Help with an old family ring!

[LuvinMyLife86]

This is my first time posting over here. I just recently remembered that I have an old engagement ring that belonged to my step dads grandmother. I never had the pleasure to meet her, but i met her husband right before he passed and he wanted me to have her ring. I dont know much about jewelry, but I know that I think this ring is beautiful and sparkly. I would like for it to be a RHR and think it would look less like an engagement ring if I replaced the diamond with a pink sapphire. Trouble is, I have no clue how to go about doing this! Is that even possible? I think the diamond is about a 1/2 carat. What could I do with the loose diamond? My step dad suggested selling it and putting that money towards my future engagement ring. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thank you in advance for any help!!

Also, I am attaching a picture of it, I know it is horrible quality but its the best I oculd do while at work. But you can kind of get the idea of it, I will post a better picture of it when I'm home later tonight.

 

[eac]

What a good idea! Here is what you do to have a stone swapped in a ring. I just did this with a ring I own:

1. Get a pair of calipers that measure in millimeters. Measure the center stone of the ring. (You can also ask a jeweler to do this for you.)
2. Shop online to find a pink sapphire that's the same shape and size as the diamond. For a round stone, you want something very close in diameter. A half-millimeter bigger or smaller may be OK for a prong setting.
3. Take the ring and the pink sapphire to a jeweler. Ask them to remove the diamond and replace it with the pink sapphire.
4. Voila! New stone in ring.

Because there is a diamond involved, pick a trustworthy jeweler to do this. Looking at your picture, you may want to ask them to enlarge the ring a little bit, too.

Regarding the diamond...do you want to spend the money to have it appraised? You would have to do that before selling it. You might also be disappointed with the amount of money you'd get selling a diamond. If I was you, I would have the diamond reset into a pendant on a chain. 1/2 carat is a nice size for that.

 

[glitterata]

That''s very pretty, at least as far as I can tell from the picture, and how lovely of your family to want you to have it. It would be helpful if you can get a clearer picture, though. Does your camera have macro settings? Look for the little flower icon. Now, to answer your questions: Unless there''s something surprising about the ring that I can''t see from the blurry picture, it should be no problem for a competent jeweler to replace the diamond with a pretty colored stone. There are tons to choose from, in a huge range of prices. However, if you like the ring the way it is, couldn''t you just wear it on your right hand? That picture doesn''t scream "engagement ring" to me. Especially if you had it sized so that it fit your middle finger, or even your index finger, people probably wouldn''t think it was an engagement ring. The thing is, you will probably not get all that much money if you try to sell an old half-carat diamond yourself--you''ll get considerably less than you would have to pay if you wanted to buy it. So it might not be worth your while to sell it. If you want to put a pink stone in the setting, maybe you''d like to make the diamond into a pendant.

 

[LuvinMyLife86]

Ok here are some better pictures, thanks for the tip with the macro mode! The wedding band is attached to it, which I would want to have seperated if possible.
I really like it how it is but I think it would be a little bit more me with a pink sapphire, however I have been wearing it all week as is trying to figure out what I want to do with it and its definitely growing on me. Thank you eac and glitterata for your responses!

 

[LuvinMyLife86]

hmm still a little blurry, but you get a better idea...

 

[nclrgirl]

What a beautiful ring!!! I like the idea (forgot who wrote it) of setting the diamond in a pendant. This way:

1) You get a pretty new ring AND a pretty new pendant!
2) You still have the ring AND the diamond that has sentimental value to your family!

 

[LuvinMyLife86]

So many options! Seems like my best bet would be to hold on to the diamond for a future project. I''m so glad I found it, i thought I had lost it

So, it wouldnt look silly with a pink sapphire? Is that something I could buy online? Or in a store? I did a little bit of searching online and could only find ones that were over a carat which wont work for me.

 

[eac]

It can be hard to find a stone that's just the right size for an existing setting! What you can try is this. Find a dealer online who has stones that you like - pink sapphires with good color, for example. Then, write to them and ask if they have a stone in the size that you need. Dealers often have more inventory than what they put online. AJs Gems has at least one round pink sapphire in a smaller size:

http://www.ajsgems.com/cpage/products?sessionID=bxu-SwR-KZb0KXfi&cid=2046340414&sl=0&page=1&sprice=wlh&sshapes=rm&sshow=ss&sview=16

I also recommend that you work with online gem dealers who have a view-and-return policy - that is, they allow you to see a stone, and send it back if you don't like it.

Also, don't forget, the diameter of the pink sapphire is more important than the carat weight for this project. You really need the exact stone measurement!

AJs has a good chart that has sapphire carat weights based on stone size:

http://www.ajsgems.com/gemlibrary/GemsWeightChart.htm?sessionID=bxu-SwR-KZb0KXfi

And here they have diamond weights based on stone size:

http://www.ajsgems.com/gemlibrary/DiamondWeightChart.htm?sessionID=bxu-SwR-KZb0KXfi

A sapphire is heavier than a diamond of the same size.

 

[Joan]

Hi Luvin! I just wanted to say that I think that is such a beautiful ring. This may or may not be helpful but I would personally keep the ring just as it is..and pass it on one day. I think the setting is just precious. Though, I think it would also look great with a gemstone of your choice added. Good luck!

 

[Linda W]

You know, I have to agree with Joan. It is a beautiful ring and a real treasure. I would personally leave it just the way it is. Maybe one day you can pass it down, if you have a daughter. It is your decision though.


Linda

 

[glitterata]

I love that ring! It''s utterly charming, such pretty curves. I would keep it just the way it is, myself (except for resizing so that it fits the correct finger), but I don''t see any harm in having the diamond gently removed and replacing it with another stone. If you decide to keep the diamond, you can even put it back someday if you want to do that. Anyway, I wanted to ask, do you have an idea of your budget? Sapphire isn''t the only possibility for a pink stone. Various other stones come in pink, including tourmalines and garnets and spinels, some less expensive than sapphire (though less durable too). They all have different looks. You should look around and see what you like.

 

[jewelerman]

Great ring!Keep the diamond!You can sell it in the future if needed but keep it as long as you can...put it in a pendant or ring for now...i personally think that the diamond looks fine in the setting for a right hand ring,but a colored stone would be killer with those great curves and lines.This style was really concidered chic in the 1950s then resurrected in the late 60s early 70s.

 

[surfgirl]

Date: 7/11/2008 12:51:04 AM
Author: Linda W
You know, I have to agree with Joan. It is a beautiful ring and a real treasure. I would personally leave it just the way it is. Maybe one day you can pass it down, if you have a daughter. It is your decision though.

Linda

Thank god, a voice if reason! DONT TOUCH THAT STONE. Please...? Go get it appraised by an independent appraiser before doing anything to it. The setting is unique and very pretty...looks like a wedding set, not just an ering, am I correct? Like the band is soldered to the ering? Anyway, first find out the quality/type of center and side stones. If the center is a modern RB, I think there''s nothing wrong with removing it gently and putting a colored stone in there (though I think pink will look odd and I''m not sure a colored stone would enhance the setting at all, it looks great as it to me!). However, if the center stone is a transitional, OEC or OMC, I''d leave it because it''s an old piece that should really be kept as is.

I''m not sure why you want to put a colored stone in there anyway, can you explain? I dont think it looks too engagementy at all and in fact would make a gorgeous RHR left as is. Let us know what the appraiser says!

 

[Pandora II]

I''d leave them soldered together as well - it looks like waves!

I''d be more tempted to put a blue or blue/green stone in rather than pink.

However, as SG says, if it''s an OEC or OMC - don''t break it up. I also don''t think it looks so engagementy that you can''t wear it as a RHR as is.

 

[innerkitten]

Gosh I would leave it as is too. It''s a really beautiful ring.

 

[diamondsrock]

I would leave the ring as is. The setting is absolutely lovely. I really like the way it curves around. I"ve never seen an antique like that, only modern rings.
I agree, though, if it is an antique cut stone then leaving it intact would be good. If it is a modern brilliant cut stone, then removing it wouldn''t be a bad idea, but I still like it as it is!

 

[LuvinMyLife86]

After all your responses and talking to some friends, I think I'm going to leave it as is. I believe my stepdad had it appraised by a local jeweler a few years ago before he gave it to me and said it was appraised around $2500. It really is very pretty and sparkles like crazy! So for right now it will stay as is,except maybe unsolder the wedding band. But, I still need something else that is pink to wear on that hand because it replaced a cheaper pink ring that I own. Thank you again for everyones responses! They were all so useful!

 

[surfgirl]

Oh, I''m glad to hear you''re leaving it as is! Good choice as it''s really a unique and pretty ring...But I''d get it re appraised now as well. You should always know what you''ve got and the value. Plus, we want to know what that center stone is. Maybe you can take clearer close ups of the center stone?