New Basket for Sapphire Ring Possible?

[day_lily_me]

I posted here some time ago when I was searching for an emerald cut sapphire for an 18kt yellow gold setting that my Mother gave me set that was set with invisible set diamonds on the shoulders as well as across the side of the basket. One of the diamonds was missing at the time. Anyway, I found the perfect sapphire but still being stupid about any and all possibilities, I took it to a local jeweler who didn''t ask me any questions but set the stone for me and replaced the one invisible set diamond at the same time. The basket of the sapphire setting has just blunt prongs and has never looked right to me. I think I''d like to change it to the double prong claws but I''m worried about that one invisible set diamond. After they replaced it, it was lost again within less than a week. They replaced it with no problem. Then within another couple of weeks, it was lost again. Again, they replaced it. Now I''m afraid that if I do have the basket head replaced again that it might cause that one diamond that was loose to come out again - although it''s been over a year now and I haven''t had any more problem with it. What do you think? In the first place, would the double claw prongs give the ring a daintier look? And #2, would I be risking losing that diamond again? How much should something like this project cost? Thanks for any advice.

 

[VVSGuy]

Paula,

Hi and hope I can assist in your delima. First off, who made the invisible-set mounting? Many companies are making these today and few are quality mfg. The problem you are having could be one of two things. 1. they simply glued the stone back in...not correct, but commonly done on these by jewelers who don''t know how to work on these. 2. It is made poorly and by poorly I mean the stones are not laser-cut on the girdle edge and or the mounting is inferior in the bridge work that holds the princess-cuts. Could be not enough metal, worn or just not correct to begin with. The big problem with these is that it can be a can of worms once you start working or modifying it. Most bench jewelers are just that and handle the usual sizing, tipping, solder and what not, but are not truly goldsmiths who create and mfg. jewelry from scratch or know all the techiques used in making unique rings, like and invisible-set one. I don''t want to sound like Dr. Gloom, but I would reccomend bringing it back to were you bought it and seeing if you can trade it for a correct one that can handle your sapphire. This way the mfg. can customize the mounting for the correct size and build the type of head you are looking for, a more delicate split prong style that is easily done. If you don''t find satifaction with your jeweler, write me back and I would be happy to suggest a few.

 

[day_lily_me]

Brian, thanks very much for your help and suggestions. I can''t tell whether it is poorly manufactured or not but it was an expensive mounting. It''s 18kt and very heavy containing a lot of metal weight. When my Mother first bought the mounting, she bought it for a marquise solitaire that she had in a pendant and wanted to put it in a ring. But this original mounting - the one that now holds my sapphire - did not have the proper head for a marquise so you can see that from the beginning, there was modifications made. Anyway, her original jeweler took off the original head basket and put on one to hold her marquise. She never liked it because it never looked ''right'' since it wasn''t originally made for that and it showed. It was an expensive lesson but she wore it like that for a while and finally had her marquise set in a plain, wide 18kt band with the proper head. This is when I get into the picture. She was not going to do anything else with that mounting (and like I said, one diamond was lost when I got it and she doesn''t know when or how that happened) so she gave it to me. The first jeweler I talked to about it and told about having a sapphire set in this moutning and having to change the head basket said it would be no problem. Then I mentioned the fact about the invisible set diamonds and he said he couldn''t do it. I brought the mounting in to him (this was not the jeweler who finally did the work since he was VERY small one man operation and I was afraid that if anything happened - like it did - he would not be able to afford to replace or repair it although he was a nice guy and I trusted him in every other way) and when he saw it, he did say that he could fix it - making me assume that it wasn''t that big a deal. But after finally having found a larger jewelry store set the sapphire and replace the diamond and the replace the diamond twice more, I don''t know what to do. Like I said, it was an expensive mounting to start with but I''m not educated enough to know whether that means it is of good quality or not. The jeweler was reputable however and has been in business for years. I will try to attach a picture of it in another post if that will give you any other ideas. Many thanks. I''ve lurked here for over a year and don''t know enough to help anybody with anything but know that if one ever needs a question answered, this is the PLACE!@ Thanks!

 

[day_lily_me]

I don''t know if this picture can tell you anything but the diamond that was lost was one of those that run along side the sapphire - near the bottom of the string. It could be as you said - that when the jeweler that did the work setting the sapphire just replaced it with one similar in size and not properly cut for this mounting. Please let me know if this helps with any more suggestions. Thanks again!

 

[valeria101]

Wow! That''s quite a ring.

And.... I can''t start to imagine a marquise in there. The emerald cut sapphire fits to a tee.

Unfortunately, I really do not know what you could do at this point aside seeking a jeweler that specializes in making / repairing invisible settings. Those are far and few between, but you could probably locate a shop making custom designs using invisible set diamonds. Whether the guys outsource the specialized work or do it themselves, whoever makes these should be best qualified to repare one. The seller of the ring is the obvious choice (at least from this side of the screen), just like VVSGUY says, but not the only one. I don''t remember to have seen a custom job using invisible setting around here. If any of the specialized manufacturers offers some suitable repair service, that is ikely offered to the trade. It may be worth asking about this if the ring carries some brand name so the manufacturer can be traced down.

As is, there is no way for me to tell if the trouble you describe is due to the initial workmanship, the repairs and modifications done after purcahse or something else.

Just my 0.2.

 

[day_lily_me]

Thanks Ana. I think your last statement says it all. I love the ring - for one reason that my Mother gave it to me. The other reason is that I bought the sapphire last year for my birthday since sapphire is my birthstone. It is repaired now and I have been wearing it now for sometime although not daily. But I haven''t had any more trouble with it since that last diamond repair. I probably should leave it alone and not take a chance but it''s just something that keeps niggling at you - when you know it could be better if just this little thing was changed. I''m just probably too picky but if I am, I think I fit right in here at PS.