Small gap on secondhand eternity band

[newtojewels]

This might sound crazy but if I can't be nitpicky on PS, where can I be?

I'm within the return period for this secondhand Neil Lane Couture French cut and pave full eternity band. While carefully wearing it with the tag still attached to make sure of my decision, I noticed a small gap between two of the French cut diamonds. Is it kind of inevitable in an eternity band like this if you look closely enough, or is it something I shouldn't accept? The gap is a little narrower than the width of a piece of regular printer paper but a little wider than one of my hairs. I would guess it's in the range of 75-100 microns/0.075-0.1mm. It seems like it would be basically impossible to get a tighter tolerance than that for a full eternity band, but again I don't know what's realistic!

If it makes a difference in the answer, the ring would be $15,500 new from Neil Lane but I paid $5000 for this secondhand one, so it's not a cheap piece even secondhand. It's stated to be a estimated 3.05ctw of French cuts and 0.75ctw of rounds in 900 platinum (I'm trying to get an appointment with an appraiser to check these numbers). And for whatever it's worth, I see gaps of a similar size in my CvB emerald 3/4 eternity band but they're between every stone versus just the one in this full eternity. There are no gaps that I can see in my Erika Winters French cut sapphire bracelet.

This photo makes it look as bad as possible:


The CvB band, the gaps here between all of the stones are all a little tiny bit smaller than the single gap in the diamond band but not by much:


And the Erika Winters bracelet which does not have any gaps that I can see:


A few more photos of this band:

You can actually see the gap in this photo too:

And here:



Thank you in advance for any thoughts!

 

[Garnetgirl]

The ring looks lovely in your post on “things you are considering “. But now that you’ve pointed out the gap, I can’t unsee it.

It looks minimal to me. You could wear it with the gap on the underside of your finger.

I don’t think it would bother me too much, especially if I got it at a good price. However, the question is whether it will continue to bother YOU. Just the fact that you’ve posted here….

Perhaps the ring has been sized up or down in the past?

 

[Lookinagain]

It wouldn't bother me at all, but as @Garnetgirl said, it's whether it will bother you. And whether, if you return it, you will regret it. Nice french cut bands with decent sized stones are not easy to find and are not inexpensive, so that would be part of my equation if I were in your shoes.

 

[RMOO]

The ring looks lovely in your post on “things you are considering “. But now that you’ve pointed out the gap, I can’t unsee it.

It looks minimal to me. You could wear it with the gap on the underside of your finger.

I don’t think it would bother me too much, especially if I got it at a good price. However, the question is whether it will continue to bother YOU. Just the fact that you’ve posted here….

Perhaps the ring has been sized up or down in the past?

+1

I can see the gap now that you have pointed it out, but it wouldn't bother me. And I don't think any casual observer would see it either. I would use it as the marker for the bottom of the ring, so that if any wear were to happen to the diamonds it would always be in the same spot on the bottom. And, if you were to ever have to repair it, it would be in a place that already has the "flaw."

If it were me, I wouldn't return it, especially if you got it at a good price for similar items. It's gorgeous!!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Sort of reminds me of rings with invisible set diamonds. I think that if each stone is not secured, any bending or stretching of the metal can allow for some movement. The manufacturing process of this ring and say CVB are probably worlds apart as well. Even though the original price is stated at $15,500, I doubt anyone paid that for it brand new. I believe Neil Lane had a line of jewelry that he sold via Kay Jewelers.
Having said all of that, it is a very pretty ring. I don’t think there is anything that could be done to fix the gap. It probably isn’t apparent unless you are looking for it very closely. It really depends on how much it bugs you. For the price you paid, I still think it is a pretty good deal. Commissioning someone like CVB to make this ring would probably put it around the original price. Sleep on it for a couple of days and then see how you feel. PSers are picky but tend to be reasonable on something like this. I know you were very excited to receive the ring, and I hope that it doesn’t bother you to the point of returning. I think most folks would feel that way as well.

 

[Rfisher]

If I didn’t suspect the ring was in any way ‘out of round’,
Nor didn’t see any loose stones :

I think I would be ok with it ‘as is’ at the price you paid.
The specific cut style of the fc helps me lean towards that.

Any thing that might lead me to believe I’d have to rebuild for stability sooner rather than later - that would make me rethink this instance of purchase.

IMO, of course.

Looks lovely on you!!

 

[lulu_ma]

I think you got a decent price-even non-branded.

If it really bothers you, you can have a jeweler look at it and see if it is repairable.

I found the same ring on Lang and they want to charge more than Neil Lane!

French-Cut Wide Diamond Band

A gorgeous, newly handcrafted, 6 millimeter wide platinum and diamond band ring sparkling with a central finely milgrained channel of bright-white, high-quality French-cut diamonds. The French-cuts are bordered by precision-set round brilliant-cut diamonds on both the top and sides of the band...

www.langantiques.com

 

[newtojewels]

The ring looks lovely in your post on “things you are considering “. But now that you’ve pointed out the gap, I can’t unsee it.

It looks minimal to me. You could wear it with the gap on the underside of your finger.

I don’t think it would bother me too much, especially if I got it at a good price. However, the question is whether it will continue to bother YOU. Just the fact that you’ve posted here….

Perhaps the ring has been sized up or down in the past?

It's extremely minimal, the close-up shots obviously make it look worse than it looks in real life. I actually don't see the gap face-up unless I'm looking for it because the sparkle hides it. I think my real question is, "would this kind of gap be inevitable for a French cut eternity band at any reasonable price point"?

It wouldn't bother me at all, but as @Garnetgirl said, it's whether it will bother you. And whether, if you return it, you will regret it. Nice french cut bands with decent sized stones are not easy to find and are not inexpensive, so that would be part of my equation if I were in your shoes.

Yes, especially ready-made in your exact size and returnable! I know I could custom order something but then I might end up in the same position....

+1

I can see the gap now that you have pointed it out, but it wouldn't bother me. And I don't think any casual observer would see it either. I would use it as the marker for the bottom of the ring, so that if any wear were to happen to the diamonds it would always be in the same spot on the bottom. And, if you were to ever have to repair it, it would be in a place that already has the "flaw."

If it were me, I wouldn't return it, especially if you got it at a good price for similar items. It's gorgeous!!

A casual observer definitely would not see it even if it were right at the top -- I have very good eyes and now that I know where it is the ring needs to be within 16" in unflattering lighting and under 8" in sunlight for me to see it.

Sort of reminds me of rings with invisible set diamonds. I think that if each stone is not secured, any bending or stretching of the metal can allow for some movement. The manufacturing process of this ring and say CVB are probably worlds apart as well. Even though the original price is stated at $15,500, I doubt anyone paid that for it brand new. I believe Neil Lane had a line of jewelry that he sold via Kay Jewelers.
Having said all of that, it is a very pretty ring. I don’t think there is anything that could be done to fix the gap. It probably isn’t apparent unless you are looking for it very closely. It really depends on how much it bugs you. For the price you paid, I still think it is a pretty good deal. Commissioning someone like CVB to make this ring would probably put it around the original price. Sleep on it for a couple of days and then see how you feel. PSers are picky but tend to be reasonable on something like this. I know you were very excited to receive the ring, and I hope that it doesn’t bother you to the point of returning. I think most folks would feel that way as well.

This is from his original non-Kays line, but I'm sure you're right that there weren't many orders at any price! I actually wonder if it's the same bench as a very similar ring that's made-to-order from Lang since they're both based in California and the ajours and milgrain look so similar and the price is basically the same. The only detail you get from Neil Lane is that it's "handmade" but obviously that can mean anything in jewelry. Obviously the $15k+ price is ridiculous regardless.

I think I'm mostly wondering about what the situation would be if I ordered a French cut band from someone like David Klass since that would be more comparable in price to this secondhand one. Would there always be a small gap because of metal stretching, getting the exact right mm of stones being impossible without Yoram-level custom cuts, etc.? Or would there be no gaps in DK's version? Again the CvB ring has small gaps but as you say it's a very different style of ring.... And for all I know, DK, Lang, and Neil Lane (and maybe even CvB!) would all use the exact same bench for this kind of ring since they're all in California!

Lang:


Neil Lane:

Lang:

Neil Lane:


And just for fun, here's Victor Canera's version:

If I didn’t suspect the ring was in any way ‘out of round’,
Nor didn’t see any loose stones :

I think I would be ok with it ‘as is’ at the price you paid.
The specific cut style of the fc helps me lean towards that.

Any thing that might lead me to believe I’d have to rebuild for stability sooner rather than later - that would make me rethink this instance of purchase.

IMO, of course.

Looks lovely on you!!

It looks round to me and I don't think anything is loose! Again, hopefully I can get to an appraiser or jeweler to check it out soon... Part of the problem is that I'm traveling now and then starting a new job next week right when I'm back. Not great timing, but of course that's how these secondhand things go sometimes!

 

[newtojewels]

I think you go a decent price-even non-branded.

If it really bothers you, can have a jeweler look at it and see if it is repairable.

I found the same ring on Lang and they want to charge more than Neil Lane!

French-Cut Wide Diamond Band

A gorgeous, newly handcrafted, 6 millimeter wide platinum and diamond band ring sparkling with a central finely milgrained channel of bright-white, high-quality French-cut diamonds. The French-cuts are bordered by precision-set round brilliant-cut diamonds on both the top and sides of the band...

www.langantiques.com

Ha, I just posted that ring in my long reply! I really think it's the same bench as Neil's version.

I don't actually think it bothers me, I just more want to know if it's typical for this kind of ring or a bad/worrisome sign, if that makes sense.

 

[Karl_K]

I would have it checked to make sure its not fractured at that point.
If it is there is no fixing it.

 

[newtojewels]

Here's a video with the gap right at the bottom of my finger to show a more realistic view. Pleas excuse the heat-swollen fingers and the chipped nail polish:

https://imgur.com/cXaOEok

 

[newtojewels]

I would have it checked to make sure its not fractured at that point.
If it is there is no fixing it.

Thanks for weighing in! Just to make sure I understand, what exactly should I look for and/or what kind of person would I take it to? A jewelry repair person? An appraiser? It would need to be someone in the San Francisco area.... Would they be looking for a fracture in the metal?

 

[Karl_K]

A trustworthy person with a microscope and some experience to look at it. Could be an appraiser or a jeweler you trust.
They would look at the area to see if its a manufacturing defect or if the metal is fracturing or stretched.
Then give an opinion on if there are any durability concerns.

 

[luckygreen317]

Besides it begin an absolutely beautiful ring, I would keep it based on the price you paid. I don’t think you could have the ring made for less than $8K. However, I completely understand your concern and wanting to make sure there is nothing wrong with it. I would think a reputable local jeweler could look to see if there has been any adjustments to the ring. Is there anything out of sorts on the underside of the ring at that point where there is a gap between the stones?

 

[nala]

I am willing to bet that if you return it, a PSer will jump on it, lol. It’s a gorgeous band.

I stupidly returned a gorgeous carre eternity back in the day for the same reason. It was preowned. I think I had paid 800 bucks for it. I still kick myself bc I think it would have been fine and now they are selling for upwards of 2000. Sigh.

 

[newtojewels]

A trustworthy person with a microscope and some experience to look at it. Could be an appraiser or a jeweler you trust.
They would look at the area to see if its a manufacturing defect or if the metal is fracturing or stretched.
Then give an opinion on if there are any durability concerns.

Got it, thank you! If anyone knows anyone particularly trustworthy in SF, I'm all ears! Otherwise I was going to email the closest appraiser on the PS list and hope she can fit me in: Barbra Voltaire at https://www.sfgemlab.com/

Besides it begin an absolutely beautiful ring, I would keep it based on the price you paid. I don’t think you could have the ring made for less than $8K. However, I completely understand your concern and wanting to make sure there is nothing wrong with it. I would think a reputable local jeweler could look to see if there has been any adjustments to the ring. Is there anything out of sorts on the underside of the ring at that point where there is a gap between the stones?

There's nothing visible on the inside, the profile, or even the milgrain where the gap is. It's near the PT900 hallmark on the inside but that's it.

I am willing to bet that if you return it, a PSer will jump on it, lol. It’s a gorgeous band.

I stupidly returned a gorgeous carre eternity back in the day for the same reason. It was preowned. I think I had paid 800 bucks for it. I still kick myself bc I think it would have been fine and now they are selling for upwards of 2000. Sigh.

$800 is a lot less than $5k, though! But yes, it's always hard to know for sure and sometimes in being cautious we make mistakes in the other direction. Sorry you missed out on that band!

 

[Lookinagain]

I don't know if this will help. I have this french cut band made by DK (I bought it pre-loved). It's a bit dirty b/c I've been wearing it. These are the best photos I could get. I don't see any spaces, but from some views there appear to be some, but it might just be shadows. I think my stones are smaller than yours.

 

[newtojewels]

I don't know if this will help. I have this french cut band made by DK (I bought it pre-loved). It's a bit dirty b/c I've been wearing it. These are the best photos I could get. I don't see any spaces, but from some views there appear to be some, but it might just be shadows. I think my stones are smaller than yours.

It's a beautiful band, thank you for your photos! I don't see any gaps!

 

[newtojewels]

Now that I look again with the zoom lens on my phone, I actually think that this stone isn't set quite right or maybe there was damage to the ring. It's just a little higher than its neighbor. I emailed these photos to Neil Lane to see what they say, since I figure I should have them repair it if I both choose to keep it and try to get it fixed.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Is there any interruption in the milgrain or the stones above and below the stone in question?

cheers--Sharon

 

[Dreamer_D]

I have come to accept that jewelry is not perfect. It is usually made by hand, or at least assembled by hand, and that means imperfections. I’d have it checked to ensure it’s not a durability risk and then if I love it, I’d keep it.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Now that I look again with the zoom lens on my phone, I actually think that this stone isn't set quite right or maybe there was damage to the ring. It's just a little higher than its neighbor. I emailed these photos to Neil Lane to see what they say, since I figure I should have them repair it if I both choose to keep it and try to get it fixed.

I do see what looks like an infinitesimal dent in the rail holding the stone.

I had an antique ring that had a noticeable dent in the gallery. I just took at as par for the course with older jewelry. Obviously that conclusion is a case by case basis. You are doing due diligence.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Now that I look again with the zoom lens on my phone, I actually think that this stone isn't set quite right or maybe there was damage to the ring. It's just a little higher than its neighbor. I emailed these photos to Neil Lane to see what they say, since I figure I should have them repair it if I both choose to keep it and try to get it fixed.

ok now i see it
but i looked for ages at the first photos and could not
the stack is beautiful btw
so long as the ring is safe, i would keep it if it were me
but it does not sound mind clean at all to you

 

[Lookinagain]

Please don't take this wrong, but it sounds to me like you are just having second thoughts about this ring. As @Dreamer_D said, it's made by hand therefore some tiny imperfections would not be out of the norm. If it doesn't make you happy, you should return it. What is acceptable to some others may not be acceptable to you. But dwelling on the imperfection won't make it go away. You have to decide whether you can live with it, or see if it can be changed to your liking, or return it. That's up to you, but any attempted repair may not come out better, just consider that.

 

[Bron357]

Yes, there looks like some minor “impact” damage to the ring evidenced by the slight “dipping” in the miligrain edging which has ever so slightly popped one diamond apart from its neighbor. So it’s actually both diamonds either side of the gap that need adjustment.
That said, this type of wear has to be expected because with a full eternity band any time that hand grasps or grabs something, like a metal railing, the ring is going to potentially be subject to impact forces.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Yeah this damage I think is par for the course with an eternity. I would not try to fix it. I’d accept it or return it.

 

[newtojewels]

Thank you all for your thoughts and help!

HI:

Is there any interruption in the milgrain or the stones above and below the stone in question?

cheers--Sharon

There's a tiny bit of disruption visible in the photos but nothing that looks like resizing or anything that was mentioned earlier

I have come to accept that jewelry is not perfect. It is usually made by hand, or at least assembled by hand, and that means imperfections. I’d have it checked to ensure it’s not a durability risk and then if I love it, I’d keep it.

I do see what looks like an infinitesimal dent in the rail holding the stone.

I had an antique ring that had a noticeable dent in the gallery. I just took at as par for the course with older jewelry. Obviously that conclusion is a case by case basis. You are doing due diligence.

Yes, thank you! I have bought many secondhand clothes and some bags over the years. I sew, so I feel confident in knowing what's safe and also what's wear and tear versus what's shoddy construction. I don't have that same reference for jewelry, so I appreciate all of the thoughts!

ok now i see it
but i looked for ages at the first photos and could not
the stack is beautiful btw
so long as the ring is safe, i would keep it if it were me
but it does not sound mind clean at all to you

I think mind clean for me is if I know what the issues are and then can decide. It sounds like this is typical and it doesn't bother me to see it, so if I get an appraiser or jeweler to say it's safe then I think I'm good to go!

Please don't take this wrong, but it sounds to me like you are just having second thoughts about this ring. As @Dreamer_D said, it's made by hand therefore some tiny imperfections would not be out of the norm. If it doesn't make you happy, you should return it. What is acceptable to some others may not be acceptable to you. But dwelling on the imperfection won't make it go away. You have to decide whether you can live with it, or see if it can be changed to your liking, or return it. That's up to you, but any attempted repair may not come out better, just consider that.

I'm totally fine with some imperfections, I just want to be as informed as possible! I think because I'm posting to ask about possible issues it isn't actually clear how much I like this ring. Thank you for the reminder on repair work, too.

Yes, there looks like some minor “impact” damage to the ring evidenced by the slight “dipping” in the miligrain edging which has ever so slightly popped one diamond apart from its neighbor. So it’s actually both diamonds either side of the gap that need adjustment.
That said, this type of wear has to be expected because with a full eternity band any time that hand grasps or grabs something, like a metal railing, the ring is going to potentially be subject to impact forces.

After you said this, I decided to do something unthinkable -- inspired by Inked saying she has used a hammer to make her rings oval to prevent them from spinning. I used a wooden cuticle stick to push the raised diamond down. I didn't push the neighbor up, that seemed more risky. No clue how structurally sound that 'fix' is, but the gap is visibly gone now.

Thank you for saying that this is expected in an eternity band. That was really my main question! Again, I just want to be as informed as possible.

Yeah this damage I think is par for the course with an eternity. I would not try to fix it. I’d accept it or return it.

Thank you! That makes me feel much better.

 

[Rfisher]

I used a wooden cuticle stick to push the raised diamond down.

This confirms for me the stone(s) are shifty.
Shifting stones will (in my mind) wear away the adjoining metal or stone next to it.

Whether tightening it up is an easy/routine fix for a local bench or it requires someone with more experience/finesse
Is the next quandary.

You not seeing any tiny cracks anywhere, even in the ajour, is a huge plus - imo.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You should definitely not be able to move the diamonds around with a cuticle stick! At rfisher said, they are obviously shifty and that’s not a goood thing. The ring obviously needs repair. How much that will cost or how effective it will be long term is anyone’s guess! But no more self surgery!

 

[Karl_K]

I used a wooden cuticle stick to push the raised diamond down. I didn't push the neighbor up, that seemed more risky. No clue how structurally sound that 'fix' is, but the gap is visibly gone now.

Yikes.
Def get into the hands of a pro or return it and hope the seller isn't reading this thread.
Lose diamonds act like chainsaws and eat the metal around it.
To be rather blunt....
Messing with it did not fix it and likely made it worse and harder to detect the root cause.