my original ering is a shallower cut with a very thin girdle--I nicked the girdle and had the stone rotated in its new setting to hide the chip under a prong. You needed a loupe to see it but it was there and I KNEW it. I felt better once it was under the prong.

The stone is very sentimental, hence my never trading it in.

 

[bling]

This isnt really about damaging your diamond, but i am super paranoid about the same exact thing. I was wondering if anyone who has used an online vendor that has a lifetime upgrade policy, has ever been told that they could not do the upgrade because the diamond was not in good condition. I know i will want to do that with my current ering, but im worried because the black on the lazwer inscription has worn away..i think from cleaning too much? do you think that will be a problem? Can a vendor maybe chime in? thanks!

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Years ago, I got a quite expensive lesson.

At the time, I was still working as an employee, and we had just finished a nice fancy yellow princess. During the week-end, I was taking extra gemmology classes, and I thought it would be nice to take the stone to class, so that my fellow students could see such a nice stone. Honestly, maybe, I just wanted to show off.

In order not to lose the stone, I kept it in my wallet, which I regularly used to put in the backpocket of my trousers.

After the week-end, I sent the stone to GIA for grading, without re-inspecting the stone first.

When the stone returned with its report, I felt sweaty and cold at the same time. There, I had a nice fancy yellow princess, but with a chipped culet and three chipped corners.

So, this is my story. I have learned from my error. And as you know, smart people learn from their errors, but intelligent people learn from the errors of others.

Live long,

 

[Patty]

Wow, Paul, that much damage from your back pocket?

Somehow, I think your stone would have had much more padding in MY back pocket. Next time let me carry your diamonds.

 

[ame]

Ok so what you are all saying is "don't hit it on anything and definitely do not sit on it."

 

[ringbling17]

Hi,
I too managed to damage my OMC diamond, but I am not sure how it was done. I originally had it set in an antique vintage three stone setting with fishtail prongs.
In 2000 I had it reset in a more engagement type setting and have worn it that way since.
When I got my 10 yr. anniversary ring last year, Whiteflash sent me a loupe and I decided to loupe my OMC and to my dismay, I not only found a crack in the girdle (which I am sure was there before, I just never really looked), but also tiny little scratches along the girdle. I don't know if it occurred when it was reset ( I remember the benchman having a really hard time getting the stone out!), or if I did it over the years.
I have to admit that I wore and still wear that ring alot and never take it off when I do wear it. If I wear it to work, I never take it off.
Because of this I am so paranoid about my new diamond. I check with a loupe all the time, I avoid using my right hand to do things when I am wearing it, I check every time I bang it,etc. And its the insured ring!!!

 

[Mara]

bling..re the upgrading of a previous stone..I think WF's policy is to take the stone and inspect it, and making sure that it is in the same condition they sold it to you in. I would think if it had very slight blemishes from wear...they could just re-polish it and it wouldn't be a big deal. But if it was chipped, that might cause a problem.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

oh Paul - I could see my self doing that - but i do not have such a "hard ass"

And by the way - that is what inelligent people would do - not what smart people would do

 

[bling]

thanks mara,
no, there is no damage at all to the stone..at least from what my humble consumer eyes can tell, but the black on the lazer inscription is not as dark anymore...thats all.
like you, im a lifetime upgrader..so this sort of stuff worries me..

thanks!

 

[icelady]

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On 7/25/2004 9:11:47 PM ame wrote:

Wow! What did you hit it on?

Im just paranoid but I freak out hitting it on my plate, my cup, my wall...even if its a tap. Im on crack.

----------------

I hit it on a piece of metal, at just the right angle. I use my hands alot. I am more careful with my new ring!

 

[MelissaSue]

My mother chipped her diamond on her e-ring.. I don't remember how. She had it recut.. its much smaller now.. and i think less sparkly.

 

[naomi]

Does anybody know emerald cut diamond is more likely chipped compared to RB?
Besel setting (two side or all four edges) would minimize the risk of chipping corner compared with prong setting?

thanks

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Emerald cuts are more vunerable because the cleavage directions are very likely lined up in a dangerous orientation - but it is only a worry if the girdle is thin.

Most likely any damage will happen either side of the finger because that is how we wave our hands around. (not down the finger side or toward your body side)

 

[WinkHPD]

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On 7/26/2004 2:08:00 PM bling wrote:

This isnt really about damaging your diamond, but i am super paranoid about the same exact thing. I was wondering if anyone who has used an online vendor that has a lifetime upgrade policy, has ever been told that they could not do the upgrade because the diamond was not in good condition. I know i will want to do that with my current ering, but im worried because the black on the lazwer inscription has worn away..i think from cleaning too much? do you think that will be a problem? Can a vendor maybe chime in? thanks!

----------------

If you damage your stone you will not be able to trade it up at the undamaged value. The stone will need to be recut and traded in at the new value.

The black will wear/wash out of the engraving easily, it is not considered to be damage as the engraving is still visible under the scope.

Wink