Question about holes in bezel band

[Mili-Lani]

I'm currently working on a stacking project. I've been working on this project forever but now that baby #2 is coming along I need to get this project rolling.

So I'm interested in getting a bezel band either all round - probably 0.03 pointers or alternating round bezel band 0.015 with 0.05.

I'm currently collecting quotes from some of our trusted PS vendors and since this is a custom project I can go with holes or no holes. Here is a BGD pic with some holes. These are way too small I think and if dirt gets in (which will likely happen) it will hard to clean right?


Here the holes are bigger and probably easier to clean. But will this have any effect on the integrity of the ring?


My friend has the stock bezel from BGD and they have no holes...sorry I can't find a pic.

Basically is it better to have holes or no holes? Can dirt get in if I had no holes? There's no way right?

If I get holes, will the bigger one have any effect on the structural stability of the ring? This are really dainty rings (reason why I'm going with 0.03 v .015). and oh yeah this will be in plat.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Mili-Lani]

sorry the first pic should be this one:

 

[Mili-Lani]

It looks like the WF version have bigger holes too...

 

[chrono]

I prefer to have the azures (holes) to help keep the melees clean. They are small but the ultrasonic waves can get in there to remove the dirt.

 

[kenny]

Dirt can still get in if there are no holes in the back of a full bezel setting.
Full bezels do not make a perfect hermetic seal around the diamond.
Water will get under the diamonds, carrying soap and gunk.

With or without holes behind the diamond, the space under the diamond will eventually fill up with skin oil, hand lotion, dirt etc.

I was surprised to learn that, even when the top of the diamond is clean, a dirty pavilion can degrade the light performance of the diamonds.
When light hits a pavilion facet it bounces at a specific angle in a well-cut diamond.
If the pavilion is dirty the angle that the light bounces is changed.
This prevents the light from going where it is supposed to go so the diamond will not be as sparkly and bright as if the pavilions was clean.

That's why I'd never buy a diamond setting that seals off the back and prevents cleaning.

With those tiny holes behind such rings I'd use an ultrasonic to clean them.
A brush is not going to get into every tiny nook and cranny in those little holes.

 

[maccers]

Similar to what Kenny said, I recently read an old post in the SMTB forum for bezel pendants. A poster in the thread (maybe Chrono?) had an enclosed pear bezel pendant and found that it got dirty but she had no way of cleaning. After trying several methods, her jeweller trying to clean it, she ended up getting her jeweller to open up the back of the pendant so it could be cleaned. So, open/holes in the back seems a good idea if you want to be able to clean it.

 

[Christina...]

100% agree! I have a bezel pendent that I don't wear anymore because it's filthy and I can't clean it without having the stone removed and re-set, and of course it will just get dirty again! Eventually I' will have to have it reset but since it was an expensive piece to begin with I haven't bothered and so it sits, unworn and unloved. So I vote go with holes!

 

[Christina...]

100% agree! I have a bezel pendent that I don't wear anymore because it's filthy and I can't clean it without having the stone removed and re-set, and of course it will just get dirty again! Eventually I' will have to have it reset but since it wasn't an expensive piece to begin with I haven't bothered and so it sits, unworn and unloved. So I vote go with holes!

lol not sure what happened but this was supposed to be an edit of my first post.

 

[Mili-Lani]

You guys are awesome. Thanks Jenny fur your detailed response!

Holes it is!!