How secure is this setting?

[katrina_33]

Hello All,

I''m wondering how securely this setting would hold a diamond if made in platinum? It''s technically only 2 prongs, but they''re so wide that I was wondering if it would end up being as secure as a traditional 4 or 6 pronged setting?

Input much appreciated!

 

[yowahking]

While platinum is softer than white gold and can bend easier, the style of these prongs don't really bend. The stone is difficult to keep tight in this setting because the partial bezels are not wide enough to have enough grip. Usually this type of setting also is set in a factory type environment and the seat cut for the diamond is a little sloppy which make the stone get loose when bumped. All of this is minor compared to the larger problem. Too much girdle edge is just waiting to chip. In this setting, my bet is that it chips before it comes loose.

 

[katrina_33]

Now I'm really confused! Since when is platinum softer and more malleable than white gold!?

 

[yowahking]

Forgot to tell you that you comment about shared joy at the bottom of the picture is funny considering I was going to tell you that shared prongs in the setting are also a problem. You can have that ring made where the diamonds are either individually bar set, or pave set. The shared prongs usually end up having loose diamonds since the a amount of prong holding stones varies so much. It can be made to look very similar, just better.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Yo is right -Platinum is easier to bend, but is harder wearing.

I also agree that ring is going to oneday have a chipped diamond - you should not set a shallow diamond like that with exposed sides (east-west). Sides get more bashing than north south ends of diamonds and rings

 

[strmrdr]

I wouldnt trust that setting one good hit from the side and that diamond looks like it will fly accross the room.
Having one like it made with wider bezels would still look good and do a much better job of holding and protecting the stone.
See the half bezel setting in this thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/settings-are-not-an-after-thought-what-you-need-to-know.18307/

That is pretty much the min amount of coverage Id accept.

 

[DavidEmslie]

Although you can use harder alloys of platinum that is harder to bend than white gold and hence more secure, often times the metal is not worked correctly or treated correctly to do this. I would not trust it a bit. However it depends no your lifestyle, if you are very inactive you could probably get away with it, but in the real world you probably move around and get out and do things that could dammage the setting or knock the stone lose. On a setting the surface area touching the stone is what counts for security, it is possible to have more metal on a 2 prong setting holding the stone than say a 6 prong setting...however, on a 4 or 6 prong setting if it is ever dammaged usualy only one prong fails, and its repairable...if one prong on a two prong fails...you lose the stone/chip it ect.

 

[katrina_33]

Thanks everyone....

Darn it, I liked that one!!!

Moving right along...

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I was feeling a little designer flush

This would work better

I made the prongs wider too.

The shared prongs will work if the job is well made.

 

[denverappraiser]

It's not clear to me how high the stone sits above the ring but I agree with the above posts, this looks like a setup for a broken stone, especially on a bridal piece that's intended to be worn every day. I like Garry's photoshop work but I don't think it entirely solves the problem. If you end up with a design like this, make sure to get it insured on day #1.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[katrina_33]

Thanks again everyone, especially Gary for that picture, although I think that even modified to make it a bit more secure this design would make me nervous based on what I've heard. The diamond does sit up off of the base, it's kind of just perched there.

The problem is that I never took a single practical factor into consideration when thinking about settings, and I fell in love with a series of really interesting designs that I have since found to be really uncomfortable, insecure, etc.

I think I might end up wanting a simple 6 prong setting a la Royal Crown, something which would have been absolutely unthinkable to me a few months ago!!!