Tension Settings - anyone have any experience with them?

[Eclipse]

Hi everyone! I''m looking into buying an engagement ring and after dooing a lot of shopping, both my fiance''-to-be and I really like the concept and look of many tension set diamond rings however, with diamonds being such a serious investment, we''re somewhat concerned about the security of the diamond and likelyhood of it being lost, etc...

I was wondering if some of you who have knowledge about or have purchased a tension set ring could give me your opinions, feedback and experience please?

Thanks!

 

[chialea]

winyan has a tension set ring, at least, and you might find some more in the "eye candy" thread in the "show me the ring" folder.

from what I've heard, I wouldn't worry about it, IFF I had it done by a reputable place. for tension settings this means G&A,
Kretchmer, or Niessing for gold and platinum. (I haven't heard of any other places that people have put a lot of trust into) I'm not sure who does titanium, but the metal properties of that make it a lot easier to work with, since it's already more springy.

make sure you try the ring on first. I was planning on getting one as an engagement ring, and my poor 4.75 size fingers were overwhelmed by it, and I couldn't even get close to closing my fingers. Even the saleslady laughed

Point being, you want to make sure it's comfortable and in proportion to the wearer's hands... also be VERY sure you have the right size, though it looks like some companies will resize for free, even though this may well involve remaking the entire ring.

EDIT: also, that's what insurance is for. the same thing can happen with prongs, so you insure. you may want to check with your agent as to whose tension rings they will insure, but I believe that the major companies don't have a problem with any of the makers I listed above.

 

[sfanta123155]

Regarding tension settings. I recently had one custom made from a company called Bruce Boone. He did a fantastic job and his turn-around time is phenominal. I sent the ring to him on a Monday, overnight, and had it back completed and on my finger on Thursday. I don't know when the guy sleeps.
Mine is a RB 1.60ct E color set in the titanium tension setting. It was appraised by a really top P/S appraser and he said it was a fantastic stone. It gets a HCA of .7 with EX/EX/EX/VG. The setting really shows off the quality and unbeliveable color and clarity of the stone. The stone seems to explode with fire/color when it hits the light, sometimes even in almost complete darkness. I'm VERY happy with the stone and setting. I get tons of compliments from people that see the whole package. It's very unique.
Hope this info helps you out.

 

[starfire]

Hi Eclipse,

We sell Niessing tension rings in Singapore, and have some experience with them.

Although it looks pretty precarious, a properly done tension-set ring should give you no problems in terms of the security of the diamond. There is about 60-80 pounds of force exerted on the diamond (so it should actually be called "compression" setting), and the diamond sits in a groove on either side.

When you think about it, compared with a 4- or 6-prong setting, you have 2 huge shanks of gold or platinum holding the diamond.

Having said that, tension-set rings are more expensive than prong settings, but they are worth the while in terms of beauty, elegance and the "talkability" factor.

For more information on Niessing tension rings, check out Niessing website

Enjoy your search.

Best regards,
Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier
Singapore

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On 7/16/2004 2:37:43 PM Eclipse wrote:

Hi everyone! I'm looking into buying an engagement ring and after dooing a lot of shopping, both my fiance'-to-be and I really like the concept and look of many tension set diamond rings however, with diamonds being such a serious investment, we're somewhat concerned about the security of the diamond and likelyhood of it being lost, etc...

I was wondering if some of you who have knowledge about or have purchased a tension set ring could give me your opinions, feedback and experience please?

Thanks! ----------------

 

[starfire]

Here is an example from Niessing.

Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier

 

[quaeritur]

I'm hoping to get a titanium tension ring from Bruce Boone (if I ever find the perfect diamond!). I also currently have a stainless steel tension-set ring. I've had no problem with mine -though it's a lot of steel and a teeny 0.12 ct stone. I do know someone who has a Niessing ring, which is originally what I wanted, but found I don't have the budget for it. She at one point lost her diamond, but I've heard of that happening with prongs too. I don't think one is less secure than the other. As long as you're properly insured, no problem. Niessing made my friend a new setting for the replacement diamond at no cost. Just make sure you have it made by someone who really knows what they're doing, and get the size right, as these rings are not easily resizable. And have your GF try them on, they are bulkier and some people find them uncomfortable. Personally, I love them!

 

[Eclipse]

Thanks everyone for giving some inp[ut, i'm subscribed to this thread, so anyone else have any comments on this, please speak up. This is a major decision for ma so all of your advice is appreciated. Insurance is certainly being taken care of, but interesting that some companies are covered, while others may not be...