Try to repair, or reset?

[Ara Ann]

Hi there...

I need advice about what to do with my OMC e-ring.


It is a beautiful delicate filigree, antique setting, 14k white gold...but it needs some work and I don't know what to do.


First, the prongs need to be redone. They are 'working' for now, they are 'there' but worn down and have already been retipped at some point (before I got it), so the prongs will need a more extensive repair sometime soon (according to the jeweler, they'd remove the diamond, rebuild the prongs with new wires underneath the filigree and replace the diamond)... This scares me even thinking about it.

In your opinion(s) wouldn't that damage the delicate filigree?


Second, the ring was huge on me when I got it.

I took it to be resized, but they were hesitant to cut the ring and lose some of the engraving on the sides of the shank. And because it was worn thin, they suggested adding a horseshoe to the inside of the band to strengthen it and to make it tighter. They added the horse shoe, but it was still too big on me! So they then added sizing beads... it was still a 'generous' fit, but the beads kept it from spinning.

However, I have lost some weight since then (yay for me, not yay for my ring) and still have a lot more to go...the ring is now very loosey goosey on me and I can't imagine how it's going to be when I am done losing more weight....not to mention, the added strain on this delicate setting, if they tried to size it down, after having beefed it up by adding metal.


I just hate the thought of having them try to 'fix' it and then having the ring damaged or ruined in the process, which would leave me with a damaged ring...


So, should I try to have the prongs redone and have it sized, or should I go with a reset and get a different ring?


My DH is very upset...he loves this setting and is upset to hear that I may be changing it out...but I am concerned about wasting a ton of money, trying to repair and fix it, if the ring ends up ruined in the process...and I don't want to leave my ring in a drawer because its' too big and the prongs are iffy.

Advice, please!

 

[natascha]

For me it depends if it is probable that your jeweler can both redo the prongs and size it making the ring wearable for say another 20 years. If so I would go for it.

Is your other hand bigger? Then you might reset your OMC and put another stone in the old setting. Then you would not need to resize it and, I at least would not wear a right hand ring as much as an e-ring, so you would not be as rough on the ring. This is what I am doing mainly due to a resizing problem.

 

[Ara Ann]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I agree about making sure it's going to hold up long term if they can fix it...it sure won't hold up as it is now, so something has to be done one way or the other.

My right hand is bigger, but I am still concerned about the prongs and investing in having them redone, which I'd have to do to wear it as a RHR.

I am going to take it back in this weekend for a thorough inspection...hasn't been checked out in six months (since I got it) and they suggested having the prongs looked at every six months or so... I am also going to ask for specific advice about the sizing and prong repair too, like what their responsibility is if the ring is damaged or ruined in the process of being worked on. That is my major worry, that I'd invest in the repair and lose my ring and the money too....I won't be as spooked if I know I won't be out a chunk of change if something goes wrong.


Thanks again!

 

[Ara Ann]

I took my ring in yesterday to an antique's expert and he said he can retip the prongs! They don't need to be rebuilt after all. Now I wonder if the first guy was just looking for a bigger repair job when he told me it would have to be taken apart and redone? Not sure...but as long as everything turns out alright, I'll just keep taking it to this new guy, even though it's a long drive, it's worth it to me to have found someone trustworthy who works with antique jewelry.

Not going to do the sizing yet, but he said he can work with it when the time comes!

I'll have it back in about a week...ugh...miss it already!

 

[Ara Ann]

Heavy sigh.... Just waiting for them to call and tell me my ring is ready...was a week ago today I dropped it off and I haven't heard from them yet, she said it would be a week....(why a retipping of prongs would take a week, I don't know...). Ugh. I hope it looks alright when it's all done though, can't wait to get it back on my hand...

Just wanted to post, to share my anticipation and a tiny bit of frustration too.

 

[BrigetMass]

I have a machine for cutting grasses, but I was using it and it was already an inform about the said repair, fixing things are very great.

 

[junebug17]

Any updates Ara Ann?

 

[Ara Ann]

Hey Junebug!

Yes, I got my ring back.

The prong retip is very subtle, almost to the point that I wondered if he had done anything to them at all! I couldn't really tell, but my hubby said he can see a difference. And I now see it too, I guess I expected more of a noticeable difference in how they looked.

I was also concerned my diamond was chipped at the edge, it looked different in one spot than it had before...but after louping it several times, I have come to the conclusion it is the metal near the edge of the diamond that is shinier as a result of the retip. But I was really kicking myself for not louping it before I left the shop, because if it had been a chip, I would have been out of luck had I seen it after the fact. I won't do that again!


But I decided to wait on the resizing for a while...I should reach my weight goal mid summer and should know at that time what my finger size will be....I just hope my ring doesn't get too big to wear before then!


Also, the lady at the jewelry store mentioned that I should have my wedding band soldered to the e-ring...I really don't like that idea, as I do wear the band alone if I am doing heavy housework and to sleep at night too. She's concerned the band will rub against the e-ring and wear down the metal/filigree.

My best friend actually JUST lost her antique e-ring to damage from wearing a straight platinum wedding band with her 18K e-ring...it broke a piece on the side of the ring and it's too expensive to have it restored...but her rings rubbed and spun around a lot more than my set does, IMO, because my wedding band is curved and the rings are both 14K gold.


Any suggestions there? At any rate, I'd not solder them until they were both resized, so I have some time to mull it over.

 

[junebug17]

Glad to hear you have your ring back! I think that re-tipping is usually kind of a "subtle" look, but I'm sure they're sturdier than before and your stone is more secure in the setting.

I'm actually debating whether to solder my wedding set too...I almost always wear them together, and the wband spins around like crazy...I'm starting to obsess that the friction will eventually damage the settings. Maybe I'm worrying about it too much? But I also just got a 3 stone ring and I like how the wband looks with it, so I'm thinking I'd like to have the option of wearing the wband and 3 stone together sometimes. Ack! Basically I can't decide either, so I'm not much help to you!