Stone breaking while setting?

[natascha]

Hi
I was wondering what are the chances that a diamond will break while setting? I have been trying to google it and I only seem to find information about it chipping on the girdle.
Anybody care to educate me in why a diamond breaks during setting, can it crack down the middle or is it only chipping on the girdle and also is a bezel better or worse?

I really appreciate all the help and information that is shared on this forum.
Thank you.

 

[YoungPapa]

Natascha,

I don't much in the way of hard statistics for you, but over the last ten years I can say:

- We've never had a diamond break the way you've described.
- We chip less than 1% of the diamonds we set.
- The vast majority of diamonds that are damaged during setting are Princess Cuts.
- Most "chips" are extremely tiny - more like "flakes".
- Chipping almost always occurs at the corners when seating the prongs.
- A chip sounds worse than it really is. Most of the time the damage is extremely minor and easily repaired (although does require the diamond be resubmitted to the lab).
- I haven't seen a diamond chip while being bezel set.

I've attached a sample image that shows what a typical chip on the corner of a princess cut might look like.

Hope this helps!

 

[Stephan]

Very interesting post, Jim!

 

[natascha]

Thank you so much for your answer James, it really calms my concerns. Thank you for that photo it is really worth a 1000 words. I really agree with QueenMum, it's very intresting.

I think there is too little information easily available about this. I believe a lot of people go from the extreme of believing that diamonds are invincible to the other extreme of thinking that anything will break them.
Why do you think a bezel does not cause the same amount of chipping?

 

[yssie]

Interesting, Jim.

I was horrified when I saw the way the gg at my parents' store handled loose stones - she definitely did not baby them! Now I'm not (as) fearful, but it can be difficult to remember that a stone that has survived cutting and polishing does not in fact require babying

 

[marcy]

Natasha, I've had 2 gemstones break during mounting but one was a princess cut and one was a heart shape.

Interesting post, Jim. I like seeing the picture of it too.

 

[Upgradable]

Natasha, I've had 2 gemstones break during mounting but one was a princess cut and one was a heart shape.

Interesting post, Jim. I like seeing the picture of it too.

Jim was referring to diamonds. Other stones with different mohs hardness are more prone to chipping and breaking than diamonds.

 

[natascha]

Hi hi my fiance is pretty blind when it comes to sparklies. He did not see the chip until I pointed it out. I use him as a eyecleanliness gauge since I am pretty good at seeing impurities but they only bother me if the are visible to someone looking at my ring.

 

[luckygirl333]

Hi hi my fiance is pretty blind when it comes to sparklies. He did not see the chip until I pointed it out. I use him as a eyecleanliness gauge since I am pretty good at seeing impurities but they only bother me if the are visible to someone looking at my ring.

This made me laugh -- but only because I too care primarily about what others can see in my diamond!