Problems with Pave? JFA Design

[BlingGal]

I think I''m getting a pave 3mm engagement band w/ a solitaire from my sweet boyfriend. It''s what we''ve picked out, and I''m really happy with it, but I have a couple of concerns about pave in general. I''ve never had anything pave before, and I''m worried that:
1. The pave diamonds will get loose in their 18k white gold setting over the years
2. Pave will be harder to clean because of all the small grooves, and that it''ll perpetually look dirty
3. That the pave e-ring will rub against the pave wedding band (not planning to have them joined) and wear down the white gold pave prongs on both rings.
4. That the pave diamonds will be lost over time...

Anyone have any expertise on pave? Anyone know how it endures over time?

Also...my ring is a JFA (Jean-Francois Albert) design (marked by his square shaped bands...which I find to be very comfortable). Any feedback on him as a designer?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Date: 12/3/2004 4:29:38 PM
Author:BlingGal
I think I''m getting a pave 3mm engagement band w/ a solitaire from my sweet boyfriend. It''s what we''ve picked out, and I''m really happy with it, but I have a couple of concerns about pave in general. I''ve never had anything pave before, and I''m worried that:
1. The pave diamonds will get loose in their 18k white gold setting over the years
2. Pave will be harder to clean because of all the small grooves, and that it''ll perpetually look dirty
3. That the pave e-ring will rub against the pave wedding band (not planning to have them joined) and wear down the white gold pave prongs on both rings.
4. That the pave diamonds will be lost over time...

Anyone have any expertise on pave? Anyone know how it endures over time?

Also...my ring is a JFA (Jean-Francois Albert) design (marked by his square shaped bands...which I find to be very comfortable). Any feedback on him as a designer?

Thanks in advance!

1. If the pave is done right, the pave-set diamonds will not come loose. Make sure you "loupe" them periodically to check for loose stones and have them immediately fixed.

2. A few people on this site have raved about the Salton Jewelry Spa for pave. It has something to do with ions lifting the dirt up from your ring....anyway, I put in on my xmas list (for my pave) and if I don''t get it, i''ll buy it myself.

3. If you e-ring and wedding ring don''t "spin" I don''t believe that they will wear each other down. Just make sure they are the right size for your finger.

4. Sorry, i''ve never heard of this designer.

Love your pave..and be kind to it (if you are going to do any intense physical labor, take it off)

 

[reena]

yeah, this is discussed a lot so if you do a search for pave you can see the past discussions . . . but the general gist of the discussions from my perspective is this.

is pave less secure , say, than diamond sidestones or diamonds that are prong set? sure. but if it''s a well-made piece, then as FTLOD said you shouldn''t have to worry too much about the stones falling out. you just need to be reasonably cautious about how you clean it (there are definitely ways!) and how you treat it (just common sense stuff, like you probably shouldn''t chop any concrete blocks in half with your bare hands while wearing it), and get it checked out by a jeweler every once in a while to make sure the stones are in tight. (you probably should be doing that with your center stone occasionally, anway, so no biggie).

and if a baby stone or two (or four) falls out during the ten or twenty years or whatever that you wear it, so what. they''re cheap and easy to replace. nothing big to worry about if you love the look.

 

[Jennifer5973]

I don''t believe in wearing the ering (or any ring) for cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc. Any piece of jewelry is at risk under those conditions, pave or not, not to mention how dirty it can get.

You''ll get different opinions here on this--many believe that these things are tough and should be worn regardless, and insurance is an added reason not to worry. I can understand and respect this opinion, and it comes down to your personal feelings about it and willingness to take the risks. Like reena says, use common sense, get a well-made piece, and check it periodcially--common sense for any high-traffic ring. And if in your lifetime, a stone or two falls out, so what. Normal wear and tear on most rings will necessitate a repair or two in its lifetime.

So, if you like pave, get it, take care of it reasonably as described above, and be happy.

 

[Alice in DiamondLand]

I love my pave ring and although i have only had it a couple months, i think that if it''s made well, you''ll be fine. We had ours done by Brian at Whiteflash and he does excellent work.

I clean mine with the steamer from our espresso machine. I have found that if i especially clean it well from underneath the stone, it becomes even more incredibly sparkley.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Date: 12/3/2004 10:29:33 PM
Author: Jennifer5973
I don''t believe in wearing the ering (or any ring) for cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc. Any piece of jewelry is at risk under those conditions, pave or not, not to mention how dirty it can get.

I concur!!!