Is this normal? If not, what should I do?

[Cricketcat]

I purchased a Brian Gavin signature hearts and arrows diamond a couple of months ago. I had it set locally. The diamond looked crooked in the setting, so I took it back in and the jeweler fixed it. That was over a month ago. I finally pulled out my loupes tonight to look at the serial number and then I decided to just check the prongs. On at least two of the prongs (there may be a third which isn't quite as bad), there is definite air space. The top of the prong doesn't touch the top (crown?) of the diamond, the diamond isn't positioned in the slit of the prong at the girdle area (there is air space), and it looks like the metal running up the pavilion is what is holding the diamond in place as it's only the pavilion area of the diamond that is touching any metal. Is this normal? If not, is this the result of them attempting to do a quick fix to reposition the crooked diamond from initial setting? Is the only way to fix something like this to ask them to put a whole new prong setting on and reset the diamond? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[30yearsofdiamonds]

Quick check for it being loose in the setting. Hold the ring by the shank and shake it back and forth very close to your ear. If it is ever so loose you will hear a clicking sound, but regardless, having space on the top will lend to the prongs being easily pulled at with normal wearing and collecting dirt and fibers that can wedge them open even more. It should be fixed.

 

[Tourmaline]

Yes, it was a quick fix, and you should have it fixed! Otherwise it could snag on things or become loose very easily.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

It's hard to say without images, but it sounds from your description like you may not have had the best setting job done. There is wide variance in skills and experience among setters. A setter who is doing mainly low cost, commercial production develops techniques for speed. To an extent that approach is contrary to what setters working primarily on fine jewelry take.
Did you use a jeweler known for high end work? Can you post a picture of the prongs.?

 

[Cricketcat]

The jeweler I used has several locations across the U.S. Not high end, more of the cookie cutter type if that makes sense. (The sales person initially valued my diamond at over 3 times the amount I actually paid for it). I will try to post some pictures if I can figure out how to get a good magnified image. I'm thinking I will run into another jeweler and just have them look at the prongs and tell me what they think before I do anything. Then I'm really tempted to send the diamond back to Brian Gavin, buy a new setting from them, and have them set it. Hopefully then, I could avoid these issues.

 

[Cricketcat]

Okay. I had two different jewelers look at the prongs today with the same conclusion. Two out of the six are as I suspected, and a third has a problem, only a strand (and it's like a hair literally) of metal is touching the diamond at the top of the prong and then a lot of air space. Surprisingly, both jewelers didn't think the diamond was moving at all, so that was good. I have to decide now if I want to ask the place that set it to do it again completely over or just order a basic setting from Brian Gavin and have them reset the diamond. Can anyone tell me if they've had any problems after having a diamond set with Brian Gavin, such as prongs that needed to be tightened within a very short time, or a crookedly set diamond? I just don't want to have to worry about these things anymore and with shipping and associated costs, I don't want to make a bad decision.

 

[Gypsy]

Chain stores are the worst for stuff like that.

They send out, do not have in house benches and the quality of the work is shoddy at best.

ALWAYS go to a good local independent jeweler with an in house bench right on site.

 

[Cricketcat]

This place actually has a bench in the store with usually three jewelers there. But, yes, it is a chain type of store, and I do think the goal is quantity over quality, which is why I'm thinking I should just get a new setting with Brian Gavin and have them set the diamond, since the diamond is from them.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Chain stores are the worst for stuff like that.

They send out, do not have in house benches and the quality of the work is shoddy at best.

ALWAYS go to a good local independent jeweler with an in house bench right on site.

+1

I will also add that you could look carefully at the jewelry that the store is selling and see their quality in making your decision on whether to have them do work for you.

 

[VRBeauty]

I'd go to a reputable jeweler, or send it to Brian Gavin, and ask for their assessment. It might be possible to re-set the diamond correctly without replacing the whole setting.

 

[Cricketcat]

I just ordered the domed flat band platinum solitaire setting from Brian Gavin. I have lost basically all confidence in the store I've been dealing with, as this is not the first time something. has not turned out right. I've had diamonds that were not centered in cathedral settings, sizing lines with platinum that were fixed by first rhodium plating which looked like carmelized dried up pop all over the ring (that was how the sales person described what they saw), and then they polished that off and took some kind of a tool and completely flattened out the back of the ring shank. That was repaired with them reshanking the ring. Then the crooked diamond, and now the 3 out of 6 prongs problem. I am hoping that the quality of workmanship will match the diamonds at Brian Gavin.