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Question about platinum...not sure if this is the right area to post

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SuLi

SuLi

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
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439
Hi everyone!

I''m not sure if this is the right place to post since I''m still new here, but I have a question about platinum settings.

I was looking at my e-ring the other day, and noticed a yellowish spot - like a tarnishing spot. After cleaning the ring in mild detergent and water, the spot was still there. Does any one have any idea what this might be, or if this is normal for platinum? I just got engaged two weeks ago, so I''m really worried about it. My fiance and I have yet to contact the person who made the ring (she is on maternity leave).

Thanks in advance for all your input!
 
Could be leftover polishing compound that is reacting with whatever you''re using to clean the ring. Probably nothing to worry about, I am sure a jeweler can get it off with a steam cleaner or something. But worth bringing in to make sure.
 
Thanks for the quick response...

I used Dove handwashing liquid (the mildest I could find) and warm water. I''ll try to bring it in to someone today and see what they say.
 
hi! i would try a polishing cloth if i had one. of course, taking it to the jeweler is exactly what you should do but i would try a polishing cloth first. please let us know how you come out.
 
platinum should not do that.only thing comes to my mind is patina occuring.Patina happens when the platinum ages.
you should definitely take it back to the jeweler that you got that from.
 
Date: 4/30/2007 11:21:23 AM
Author: breny
platinum should not do that.only thing comes to my mind is patina occuring.Patina happens when the platinum ages.
you should definitely take it back to the jeweler that you got that from.
Click to expand...
patina wouldn''t be yellow though... and from what I understand platinum doesn''t tarnish...

... to the OP how long did you have the ring before the spot showed up?
 
i don''t think the platinum tarnished but i do think something may be on it. for instance, if it was laid down someplace that was wet and something that could rust was also lying there it could make a stain that would need to be cleaned off. i don''t think that dishwashing liquid would take off a dried stain such as that. just my thought. a jeweler will know for sure.
 
My fiance e-mailed the jeweler who made the ring...not sure when she will respond since she is on maternity leave.

I''m going to take it to a local jeweler this afternoon. I got engaged two weeks ago (he picked up the ring over Easter weekend), so the ring is not that "old".
 
Date: 4/30/2007 11:50:21 AM
Author: SuLi
My fiance e-mailed the jeweler who made the ring...not sure when she will respond since she is on maternity leave.

I''m going to take it to a local jeweler this afternoon. I got engaged two weeks ago (he picked up the ring over Easter weekend), so the ring is not that ''old''.
Click to expand...
right - but was the spot there all along or are you certain it just came up?
 
To be honest, I''m not sure if the spot was there to begin with or just appeared. I only noticed it this past Friday, and tried to clean it yesterday, but the spot is still there.
 
Did you find out what it was? I would think it could be polished out reguardless (by the jeweler). My rings are platinum, and I would say that I don''t think yellow of any kind on them is normal (hence the reason I picked it). Did you also use a toothbrush to clean them? It could be you got something on it, and soaking it didn''t help, might have to rub it off... Were your hands in any weird chemicals?

Let us know what it wound up being, now that you got us all curious....
1.gif
 
I had a silmilar thing happen to me with the platinum screw backs for my Tiffany stud earrings. One of them became tarnished looking on the inside. The customer service rep asked me if I showered with them on, which at the time I did. She said that water from the shower had sat in there enough to tarnish it. I am curious to see what you find out!
 
Date: 5/1/2007 12:41:38 AM
Author: WestSideStory
I had a silmilar thing happen to me with the platinum screw backs for my Tiffany stud earrings. One of them became tarnished looking on the inside. The customer service rep asked me if I showered with them on, which at the time I did. She said that water from the shower had sat in there enough to tarnish it. I am curious to see what you find out!
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Hi everyone!

I stopped by my local Bailey, Banks, and Biddle to ask them about it - as the woman who custom designed the ring is on maternity leave and hasn't responded to our e-mails. They steamed cleaned the ring really quickly, and it looked like the yellowing spot was getting better. The person I spoke with really recommended that I speak to the jeweler who made the ring (I'm guessing that they do not want to be liable for damaging the ring). The representative was nice enough to give me a complimentary, no ammonium, jewelry cleaning kit with a little soft brush to try at home. Well, I tried it, and now there are TWO yellowing spots! It's VERY noticeable.

I am SO mad, frustrated, and disappointed right now. I simply don't know what to do and don't know if I can wait until July to talk to the custom jeweler who made my ring, especially for fear that it will get worse. My co-worker knows someone in the jeweler business (family owns a well-known chain that I will not mention here) and she is going to ask him and get back to me.

WestSideStory - Did Tiffany do anything to help remove the tarnish on your earrings? I find it really odd that platinum would tarnish as I did some Google searches, and every search that I came up with said that platinum should not tarnish.

Thanks for letting me vent everyone. I hate to be "debbie downer" about this, since I just got engaged a little over two weeks ago. It's causing a minor rift between my FI and I, and I'm almost a little embarassed to wear the ring because it is so noticeable - he's so mad at me right now, and I feel like I did something wrong. I don't know what to do.
8.gif
 
No Tiffany did not do anything to remove the tarnish from my earrings, but it wasn''t the earring itself but the $25 screw on the back so I did not make a big deal over it (but it still irks me so next time I am there I am going to buy a new one and keep the tarnished one as a backup). She told me there was no way to get it off but who knows how knowledgeable she really is, and cleaning it definitely made no difference. Even if you jeweler is on maternity leave, that is a pretty major issue so hopefully she will return your calls. Good luck!
 
i am intrigued by the spot on the ring and the tarnished earring back. i hope some professional on the board offers an opinion.

suli, is the person who made your ring part of a business or working on their own?

westsidestory, is the earring back marked?
 
Where are the yellow spots on your ring?

What comes to mind is that the ring was soldered in spots using solder for yellow gold and then dipped in rhodium, which covered up the YG solder, cleaning/polishing could remove the rhodium and then the YG solder would show through.
If the spots are in places where the ring would have been soldered this could be a possibility.

I know that my platinum ring was "dipped" to make it really white and shiny
 
Yes, the earring back is marked PT950.
 
I called the jeweler''s number listed on her website. I think she''s the only person in her firm as her message said that she will be out until mid-June and will check messages intermittently. I left her a message and hope that I''ll hear back from her soon.

I''ve decided that I am not going to wear the ring until this gets resolved since it is very noticeable.
 
This might sound a bit strange but are you sure your ring is platinum? It sounds more like white gold the way you are describing the yellowish spots.

Is it hallmarked inside?
 
can you post a picture?
 
Date: 5/1/2007 3:47:56 PM
Author: ladykemma
can you post a picture?
Click to expand...

A picture of the spots would be helpful.
Where on the ring are they?


Was the ring sized after it was first made?
 
Date: 5/1/2007 3:47:56 PM
Author: ladykemma
can you post a picture?
Click to expand...
The ring is marked "PLAT" - from my understanding, that''s definitely platinum. The appraisal we got (which I just learned from my FI was furnished by the jeweler) also stated that it''s platinum.

I think the next step, because I''m not sure when she will call or e-mail us back as she is on leave, is to get someone locally in DC to appraise the ring.

Also, I would take pictures of the spots, but with my previous pictures (which are in the "show" subforum) don''t really show the detail of the micropaving well. I''ll try to see if I can take some tonight.

Here is the original thread showing off my ring...

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-first-post-my-engagement-ring.61372/
 
Date: 5/1/2007 4:25:59 PM
Author: dtnyc



Date: 5/1/2007 3:47:56 PM
Author: ladykemma
can you post a picture?
Click to expand...

A picture of the spots would be helpful.
Where on the ring are they?


Was the ring sized after it was first made?
Click to expand...
No, the ring has not been sized yet. My FI picked up the ring three weeks ago, and I was proposed to two weeks ago. So, the ring is extremely new and we haven't had anything done to it expect to clean it with mild soap and warm water.

The spots are on the halo itself, in the micropaving/setting...all on one side of the ring. Because of the way they appear, my initial reaction was that I got sauce on it, but after scrubbing with a soft cleaning brush for jewelry, the initial spot is still there along with the appearance of the other spot. I'll try to take some pictures tonight.
 
Date: 5/1/2007 4:41:51 PM
Author: SuLi
Date: 5/1/2007 3:47:56 PM

Author: ladykemma

can you post a picture?
Click to expand...
The ring is marked ''PLAT'' - from my understanding, that''s definitely platinum. The appraisal we got (which I just learned from my FI was furnished by the jeweler) also stated that it''s platinum.


I think the next step, because I''m not sure when she will call or e-mail us back as she is on leave, is to get someone locally in DC to appraise the ring.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-first-post-my-engagement-ring.61372/
Click to expand...

I am so sorry you are going through this-
Here is a link to PS independent appraisers in the DC area

https://www.pricescope.com/appraisers_DC.aspx

I would contact one of them and get them to look at your ring- I am sure there is an explanation...
good luck!
 
Sounds like it might be polishing compound or solder. It is possible that she used YG solder and rhodiumed over it...

It is odd though. Going to a good appraiser should help. They at least should be able to tell you whats wrong.
 
I am really sorry about what is happening. I have worn platinum rings for many years, but I can tell you that I never had such a problem. I find it extremely strange and unbelievable that platinum can tarnish. You should really take it to an independent appraiser in your area to make sure that the setting is indeed platinum. Again, I am sorry for all the trouble you''re going through and I sincerely hope that you''ll be able to fix it somehow. Please keep us updated on this issue.
 
Here is a picture of the ring....I hope you can see the yellowing spots.

suli.JPG
 
Those aren''t spots where stones are missing are they? I can''t tell how big the melee is on that. It could just be an extra large space where polishing compound collected... Can a jewler confirm that your ring is, infact, platinum?
 
I believe that I may have an answer for you.
There may have been small particles of steel trapped under the diamonds from the drill or bur used to create the seats for the diamonds. Sometimes, the tiny blades of the burs wear down or break off and lodge themselves in the holes, and aren''t noticed by the setter. These small particles will rust when the ring gets wet, and the rust will plate itsself onto the surrounding metal.
The steel, and the stains, can be removed by soaking the ring in sulfuric acid. The acid will not hartm the platinum or the stones. A jeweller will have to do that for you. Polishing and cleaning alone will not get to the source of the problem.

Alternatively, there may have been solder used in the repair of incompletely cast claws in the micropave.
Platinum solders contains very little platinum, and can yellow in the same way that other solders do. I doubt that is the problem, as, if the ring was rhodium plated, the plating wouldn''t fail in a recessed area so quickly.
 
Date: 5/2/2007 9:26:00 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Those aren''t spots where stones are missing are they? I can''t tell how big the melee is on that. It could just be an extra large space where polishing compound collected... Can a jewler confirm that your ring is, infact, platinum?
Click to expand...
There are no stones missing.

It''s the micropaving part. I''ve e-mailed an independent appraiser in the DC area, and hope that she will take an appointment with me soon. The appraisal we got (furnished from the jeweler from someone she works with on appraisals) states that the ring is platinum, and it is stamped as "PLAT".
 
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