Prong size and functionality

[Dreamer_D]

ETA: Yes I misspelled "prong" in the thread title! Sorry!

I have been talking with some local jewlers recently and some really seem to be under the impression that you need very large prongs for safety. One looked at my BGD ring and commented that the prongs were as small as you can possibly go without compromising strength (and in fact I think that she was really thinking they were too small). Similarly, two jewlers said you should not have three prongs on side stones in a three stone ring for safety.

Now this makes me wonder, because most of the popular PS vendors do very delicate prongs and we do not see a huge number of complaints coming in about the durability of such things. But then, maybe not enough time has passed?

Thoughts?

 

[Janae335i]

I'm looking forward to hearing some feed back on this as I was wanting smaller prongs, but was really having a hard time getting them done. The jewelers here were so worried about strength and safety.

 

[yssie]

ETA: Yes I misspelled "prong" in the thread title! Sorry!

I have been talking with some local jewlers recently and some really seem to be under the impression that you need very large prongs for safety. One looked at my BGD ring and commented that the prongs were as small as you can possibly go without compromising strength (and in fact I think that she was really thinking they were too small). Similarly, two jewlers said you should not have three prongs on side stones in a three stone ring for safety.

Now this makes me wonder, because most of the popular PS vendors do very delicate prongs and we do not see a huge number of complaints coming in about the durability of such things. But then, maybe not enough time has passed?

Thoughts?

Well - you wouldn't, necessarily, though, would you? Most people - who buy from most stores - don't know that one really shouldn't sleep in one's rings, do yardwork in one's rings, work out in one's rings, get one's prongs checked every so often... so I can definitely see how large, thick prongs would be a blessing in those circumstances. YOU, and most PSers, are going to take much better care of your piece than most people, so you have more leeway wrt delicate designs that are still practical...

 

[Gypsy]

I just went from my Ocean prongs (larger) to my Steven prongs (smaller) and I specifically asked for prongs that were smaller than the existing but larger than Leon's teeny tiny ones. I love my new prongs they are completely perfect, but I know Leon can and does go MUCH smaller (seen them, and on stones larger than mine which is scary) which is amazing to me because I think mine are just the right balance between durability and delicacy. People have been complaining about their Leon solitaires spinning the diamond-- perhaps it is because of the prongs?

I really do think that 'durability' is an excuse a lot of times for "I can't do smaller ones" though. Ocean couldn't go smaller on mine, but Steven had no issue and Neil actually said my Steven prongs were better than my Ocean ones... they are just better made.

 

[Gypsy]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-steven-kirsch-halo-re-set-is-here.158813/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-steven-kirsch-halo-re-set-is-here.158813/[/URL] Here are pics... you can totally see the difference in the prongs from the first pic to the second.

 

[february2003bride]

"Now this makes me wonder, because most of the popular PS vendors do very delicate prongs and we do not see a huge number of complaints coming in about the durability of such things. But then, maybe not enough time has passed?"

Dreamer,

I think this is another area where PSer's are a different breed than the typical consumer. There have been several polls done in the past regarding how often people wear their jewelery, and usually the majority of people who respond take their rings off right when they get home, never wear it while cooking/cleaning/at the gym/ etc. Outside of PS, most women that I know NEVER take their rings off, even to sleep. To me, PSer's that ask for thin prongs & shanks, pave and the like, know that their rings must be handled more carefully. Whereas IRL, almost (not all, but most) women have their rings from a mall or jewelry store and have very sturdy, thicker prongs that are more able to stand daily wear and tear.

I totally busted my Vatche prongs wearing my rings 24/7 and specifically during a time when I was doing a lot of painting, moving furniture, hammering, and so on. Thankfully they were able to be fixed and my diamond wasn't damaged. I still wear my rings probably more than most PSer's, but now I do take them off when doing any home redecorating I wouldn't call my prongs too thick nor too thin.

But I really think there are so few 'I broke a prong' posts simply because PSer's handle their rings with care.

 

[iheartscience]

Interesting! I think your prongs look perfectly secure. I agree with Yssie and feb that PSers are much nicer to their rings than most women.

I inherited a WG 5 stone diamond anniversary ring from my grandmother (she's still with us but gave away her jewelry when she went into a nursing home) and it was in extremely rough shape. The diamonds weren't harmed but all the prongs were awful. They were worn down and covering most of the diamonds, some of the diamonds were barely held in at all, and the shank was extremely thin from wear. It probably only lasted because it was soldered to her platinum e-ring. (Mixing metals-another thing PSers don't usually do! ) I got all 20 prongs redone and got it reshanked and it looked a MILLION times better-I was shocked at how nice it was! I can't imagine ever wearing my rings out in that way because I know I'd get maintenance done whenever necessary.

My twin sister inherited her platinum e-ring (which was 25 years older than my 5 stone ring) and unfortunately that diamond is chipped, plus the head of the ring is cracked and the shank is extremely thin. She recently stopped wearing it because she was afraid it would snap in half, and is going to get it re-shanked and repaired.

Sorry for the ramble, but it goes to show how I would wager most women treat their jewelry! My grandmother isn't a jewelry lover by any means, and told me that she doesn't understand why anyone pays for diamonds when CZs look just as nice and are cheaper!

 

[lknvrb4]

I find that most B&M stores where I live are behind the times and not on the up and up like PS vendors. I think the stores in my area use the normal bulky prongs and that the general public would probably never notice a difference in prongs.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree that most jewelers just can't make the delicate prongs. And certainly it is true that we are more educated on the care of fine jewelry here. My prongs are really tiny, but thus far I haven't had any problem. I would not object to them being a tiny bit larger if I ever reset it, though.

I have wanted a Van Craeynest ring for a long time, but my one qualm is that they don't do the prongs we see done by Leon, Steven, Brian, etc. And I am spoiled..I want that kind of quality on any nice piece I buy!

 

[Dreamer_D]

One jeweler actually told me that customers complain if she makes prongs like the ones I have, because they say, 'They will catch on things!!"

I said, "Of course they don't if they are done well!"

To which she replied, "Yes, but the customer's don't know that."

Again, not sure how valid that comment is, but it was interesting.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I find that most B&M stores where I live are behind the times and not on the up and up like PS vendors. I think the stores in my area use the normal bulky prongs and that the general public would probably never notice a difference in prongs.

I think this is true and why I am *very* hesitant to have stones set locally. I just have not seen proof that the local jewlers can create delicte and inconspicuous prongs, which is my major bugaboo about my rings.

 

[Haven]

At first I was a bit nervous about the very delicate prongs on my new ring, but now I feel like the stone is safe and secure. I agree with the previous posters that PSers likely take better care of their jewelry than typical consumers, and that accounts for the anti-delicate prong sentiments amongst many jewelers.

That being said, I used a local B&M jeweler to create my ring an he managed to make nice and delicate prongs for me. I think skilled benches do exist beyond the realm of PS-preferred vendors, it's just a matter of finding them. I know this is a very unpopular sentiment here on PS, to trust a local B&M jeweler, but I love mine and think he does beautiful work. Maybe I'm delusional, but they're not all bad.

I know a lot of people IRL who abuse their rings and their typical wearing habits require thicker prongs. They wear their rings to bed, in the shower, while putting on lotion or washing dishes. These things are all just opportunities to damage the jewelry, if you ask me. I must be *very* careful with my jewelry because whenever I bring my rings in to be checked at my jeweler's, whoever does the checking always comments on how I keep them in perfect condition. I'm not particularly dainty, myself, so people must really wield their rings with abandon.

This thread reminds me of something I once heard or read about fingernails: If you want beautiful fingernails you must first stop using them as if they are tools. If you use them as package openers, toothpicks, or stand-ins for screw drivers they will look like package openers, toothpicks, and screw drivers.

 

[Dreamer_D]

That being said, I used a local B&M jeweler to create my ring an he managed to make nice and delicate prongs for me. I think skilled benches do exist beyond the realm of PS-preferred vendors, it's just a matter of finding them. I know this is a very unpopular sentiment here on PS, to trust a local B&M jeweler, but I love mine and think he does beautiful work. Maybe I'm delusional, but they're not all bad.

Of course they are not all bad! I think it depends on whether you are lucky enough to live near a good jewler or not. I have visited basically every shop in my city and so far I am not soooo impressed.

This is a thread jack, but in particular, I am amazed by all the jewelers who do not have any exmaples in store of their custome work or rings they themselves set or assembled. Despite this, they all seem to offer primarily custom work! Seems to me blind trust is what they rely on?? Or am I spoiled by macro photos from our PS vendors?