Loose prongs?

[dmush]

I bought an egagement ring for my fiancee approx. one month ago. It is a platinum solitare with a 1.6 ct. princess cut stone. We are very happy with the ring and she absolutley loves it. The quality is wonderful and it came from a very trusted friend/jeweler. However, we have already had to go back to the jeweler because the stone was loose. He informend us that platinum is soft and this may happen from time to time. Should we be concerned??

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

My ring is plat. When I had it appraised, the appraiser commented how well set the diamond was and that he anticipated I would never have to have it reset bar any accidents. Did you have an accident. Make sure they set it right.

 

[Mara]

I have had to have my prongs tightened on my e-ring stone 2ce in the last year and a half...surprisingly enough before that with a different stone, the prongs had not needed tightening at all in a year and a half. So I don''t know why the difference now with this stone but I''ve had to go in twice when noticing that the stone was suddenly loose (and suddenly loose enough to rattle when held up to the ear!!). Tightening prongs takes all of 5 minutes at local jeweler, but it''s kind of a pain!

 

[SeaOats]

Don''t worry too much, I too have had to have my platinum prongs tightened before (less than a month after I first got it!). My goldsmith said the same thing as everyone else has said. He did warn me that if it happened again (like within a month or so) that perhaps there was a more serious problem with the prongs. But I would cross that bridge when (and IF) you get to it

Good luck!

 

[pqcollectibles]

Another thought for you besides and accident,................ Is your gal playing with her diamond?? Holding on to the girdle and gently tugging on the diamond to turn it back and forth?? Many women do that without even realizing they do. That situation has been discussed here before. You can actually loosen the diamond with that gentle tugging/twisting motion. You might check to see if your gal does that as well.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Date: 1/8/2005 2:11:24 PM
Author: Mara
I have had to have my prongs tightened on my e-ring stone 2ce in the last year and a half...surprisingly enough before that with a different stone, the prongs had not needed tightening at all in a year and a half. So I don''t know why the difference now with this stone but I''ve had to go in twice when noticing that the stone was suddenly loose (and suddenly loose enough to rattle when held up to the ear!!). Tightening prongs takes all of 5 minutes at local jeweler, but it''s kind of a pain!

Just a random thought, but I wonder if "metal memory" may come into play there? The prongs "remember" your first stone and over time move back to that shape??

 

[Mara]

well, I also thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that my ring head previously had a 7.15mm stone in it and the one now is 7.10mm.

I also had the prongs shaved down slightly by WF, so they are thinner than the ones that held the original stone.

I don't know if either of those would make a difference?

 

[pqcollectibles]

Date: 1/8/2005 7:19:55 PM
Author: crankydave

Date: 1/8/2005 6:41

8 PM
Author: pqcollectibles

Date: 1/8/2005 2:11:24 PM
Author: Mara
I have had to have my prongs tightened on my e-ring stone 2ce in the last year and a half...surprisingly enough before that with a different stone, the prongs had not needed tightening at all in a year and a half. So I don''t know why the difference now with this stone but I''ve had to go in twice when noticing that the stone was suddenly loose (and suddenly loose enough to rattle when held up to the ear!!). Tightening prongs takes all of 5 minutes at local jeweler, but it''s kind of a pain!

Just a random thought, but I wonder if ''metal memory'' may come into play there? The prongs ''remember'' your first stone and over time move back to that shape??

Metal memory is generally not much of a problem with platinum. White gold however, is a different story.

Mara,

Given the minimal difference in diameter, it''s possible the thinner prongs are making a difference. A small difference in the girdles (thin, thick, evenness, polished, unpolished, faceted) between the stones may come into play as well. Each time platinum prongs are moved, they become further work hardened and are less like to bend each subsequent time.

Dave

This is why PS is so GREAT!!

I vaguely remembered some of the pros talking about metal memory but wasn''t sure if that applied in Mara''s case. And here''s Dave to the rescue!!

A pro with an explanation!!

 

[RockDoc]

Date: 1/8/2005 2:11:24 PM
Author: Mara
I have had to have my prongs tightened on my e-ring stone 2ce in the last year and a half...surprisingly enough before that with a different stone, the prongs had not needed tightening at all in a year and a half. So I don''t know why the difference now with this stone but I''ve had to go in twice when noticing that the stone was suddenly loose (and suddenly loose enough to rattle when held up to the ear!!). Tightening prongs takes all of 5 minutes at local jeweler, but it''s kind of a pain!

Mara

A pain???? Nothing is forever. Rings worn and subjected to even normal wear should be checked at least yearly. Most jewelers don''t charge for this.

If you lost the stone or damaged it, because it became loose.... then I''d say it was a REAL pain.

Rockdoc

 

[Mara]

It''s all relative...before I would go in regularly to have them checked and they were fine. I still go and have them checked, but when they become loose very suddenly after the fact, I have to make another trip and usually ASAP so that the stone doesn''t become endangered. That''s the pain--the extra trip! But I always get to ogle some eye candy while there so it''s not SO bad.

 

[Ladydap2]

Something most people do not think of, is that sometimes when any metal is not mixed properly when the piece is casted, (or at the correct temp). being yellow gold white gold or platinum, there can be a variety of problems especially with prongs, being loose or breaking. I have delt with many customers with this problem. If you are having alot of problems with a setting it may be a bad casting. I would speak to whoever you had bought it from.
platinum is actually an alloy,typically 90% platinum 10% iridium, by weight: the iridium servers as a hardening agent. There is a softer alloy consisting of 95% platinum and 5% iridium.

 

[Brian Knox]

Not unusual for a platinum prong to become loose as they bend very easy.

If you continue to have problems you might consider a ''V-tip" style crown that holds the princess cut corners much better than a standard tip crown.

Oh yeah, be sure you have the ring/diamond insured.

 

[orbaya]

Date: 1/8/2005 10:32:58 PM
Author: RockDoc

Date: 1/8/2005 2:11:24 PM
Author: Mara

Nothing is forever.


Rockdoc

Hey RockDoc,

I thought "diamonds are forever". LOL!

That's what DeBeers says anyway.

 

[rms]

Hi all,
bumping this thread to ask:

How exactly are prongs tightened? My diamond is loose and I want to take it in to have the prongs tightened. I have a four prong platinum setting. Do they remove the diamond? Is it really all done mechanically (I read there is no heat involved)? Most folks seem to say it is a very quick process, such that perhaps I can just wait for the ring rather than have to leave it at the jewelers. I would hope that is true when I take my ring in. I have a local jeweler that I think I will take the ring to, but I haven''t built a relationship with them yet since I bought my rings from out of state, so I want to be properly informed.

Thanks!

 

[rms]

Thanks Steve. A couple of follow up questions :

1. If lightly tapping with a small hammer, what is done to ensure that the prongs don''t get deformed/smashed/scratched or generally look different? I realize that we are talking about tightening ever so slightly most of the time, and gold and platinum are strong, but I am imagining that especially the thinner prongs, or beautiful double prongs that we see in a lot of the gorgeous PS rings might be damaged? My prongs are not that way, they are pretty substantial.

2. In vectoring, are the prongs squeezed from the bottom, middle, top (i.e right where the diamond is seated)? Or do they start in one spot and then work up/down? Also, what kind of tool is used for this? Something hand held, or more automated?

Thanks again!

 

[rms]

Thanks Steve and Dave. I always feel like such a pest when asking so many extra questions....BUT here I go anyway

So if hammering, using a hammer like that, you are smacking the metal hammer against metal prongs. Do the prongs have to be subsequently polished? I mean, something is gonna get scratched I would think when you use enough force to actually move the prongs. I might be missing something totally obvious here.

No matter what, I am headed to the jeweler today to have them tightened, because I haven''t worn my rings for weeks and I miss them!!

 

[longtimelurker]

Date: 6/9/2005 10:06:34 PM
Author: Feydakin
There are two basic techniques, neither of which involve removing the stone..

In the first they can try to bend the prong tips down toward the stone or even lightly tap them with a small hammer.. Or, they may do what is called vectoring.. You squeeze to prongs slightly toward each other and then work arounf the stone.. I could should you a lot of charts why this works, but trust me, it really does and it does a great job..

I would love to see exactly how vectoring is done--the diagram I mean. A jeweler explained it to me once, but unless I see the diagram it won''t sink in. I''m interested in a 6 prong round head

Thanks

 

[longtimelurker]

It makes perfect sense to me when someone says it, I just DO NOT retain knowledge if I can''t SEE it. For example, you can tell me your name 20 times and I''ll have a hard time remembering it, but if you''re wearing a namebadge & I see it...then I''ll remember your name