Resetting a cracked diamond? Is it safe?

[Phoenix]

I''ve posted a thread on my RHR about how I cracked a diamond in my RHR. Thanks to all who''ve posted for your kind words and sympathy.

Here''s a pic of it. You can see the crack on the right hand side diamond, running from the middle of girdle into the pavilion. Also, there''s a small chip on the girdle - at the beginning of the crack - that you can''t really see, but I can feel it when I run my fingernail across the girdle.

I''ve emailed to Chubb with the same picture and will wait to see what they say when they re-open on Monday.

I haven''t decided what I''m going to do yet (subject to what Chubb says), but if I do decide to keep the diamond, I might have all three stones taken out of its current setting and have the entire ring reset into a new ring, except with halo going all around the three diamonds - something like the LM''s design below but not so intricate:

http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=422


Alternatively, I could take the stone out of the ring and have it reset into a pendant.

So my question is, would it be safe to either i) reset the whole ring with the halo going all around it or ii) take out the cracked diamond and have it set into a bezelled pendant? Would either option cause the crack to spread further? Or would I be better off just writing it off as a loss?

 

[Phoenix]

Ok, that pic was a tad too small, you can''t really see the crack.

Here''s another pic, hopefully you can see the crack a bit better.

 

[Phoenix]

Here''s another pic ...

 

[Phoenix]

One more...

 

[Lorelei]

L, I would get an appraiser to take a look at the diamond to see if resetting would be an option, then decide from there. I am so sorry about this!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/8/2008 4:35:27 AM
Author: Lorelei
L, I would get an appraiser to take a look at the diamond to see if resetting would be an option, then decide from there. I am so sorry about this!

Thank you, Lorelei. I am planning to go see my gemologist next week.

Would like to hear from other PS''ers too, esp if they''ve had a similar experience dealing with this.

Thank you again for your kind words, Lorelei.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Lien, I can''t see a thing in those pictures. Just wanted you to know since you said you sent them to Chubb. I think you have to decide if you want this stone replaced with one in perfect condition or whether to take the difference between the decreased value of this one and a new one and just keep the stone. I know I''d never feel comfortable with a cracked stone, so I would take the full replacement value and get a new stone. Hope it all works out smoothly for you!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/8/2008 10:38:14 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Lien, I can''t see a thing in those pictures. Just wanted you to know since you said you sent them to Chubb. I think you have to decide if you want this stone replaced with one in perfect condition or whether to take the difference between the decreased value of this one and a new one and just keep the stone. I know I''d never feel comfortable with a cracked stone, so I would take the full replacement value and get a new stone. Hope it all works out smoothly for you!

Thanks again, DS, for yr posts on this subject.

I''ve reattached the picture with a line drawn around the crack so hopefully that''ll be a bit easier to see. It''s hard to capture it on the camera, but you can clearly see in IRL with a 10x loupe. I think I''ll have to see what my gemologist and jewellers say first. I can''t see however how far the crack extends into the diamond because it''s hidden behind the setting. I''d imagine the gemologist would have to remove the stone from its setting to closely examine the damage. I''m actually leaning towards keeping the stone - more for sentimental reasons - unless they say that the stone would absolutely defiinitely shatter if reset. Also, I doubt if Chubb would give me USD7k to replace the whole ring, and even with that, I wouldn''t be able to get a 3-stone ring with a tcwt of 2.1-2.2ct with G-H colour. There''s also a deductible and I forget how much it is. If they give me the replacement value for the one stone, I imagine it''d only be abt $2,300 before the deductible.

Thanks anyway though, DS. Ordinarily, I''d have it replaced for a brand new stone, so I wouldn''t ever have to worry about the crack getting worse or about wearing a damaged stone. But I am a sentimental one, maybe too sentimental and silly?!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I don''t think you''re silly! The crack would really bother me, but if the sentimentality outweighs the flaw, then you should keep it!

 

[Gemma12]

Lien, I''m sorry to hear about this. I agree with Lorelei-I think you need an expert opinion on the crack and the potential for futher damage.

Good luck and let us know how you go!