Help! Question about a new setting of an old diamond (long post, please bear with me)

[Duckymama]

Hello. I need some expert jewelry advice (or even more educated laymen, which I am not). I am approaching my 20th anniversary (next week) and a few weeks ago when I took off my solitaire to slather up my hands with lotion I noticed that it's band had very suddenly become kind of...oval. Not round at all. Don't remember smacking the daylights out of any children or anything (and I'm right handed anyway).

So after not being able to get in touch with my local mom-and-pop jeweler for days and days, I took it back to the B&M that we purchased it from 21 years ago. Left it with them. They called in a day or two with an estimate of $200.00 to replace the head and reshape the band (Tiffany style yellow 14 kt 4 prong setting. Brilliant cut stone, 1.08 ct or so if I recall. No bells, whistles, comfort bands or side stones. Has been sized up once over the years by a half size) I asked in passing on the phone what would a similar new setting cost, as 21 years of thinning gold and nearly constant wear will not be helped much by 'reshaping'.

About another $100.00 was their answer, which I found quite reasonable. Took the teenaged daughter and we looked at settings...found a few I'd like much better (no, REALLY, you say? but stuck with the similar, but brand new and 18ct setting that was in fact $125.00 more than the repair work. After a confusing episode about WHEN the ring was to be ready (they didn't cancel the original repair ticket so it sat in a drawer for a week is the short version) I picked it up today. Very sparkly, lovely stone as always. Did not look at it with incredible intensity (yes, I know, first mistake) until I got home some hours later.

Yes it is my stone (i know what occlusion it has and where...flaws are very handy when you need work done on the rock) but I'm confused about it's positioning. From the sides I can see the complete bottom of the stone. Held at a side angle where a prong is directly in front of the stone, I can see THE ENTIRE DIAMOND. The only thing touching this rock are the prongs at the top of the stone. None of the rest of the setting is touching the stone. The original setting showed no "air" around "there" at all.

My question is, as a "been wearing this diamond a long time but am a novice" is...am I nuts, or should this be setting down in the setting a little more? I may be becoming alarmed for no reason, but as I read somewhere on this site, it's not a bargain unless it can live in your world. I am an elementary school nurse and quite franky, I think the tweezers could fit between the point of the diamond and the setting.
Would appreciate all the answers you can give me, before I huff on back into the B&M again.
(Have been there 4 times in this odyssey...REALLY don't want to see them anymore)
Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi, and welcome! Just a quick word of advice...please try to make your font a little larger. It''s really hard to read that small.

 

[blueroses]

Here''s Ducky''s post again but bigger--I couldn''t read it either!


Hello. I need some expert jewelry advice (or even more educated laymen, which I am not). I am approaching my 20th anniversary (next week) and a few weeks ago when I took off my solitaire to slather up my hands with lotion I noticed that it''s band had very suddenly become kind of...oval. Not round at all. Don''t remember smacking the daylights out of any children or anything (and I''m right handed anyway) So after not being able to get in touch with my local mom-and-pop jeweler for days and days, I took it back to the B&M that we purchased it from 21 years ago. Left it with them. They called in a day or two with an estimate of $200.00 to replace the head and reshape the band (Tiffany style yellow 14 kt 4 prong setting. Brilliant cut stone, 1.08 ct or so if I recall. No bells, whistles, comfort bands or side stones. Has been sized up once over the years by a half size) I asked in passing on the phone what would a similar new setting cost, as 21 years of thinning gold and nearly constant wear will not be helped much by ''reshaping''. About another $100.00 was their answer, which I found quite reasonable. Took the teenaged daughter and we looked at settings...found a few I''d like much better (no, REALLY, you say? but stuck with the similar, but brand new and 18ct setting that was in fact $125.00 more than the repair work. After a confusing episode about WHEN the ring was to be ready (they didn''t cancel the original repair ticket so it sat in a drawer for a week is the short version) I picked it up today. Very sparkly, lovely stone as always. Did not look at it with incredible intensity (yes, I know, first mistake) until I got home some hours later. Yes it is my stone (i know what occlusion it has and where...flaws are very handy when you need work done on the rock) but I''m confused about it''s positioning. From the sides I can see the complete bottom of the stone. Held at a side angle where a prong is directly in front of the stone, I can see THE ENTIRE DIAMOND. The only thing touching this rock are the prongs at the top of the stone. None of the rest of the setting is touching the stone. The original setting showed no "air" around "there" at all. My question is, as a "been wearing this diamond a long time but am a novice" is...am I nuts, or should this be setting down in the setting a little more? I may be becoming alarmed for no reason, but as I read somewhere on this site, it''s not a bargain unless it can live in your world. I am an elementary school nurse and quite franky, I think the tweezers could fit between the point of the diamond and the setting.
Would appreciate all the answers you can give me, before I huff on back into the B&M again.
(Have been there 4 times in this odyssey...REALLY don''t want to see them anymore)
Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks, blueroses!

Apparently they set your diamond a little higher in a tiffany setting than it was originally set. But yes, the only place the setting would be touching the stone would be where the 4 prongs hold it. I think it is nice to see the whole stone, yet I would not want it suspended toooo high up. Can you post a side view to show us how high it is set?

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh me eye''s were hurting tying to read this, so thanks blueroses. Maybe I need glasses?? Oh back to the topic on hand. They set your stone a little high?? Maybe the can lower it a bit?? If you can please post pics for us, that would help. Congrats on your 20th!!!

And welcome to PS

 

[Duckymama]

Ok, friends, I have the font on HUGE here (and have posted a few other places...eeek)Thanks, Blu for blowing up my font. I am having computer and ring problems this week (and it's the last week of school so all kids in all areas of my world are quite deranged) I am logged on under one of the children's desktop usernames. Either said teenager needs those glasses for the computer or the browser is doing the "make it teeny" routine when I post. Married for 20 yrs=if it was tiny I couldn't see it either. So it's huge here, hopefully normal when you read.

This ring was Tiffany set originally but the prongs themselves were lighter weight and shorter; times do keep a'changin' and maybe I need to wear it for a week or so (in dread and fear that it will pop right out of the setting) to "get used to it"? Styles and colors of metal also change...white gold and platinum were the minority when this rock was purchased, but now the reverse is so. I will see what the Drake (I'm the Duck) can do with the digital tomorrow. We are a little remedial as to how to upload photos so those Myspace using kiddos may have to help. (and software will have to be loaded....) I would really like it to be visible to y'all so that I can see whether or not I am freakin' out or the jeweler is still in the doghouse (a long and boring story that ends up better than GeoAtl's did...so far)
Will see if we can master the upload.
Ducky

 

[Kaleigh]

Hehe myspace kids, know all about that, lol. Anyway looking forward to pics tomorrow and we can go from there.

 

[Duckymama]

The remedial husband has misplaced the camera charger. Here (I hope) is a grainy pic from one of the children''s cell phone cameras. If it comes through, you will get the idea.

 

[Duckymama]

Here are another couple of photos...I hope the computer is not shrinking them as well since this is as good as they get on camera phones.

 

[Duckymama]

This one if comes through,shoes my issue. Am I crazy, or is this diamond wearing it''s mommy''s shoes?

 

[ladykemma]

i think it''s set fine, but then I like ''em high.

 

[kcoursolle]

It''s a matter of personal preference whether you like the stone set high or low. Some people like it high because it highlights the stone and appears slightly larger from the top view. Other''s like myself like it slightly lower so that I don''t bump it into things. Your jeweler didn''t do anything wrong persay, but I''m guessing you weren''t specific enough in how you wanted it set. I think you could easily go back and politely ask to have the ring set lower in the setting. It looks like there is at least 1mm or slightly more it could be lowered. I did this when I thought that my diamond was set too high, and they lowered it no problem. Lovely ring by the way!

 

[mrssalvo]

It''s doesn''t look dangerously high, but I''d probably have them lower it a bit especially if it''s bothering you.

 

[decodelighted]

I think its "a sign" ... a sign that you should march back to that B&M and get yourself one of those settings you "liked much better"!!! Hello? TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY???

Then ... ask ''em to set it as low as it''ll go

so I don''t have you back in there a week from now picking out a MATCHING ETERNITY BAND!

 

[Mara]

sounds like your old diamond was set low into the setting, and the new diamond is set higher.

it doesn't really matter if the stone is suspended as you see it now, as long as the tops of the prongs are holding it in you are fine. it also will be easier to clean this way because you CAN get into the spaces between the pavilion (bottom of the diamond) and the prongs.

BUT, some people just plain don't like them set that high. so you can take it back, ask them to set the diamond lower into the head, it should not be a big deal, they will just take off some of the height of the prongs, spread the setting a little more and re-curve the prongs over onto the diamond.

i personally like it when a diamond is set into the setting, but not too low OR too high. i like to be able to see all sides of the pavilion and maybe the bottom tip too. but it's REALLY mostly a preference thing. one is not right and the other wrong.

good luck!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

It looks a little high, but not at all outrageously so. As you mention, it might just be a matter of getting used to it, but seriously if you''re uncomfortable with it you may never be able to wear it with confidence if you''re truly afraid one good wack will pop it out of there.

Take it back and get it set a little lower. Or, as Deco suggested, maybe one of those other settings might be in order to celebrate 20 years of wedded bliss... !

 

[Duckymama]

Thank you, friends, I did figure it was probably mostly me.

I very much like Deco''s idea of the new setting that I liked better (side stones etc) but the dogs have been using my anniversary fund up at the vet. And they can buy a modest little diamond accented setting in one overnight visit. (I told my husband it was some kind of squirrelly karma that this ring would pick NOW to bend...has been on my finger most of the time for 21 years!!) However, we also have non-matching golds now (the wedding ring is still 14 k, the new solitaire setting is 18k) and my birthday is in 6 months. I have a feeling the "combination present" will have to occur (the diamond band that I would like to have

I figured the height issue was just me, and in fairness to the B&M (we did have some confusing drama over the reset date and such), I have been dealing with two salesclerks and the manager rather than the jeweler herself. She is apparently only in three days a week, but we have an appointment on Saturday am so I can bring it back in and show her what I would like. Will also take the old setting in. I can live with it set a little higher, but the pics do not really do justice to the fact that the pavillion is just barely breathed upon on any side by the prongs. I prefer the four prong to the six pronged claw look, but you lose a little peace of mind with them set this way. I can get a toothpick tip under the stone and all the way out the other side, so I think for MY comfort level it is set a wee bit high. The manager of the B&M does not seem to think there will be a problem with the resetting of the reset to my liking, so we''ll see how that goes Duck to jeweler.

Perhaps my discovering this site in my quest for answers is so I research said anniversary band quite well.

Thank you all so much (and everyone else''s rings and dogs are quite beautiful too!!)