Protective settings?

[Nomsdeplume]

The thread on the tourmaline e-ring got me thinking. Wearing a softer stone every day is probably a bad idea, but even if you are not wearing such a stone every day, you might just wear it on that one day that you accidently knock it against something super hard. How should you set a stone that you want to protect, if you don't want to bezel or halo it? What are the second best options?

 

[JewelFreak]

For stones that aren't very hard, it's a problem. I bought a Tanzanite ring at Tiffany's when I worked there. The stone was set low into a wide band w/decorative engraving so I thought it would be safe. Also wearing it on my left hand (I'm right-handed) where it wouldn't be as apt to be damaged. The very first week I had it, I knocked it against a display case & chipped off a fairly large piece, could have cried. All I can advise,if somebody must put a softer stone into a ring, is to wear it out to dinner or to parties only -- and if you help w/the dishes, take it off & put it in a pocket or your purse so you don't lose it! From now on, I'll use them in earrings or a pendant.

--- Laurie

 

[chictomato]

Exactly. I try to go for a hardness of 8 and above for ring stone Sapphire, spinel and chrysoberyl are my favorite I hate to have to be extra careful. Actually I do not think that bezeling a soft stone is a good option according from my understanding from Michael E and a couple of benchman. If I don't remember wrongly from a benchman, the bezeling process might chip soft stones, and I think those that do not chip are set into the bezel and secure in position by glue (pls correct me if I am wrong) tks!

 

[T L]

The thread on the tourmaline e-ring got me thinking. Wearing a softer stone every day is probably a bad idea, but even if you are not wearing such a stone every day, you might just wear it on that one day that you accidently knock it against something super hard. How should you set a stone that you want to protect, if you don't want to bezel or halo it? What are the second best options?

IMO, and I know others will disagree, I would never ever ever wear a stone that soft (6 or below on the Moh's scale) in a ring. Even wiping them down will scratch them because silica is a very common element in the earth's crust and gets into dust, and can land on a cloth, and scratch your gem since it is also a hardness around 6 or 7. If you have to wear such a soft gem, wear it in a pendant or earrings, and if in a pendant, make sure it's a pendant that doesn't twirl around too much and go against your clothng, which can also have micro particles of silica. I know I sound paranoid, but often times, when we think we're super careful, and our gem isn't hurt, if you loupe it.

I have a tanzanite ring, one of my very first gems when I started collecting, before people knew what tanzanite was. Well, I wore it and I thought I was careful. If you look at the gem, it looks fine, if you loupe it, it has tons of micropitting and microscratches (probably from dust particles) and some facet chips and abrasion. It's really unfortunate become some of the most beautiful gems are so soft, like sphene and sphalerite.

Tourmaline and garnets are a little better for occassional ring wear since they're is a 7 on the moh's scale, but definitely NOT for everyday wear. If you do wear one, it should be haloed or set low. Again, these are just my opinions, and I know people do not agree with them, and wear tanzanite rings on a regular basis, but please don't loupe your gems. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Gems that I would wear everyday are spinel, sapphire, chrysoberyl and of course diamond. I have been wearing a spinel ring every day for the past six months, and I louped it. There's one tiny microfacet chip, but no scratches or anything else, and definitely no damage you can see with the naked eye. Spinel is an 8, but sapphire, although a 9, is many many times harder, and very durable. I plan on wearing my chrysoberyl every day for a while too, and I suspect it will have little damage. It has no cleavage, so it is also one of those gems that is not only very hard, but very durable, like sapphire. I wear a diamond everyday in a halo, and I've been wearing it for almost a year, every single day. I louped it, and it looks as good as the day I got it. Diamond is very durable, although it can chip if you bang it on something the wrong way. My mother has three chips in her diamond ring.

 

[FrekeChild]

I think a reasonably protective setting is one with fishtail prongs.

 

[Largosmom]

I think it somewhat depends on the value, dollar, or sentimentality-wise, of the stone and how you wear your jewelry. It also depends on whether you collect gems for themselves, or to set as jewelry...that is my focus. I wear rings and earrings often. I wear pendants, pins, and bracelets rarely. That somewhat limits my options as far as single stones go. I live a casual life, don't go out to dressy occasions often, and am more likely to go out for a casual meal with hubby than I am to a group function...the latter maybe once a year except for business travel.

I recently decided to set a small, inexpensive, oval sphene, into a ring just so that I can enjoy it. I chose a fairly inexpensive setting and yes, I am sure it will get abraded, hopefully not chipped, but I will be able to enjoy it far more on my finger occasionally (every couple of weeks), than I will with it sitting in a box.

Most of my stones are in the 10s to low 100s of dollars in value, if I had a softer stone worth more or even several hundreds, I would certainly protect it. I have some opals, one opal ring, and a pendant slide for an omega chain that I wear. Perhaps I need some more chains so that I might wear more of my pendants again...

Laura

 

[Fly Girl]

I agree that it depends on the value of the stone. I enjoy my inexpensive cabochon moonstones, sunstone, garnets, quartz and tourmalines in rings very much. I generally have them bezel set, because, bezels are what makes my heart go pitty-pat.

 

[Indylady]

Bezels, faux bezels, semi-bezels are great options. A low set stone in a halo might be protective as well.

 

[chrono]

Personally, I will only wear a gemstone that is 7 or higher on the Moh scale in general. There are exceptions of course for stones that have perfect cleavage, thermal sensitivity, humidity sensitivity and etc. I don’t see any single measure as being fool proof either as stones that are too soft risk damage during the bezel setting process. Not only that, bezeling only protects the girdle, leaving the crown area exposed. Of course, if the stone is easily replaceable at a low cost, there’s no reason not to wear it as you please.

 

[StonieGrl]

I have to say this:

Hardness of the stone, yes, it is a factor but as important is the brittleness!!!

Bezeling: There is a reason you see it on jewelry through the ages. Prongs were for jewelers who did not have the math skill set to bezel.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Not all bezels are created equal, as well. A thin, fine silver bezel can be closed with a burnisher, with little risk to the stone. Yet, because of the way the bezel secures the stone, there is very little chance that the stone will fall out. A very heavy, 14kt gold bezel may need to be closed with a hammer and punch which is riskier, specially with a less skilled benchperson.

A stone that is glued into a bezel is usually a sign of a bad craftsperson. Sometimes, a tiny dab of glue may be used to hold a stone in place while the bezel is being closed (and this practice is frowned upon by many), but it should never be what is holding a stone inside a bezel. Some designs do call for epoxy (most pearls and half drilled briolletes) but not a bezel.

 

[JewelFreak]

For some stones a prong setting is more appropriate but I can't advise enough that you be sure of your jeweler. Scratches & wear are one problem; loose prongs another. My first purchase of a really nice piece, about 15 yrs ago, was a lovely forest-green emerald-cut tourmaline surrounded by 16 round diamonds. Got it for a song because tourmalines weren't in any special demand then but how I wish I'd not been so green myself! The stone was set in what they called a Brazilian setting -- I'm not a jeweler so don't know if that's a common term. Essentially it had one prong at each corner. After several months it loosened -- now I'd take it back to be re-set; then I was too wet behind the ears. Went to a good jeweler who tightened it but warned of the danger of chipping the tourmaline during the process & advised re-setting if it happened again. About 6 months later it was a bit loose & dummy that I was, I wore it to vintage car races at Monterey. Walking around the track, I suddenly realized I was wearing only the diamonds. The stone had fallen out & no amount of retracing our steps around a dusty racetrack crammed with people turned it up. I was so sad & am still kicking myself. It was a painful lesson.

That problem aside, I think you could compare wearing a softer stone every day (unless as mentioned, its value doesn't warrant worrying) to wearing a gorgeous expensive silk dress -- instead of going to the grocery store or work, or doing dishes in it, you use it when it's not likely to be damaged.

--- Laurie