Mold of a setting?

[erica]

I have a white gold filigree setting that is an antique, the prongs were barely holding the stone when checked by a jeweler. I don''t feel comfortable wearing the ring because I fear the stone will fall out and the mounting isn''t as substantial as the settings made nowadays. Because my stone is a bit of an odd shape, I was wondering, is it possible to have my mounting recreated or to have a mold created from the original mounting?

 

[erica]

I don't want to lose or damaage the original setting. One of the reasons I want to have it recreated is because I am allergic nickel. I haven't been able to find any places that guarantee their white gold does not contain nickel in it. I was hoping to have the remake done in platinum.

I will see if I can take some good photos of the setting to post here. Hopefully that will give a better idea of how intricate the filigree work is.

Is it expensive to have a wax or mold made?

 

[denverappraiser]

erica,

Molding on filagree is often a problem, especially if the piece is worn thin already. I agree with Feydakin that repair may be your best option.

Any manufacturer can tell you exactly what's in their alloy, and it's usually nickel. If you have a piece custom made, you should be able to specify exactly what materials you want used although you will need to pay a premium for some of the less common choices.

Starting from scratch starts out at a few hundred dollars and rarely goes over $800 or so. The difference will be the complexity of the piece, the amount and nature of the materials, especially gemstones, and the skills and tools of the jeweler. The best are rarely the cheapest and visa versa. Every jewelery I know will be happy to quote you a price before they begin work if they have enough information to decide what they will need to do.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals i n Denver