Should I solder my 3 sided pave e-ring & w-ring?

[eks6426]

I went to my local jeweler today to have my rings cleaned and inspected. I have the Michael B 3 sided pave petite princess engagement and wedding rings. The jeweler recommended that I solder the 2 rings together to reduce the wear on the prongs on the sides. He said that as the rings rub together the prongs get worn down and that although the prongs can be fixed, they charge $30 per prong and each diamond has 4 prongs...so obvioulsy that would add up on a the micro-pave rings.

So, would you solder the 2 rings together? If yes, what type of solder? The jeweler tells me I could unsolder the rings down the road and the rings would not be damaged at all. I never really wanted to solder my rings together so I''m not really sure on this....any advice hugely appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 6/8/2007 4:16:18 PM
Author:IslandDreams
I went to my local jeweler today to have my rings cleaned and inspected. I have the Michael B 3 sided pave petite princess engagement and wedding rings. The jeweler recommended that I solder the 2 rings together to reduce the wear on the prongs on the sides. He said that as the rings rub together the prongs get worn down and that although the prongs can be fixed, they charge $30 per prong and each diamond has 4 prongs...so obvioulsy that would add up on a the micro-pave rings.


So, would you solder the 2 rings together? If yes, what type of solder? The jeweler tells me I could unsolder the rings down the road and the rings would not be damaged at all. I never really wanted to solder my rings together so I''m not really sure on this....any advice hugely appreciated.


Thanks.

Well, your jeweler is right and that''s why they tell you not to wear 2 3sided rings together unfortunately.

I would be cautious about being able to "unsolder" them in the future though. From what I understand that is really difficult and often ruins the rings in the process. But I could be wrong...

 

[mrssalvo]

I would contact Michael b and ask them. I'd also check with Bill pearlman and maybe a couple other Michael b retailers, to give you their opinions on the wear and tear of MB rings over the long term. then you can make a decision from there. I have read here that the MB rings are designed to be worn together and they have little problems, but calling retailers can help you find if that's true. If it were me, I probably wouldn't solder them, just because I like the look of them moving freely and would just take my chances...

 

[njc]

When I got my rings appraised at Martin Fuller, it was suggested if I got my rings soldered to use white gold. Since it has a lower melting point than platinum, it should undo easily. I have yet to do it, and probably wont. I do wear them seperate a lot and its not causing major damage, just scratches.

I like the suggestions of calling with Michael B or a retailer like Bill Pearlman. They would certainly know that product the best!

 

[iheartscience]

I would also call up Pearlman''s or Michael B directly and ask them about this. If the rings are a set I don''t see why they shouldn''t be able to be worn together. It just seems like since they''re designed to be worn together, there shouldn''t be problems, you know? I personally don''t like the look of soldered rings and prefer them separate.

Also, your jeweler''s quote seems quite high for remaking the prongs. I had 20 prongs remade on my antique/vintage 5 stone diamond ring as well as a new half shank put on and it was around $180, I think. Granted, it was white gold, not platinum, but I had it done at a very highly regarded custom jeweler in my area who is not known for being inexpensive.

Plus I think I''d rather have send the ring to Michael B directly or have a Michael B authorized retailer/benchman work on the rings. I''m not sure if this is possible, but I''d try to go that route first. It seems like the pave work could get messed up easily if the benchman wasn''t that great.

 

[Finding_Neverland]

Another thought for you,.......... And I don''t know if this applicable or not. I tried searching Michael B for warranty info and came up with nothing.

But your rings might have some sort of warranty on them. If you allow a 3rd party, unauthorized jeweler to perform work/repairs, you might void your warranty.

Definitely call Michael B or an authorized jeweler for more info just to be safe.