Help!!! Need opinions about prongs.

[Hwinty]

Hey all. Long time lurker. Second time thread starter. Here’s a link to the thread re the project I’m referring to: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/to-change-or-not-to-change.268643/#post-5031128

So I took my ring and new diamond to a different jeweler to have it set. We’ve bought from them before. They seemed to have good reviews. Anyway, long story short, they set the new diamond into the old setting. Two of the prongs seem dented to me. Is that to be expected with resets? Are my expectations just too high? Should I take it back and is there even a way for them to fix it? Thanks! Attaching photos.

 

[Hwinty]

Anyone?

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Hwinty.

So I'm going to address a bunch of different issues and my apologies if this is more than you were looking for. I also apologize if this seems critical. I want you to get the best you can get, so I'm setting a high bar here.

Firstly - your first diamond. I'm not sure what people are seeing when they say it's a pretty diamond. To me, it looks messy. The faceting is poor and there's virtually no balance or hearts and arrows pattern. To me, that = messy. To others - maybe not. Either way, the decision is yours.

But for me, this is a no brainer. RECUT. It's a substantial diamond with a good clarity grade and a pleasant color, and you could do all sorts of things with it. Your husband gave you a lovely diamond - it just wasn't completely revealed because of its poor cut. I'd be unveiling the beauty of that thing in a heartbeat! Good Old Gold and Brian Gavin Diamonds both do wonderful recuts. Swallow the expense and allow that beauty to SHINE.

As for the larger, JA diamond - are you planning to ultimately upgrade? There is a very noticeable difference in color between it and the diamonds in your setting. That would send me a bit nutty - but to each his/her own.

For my money, that whole head in your setting looks wrong to me. I'm not at all a fan of peg heads - they're a mass made, generic thing just shoved into an existing setting. So I'd be sending it off to David Klass in LA and getting them to do a conversion like *this*, so it looks as tho the setting was actually made for your stone:



This next bit really is just my opinion, so ignore at will....

I'd get my original stone recut, then have it reset - without a peg head! - back into my original ring. I'd keep my original engagement ring intact and make it as beautiful as possible. I'd have it professionally cleaned and polished, get some tiny prongs made for the center stone and the side trillions, and just make as much of it as possible. Currently, you have a lovely stone obscured by a poor cut, a generic head which has been badly set, damaged prongs, and more metal than you need on those trillions. The trillions are also pretty warm, so personally, I'd think about replacing them with something whiter. I think you could make a LOVELY ring from what you have, AND retain the spirit of your original ring. It would just take a bit of work.

That would then leave you with a lovely M colored stone - which I would set in yellow gold and have as an alternate e-ring. To which I say - lucky you!

As I said - way more opinion than you asked for. But I just wanted to open those lines of thought, in case you'd never considered how far you can go with rehabbing a ring, which may not have been treated with the respect it deserves. I think you could end up with something you'd look at and say "WOW!" about. A top flight rehab can be a revelation; I know because I've done it myself. Worth every penny.

Now the short answer.

No, your expectations are not too high. Personally, I'd say they're not high enough. But don't try to cut corners with this - there are no short routes to a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Yes, the prongs are damaged.

No. DO NOT go back to the same jeweler. They've shown you their best and it's poor. Give DKJ a call ( - and an email - you need to persevere to get on to them!) and speak to Amy and tell her what you want.

And - regarding your other thread - if you do a recut, you'll get a grading certificate. But I can tell you right now - with either of the vendors I mentioned, it will be an AGS Triple zero. Awesome.

Good luck!

 

[Hwinty]

Hi @Hwinty.

So I'm going to address a bunch of different issues and my apologies if this is more than you were looking for. I also apologize if this seems critical. I want you to get the best you can get, so I'm setting a high bar here.

Firstly - your first diamond. I'm not sure what people are seeing when they say it's a pretty diamond. To me, it looks messy. The faceting is poor and there's virtually no balance or hearts and arrows pattern. To me, that = messy. To others - maybe not. Either way, the decision is yours.

But for me, this is a no brainer. RECUT. It's a substantial diamond with a good clarity grade and a pleasant color, and you could do all sorts of things with it. Your husband gave you a lovely diamond - it just wasn't completely revealed because of its poor cut. I'd be unveiling the beauty of that thing in a heartbeat! Good Old Gold and Brian Gavin Diamonds both do wonderful recuts. Swallow the expense and allow that beauty to SHINE.

As for the larger, JA diamond - are you planning to ultimately upgrade? There is a very noticeable difference in color between it and the diamonds in your setting. That would send me a bit nutty - but to each his/her own.

For my money, that whole head in your setting looks wrong to me. I'm not at all a fan of peg heads - they're a mass made, generic thing just shoved into an existing setting. So I'd be sending it off to David Klass in LA and getting them to do a conversion like *this*, so it looks as tho the setting was actually made for your stone:



This next bit really is just my opinion, so ignore at will....

I'd get my original stone recut, then have it reset - without a peg head! - back into my original ring. I'd keep my original engagement ring intact and make it as beautiful as possible. I'd have it professionally cleaned and polished, get some tiny prongs made for the center stone and the side trillions, and just make as much of it as possible. Currently, you have a lovely stone obscured by a poor cut, a generic head which has been badly set, damaged prongs, and more metal than you need on those trillions. The trillions are also pretty warm, so personally, I'd think about replacing them with something whiter. I think you could make a LOVELY ring from what you have, AND retain the spirit of your original ring. It would just take a bit of work.

That would then leave you with a lovely M colored stone - which I would set in yellow gold and have as an alternate e-ring. To which I say - lucky you!

As I said - way more opinion than you asked for. But I just wanted to open those lines of thought, in case you'd never considered how far you can go with rehabbing a ring, which may not have been treated with the respect it deserves. I think you could end up with something you'd look at and say "WOW!" about. A top flight rehab can be a revelation; I know because I've done it myself. Worth every penny.

Now the short answer.

No, your expectations are not too high. Personally, I'd say they're not high enough. But don't try to cut corners with this - there are no short routes to a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Yes, the prongs are damaged.

No. DO NOT go back to the same jeweler. They've shown you their best and it's poor. Give DKJ a call ( - and an email - you need to persevere to get on to them!) and speak to Amy and tell her what you want.

And - regarding your other thread - if you do a recut, you'll get a grading certificate. But I can tell you right now - with either of the vendors I mentioned, it will be an AGS Triple zero. Awesome.

Good luck!

I appreciate everything you’ve just said. I think I was really stuck on not having to mailing jewelry back and forth. I actually considered doing all the things you mentioned but was kinda daunted by having to send things out. My trust in jewelers is severely compromised at this point. They showcase their best and I feel pretty good that my simple request to change out the exact same size diamonds would be a simple job that any bench could handle in a timely manner. Apparently not. I seriously envy everyone on here that know great local jewelers.

Somehow they’re gonna try and file down the bumps to the side that bending the prongs has made. I don’t have high hopes it’ll do much. At this point, I think I’m just gonna make an appointment and drive myself down to the LA diamond district and see what all can be done. Also I totally agree with you about the trillions. They bother me too.

 

[mrs-b]

I appreciate everything you’ve just said. I think I was really stuck on not having to mailing jewelry back and forth. I actually considered doing all the things you mentioned but was kinda daunted by having to send things out. My trust in jewelers is severely compromised at this point. They showcase their best and I feel pretty good that my simple request to change out the exact same size diamonds would be a simple job that any bench could handle in a timely manner. Apparently not. I seriously envy everyone on here that know great local jewelers.

Somehow they’re gonna try and file down the bumps to the side that bending the prongs has made. I don’t have high hopes it’ll do much. At this point, I think I’m just gonna make an appointment and drive myself down to the LA diamond district and see what all can be done. Also I totally agree with you about the trillions. They bother me too.

You're in LA??? That's great! Go see David Klass Jewelry! They're in the diamond district at 607 South Hill St on the ground floor, just past the security guard. If you're at all familiar with PriceScope, you'll know that every second person on this site has had something made by them and they're much loved! They're also VERY reasonably priced, and used to working with demanding PSers.

Wherever you end up going, I really would strongly urge you not to go back to a jeweler who has already done one bad job.

 

[Hwinty]

You're in LA??? That's great! Go see David Klass Jewelry! They're in the diamond district at 607 South Hill St on the ground floor, just past the security guard. If you're at all familiar with PriceScope, you'll know that every second person on this site has had something made by them and they're much loved! They're also VERY reasonably priced, and used to working with demanding PSers.

Wherever you end up going, I really would strongly urge you not to go back to a jeweler who has already done one bad job.

I’m a few hours away from LA but I have family there so I drive down once every few months. I’m definitely going to go to David Klass going forward.

The jeweler filed and polished the ring. I can still see the dents and I know the only thing to fix that would be to replace the head. You’d think he’d at least offer a partial refund but nope. The best he offered was to apply the amount they charged for setting the diamond upward a new head which he assumed I wouldn’t be able to afford right away
Anyway, I’m glad I have the support of Pricescope.

I don’t know if don’t fit a certain “mold” that these jewelers expect from customers willing to spend $. I know I walk in with my ratty clothes after running around after kids and pets and yard work but I don’t think that should be a factor. Oh well. Their loss.

Thanks for the advice and support.

 

[Cerulean]

I was apprehensive like you to ship jewelry and diamonds. There is no way that sticking locally is worth it just for that unless you happen to live near someone great. David Klass will send insured labels with packing instructions too, so you just print them out and get your item boxed up at the store

I’ve realized the risk of damaging my ring or having to start all over because of shoddy craftsmanship is higher than shipping with insurance especially

just my 2 cents, I agree with every @mrs-b said

 

[Hwinty]

I was apprehensive like you to ship jewelry and diamonds. There is no way that sticking locally is worth it just for that unless you happen to live near someone great. David Klass will send insured labels with packing instructions too, so you just print them out and get your item boxed up at the store

I’ve realized the risk of damaging my ring or having to start all over because of shoddy craftsmanship is higher than shipping with insurance especially

just my 2 cents, I agree with every @mrs-b said

Yeah. Lesson learned.

 

[Cerulean]

Yeah. Lesson learned.

I had to learn the hard way too! I do really get it. I’m also living with a diamond that needs to be recut!

 

[Hwinty]

Update: found a great local jeweler who was able to fix it with a laser welder. Not perfect but I can’t tell without a loupe. Didn’t even know laser welders were a thing.

 

[theredspinel]

Only just seeing this thread. Wow, I find it incredibly rude to get comments on the quality of your diamond when all you asked about was bent prongs.

Yes the prongs were bent a bit, glad you got it sorted.

If you find your diamond beautiful you find it beautiful and don’t ever let anyone convince you otherwise. Not everyone has the free time (or actually cares) about a rock so much to the point of recuts and resets and mailing back and worth. Most people are done after putting just that amount of energy into raising kids, forget metal and stone! I say this as a serious addict and bling lover