jewelry dipping

[fisherofmengirly]

So, I''ve been thinking about having my ring dipped again; it''s white gold and the wedding band has some wear on it, from where it scrubs against the engagement ring, I believe.

My husband thinks that dipping is a bad idea and says we''d have no way of knowing if the diamonds were switched out, etc.

He also worries that dipping could be harmful to the ring itself.

I have several friends who''ve had theirs dipped, and it seemed to cause no issues.

But since those of you here know much more about this than I, I thought I''d ask if anyone has any information (good or bad) on dipping.

Thanks for your help!

 

[deegee]

I have 3 rings that I have dipped every 3-6 months and have only had one issue. I have one ring that was originally YG and it needs dipped quite often if I wear it daily. While I''m having it done, I have my e-ring and w-band done also. One time a few days after I had my YG ring dipped I noticed that it looked really scratched. I took it back, and they buffed and re-dipped it. It looks brand new! I usually drop my rings off and pick them back up within 30 minutes, so I have never worried about diamonds being switched.

 

[chrono]

Replating does not damage the ring. The diamonds also do not need to be removed. The plating material will only adhere to the metal so no harm is done to the setting. If you are truly concerned about diamond switching, go to a jeweller that you know and trust. Most jewellers will not do the bait and switch as it will affect their business big time if anyone ever found out. Most jewellery stores depend on maintaining a good reputation and word of mouth to attract new customers and keep the current ones.

 

[february2003bride]

Go to a trusted jeweler and you won''t have any concerns with them switching out your stone. It''s good to bring your rings in every 6 months for a polish, a dip, and to have your prongs checked and tightened if needed.

 

[ericjsmom1]

Can you have a yellow gold ring dipped so that it appears as white gold?
I love my original ering but it is yellow gold, so I don''t wear it much....would really enjoy wearing it more if it were white gold.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Date: 3/20/2009 10:04:39 AM
Author: ericjsmom1
Can you have a yellow gold ring dipped so that it appears as white gold?
I love my original ering but it is yellow gold, so I don''t wear it much....would really enjoy wearing it more if it were white gold.

Yes you can, but it will need to be redipped more often than a white gold piece would. I have had this done before with pretty good results.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 3/20/2009 10:55:43 AM
Author: Diamond*Dana

Date: 3/20/2009 10:04:39 AM

Author: ericjsmom1

Can you have a yellow gold ring dipped so that it appears as white gold?

I love my original ering but it is yellow gold, so I don''t wear it much....would really enjoy wearing it more if it were white gold.

Yes you can, but it will need to be redipped more often than a white gold piece would. I have had this done before with pretty good results.

Ditto this. Dipping colored gold works best on pieces that don''t experience a lot of wear like earrings and pendants.

 

[Elmorton]

Fisher, go dip your ring!! I love getting mine back after being dipped - it looks exactly the same as the day DH proposed with it.

 

[chrono]

Date: 3/20/2009 10:04:39 AM
Author: ericjsmom1
Can you have a yellow gold ring dipped so that it appears as white gold?
I love my original ering but it is yellow gold, so I don''t wear it much....would really enjoy wearing it more if it were white gold.

The WG plating will probably not last as long because the yellow might show through earlier versus a white gold ring. In addition, when worn more ofter, as in a ring, it will wear off sooner. Body chemistry will also play a role. Some people can wear WG for ages without it yellowing while others need to redip it every few weeks.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Switching stones is really an overrated risk.

1 - Most jewellers are trustworthy and know that their livelihood depend on this. So look for a reputable, well stablished professional.
2 - Switching melee stones is just not worth it. The smaller stones are quite cheap, so between the time and expense to switch the stones, set the fakes and repolish, it just isn''t worth it.
3 - Know your stones. Look at them under a loupe or microscope and know where there are flaws and what they look like. Check if there is an engraved certificate number. When you hand over the ring to a jeweller, ask for it to be examined in the microscope and note down on the form where all those identifying marks are.

 

[deegee]

Date: 3/20/2009 10:04:39 AM
Author: ericjsmom1
Can you have a yellow gold ring dipped so that it appears as white gold?
I love my original ering but it is yellow gold, so I don''t wear it much....would really enjoy wearing it more if it were white gold.

Yes, you most definitely can. It can''t be too ornate, though (from my experience). The ring YG ring I have dipped every 3-6 months is a 5-stone band. I have to have it dipped often because I wear it almost every day. I also had a YG diamond pendant dipped, and have never had to have it redone. I took another YG ring that had milgrain and a lot of engraving and detail work, and they wouldn''t dip it. They said that the rhodium wouldn''t stick to the uneven surface.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I''ll have to try to re-talk my husband into this, since it appears to be a harmless thing. I''d love to see my ring restored to its original shine!!

Thanks, everyone!!

 

[poshpepper]

Just wanted to add that when I had my ering re-dipped before my wedding (to match the "newness" look of the wedding band) I went to a place that will do it while you wait (takes about 10 to 15 mins) and you can even watch.

Maybe that would help your hubby feel more comfortable.

 

[MishB]

I have my rings done every 2 years or so, they check all the settings, prongs etc at the same time, it''s just part of regular maintenance for me.

 

[MishB]

Date: 3/26/2009 3:49:21 PM
Author: poshpepper
Just wanted to add that when I had my ering re-dipped before my wedding (to match the ''newness'' look of the wedding band) I went to a place that will do it while you wait (takes about 10 to 15 mins) and you can even watch.

Maybe that would help your hubby feel more comfortable.

Yes, I bought a ring in the NY diamond district, and the jeweller resized it while I waited, including replating it. The whole process took no longer than 15 minutes.

 

[cinnamon013]

If I have something that is white gold, could it be dipped in yellow gold? How long would the look last?

 

[chrono]

Date: 3/28/2009 10:39:55 PM
Author: cinnamon013
If I have something that is white gold, could it be dipped in yellow gold? How long would the look last?

Sure! The plating would still not last long because the white will start to show through after some "wear and tear" which depends on how frequently you wear it.