Ultrasonic question - stone fell out

[baby monster]

A stone fell out of my everyday earrings. They''re WG with bezel set diamonds. I''ve been wearing them for 5 years now pretty much every day. This summer I got Sharper Image US and began cleaning the earring on the weekly basis using the solution that came with machine (ammonia free). My mother thinks that the cleaning took off the surface of the metal that held the stone in. Do you think she is right or has the setting simply aged and weakened? Now, my mother is always right

but I''m hoping she is wrong this time because I like that my earrings sparkle much more with regular cleanings. Should I switch to a different cleaning solution or give up US completely?

 

[neatfreak]

I''m no expert, but I doubt it was the solution. I would think it would be the vibrations of the US instead that shook it loose...

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 11/3/2007 3:18:54 PM
Author: neatfreak
I''m no expert, but I doubt it was the solution. I would think it would be the vibrations of the US instead that shook it loose...

I agree; there are some threads floating around here where people stones came loose from putting their rings in the US (especially melee).

 

[diamonddesignco]

I agree that is it not likely the solution but the ultrasonic virbrations. I frequently use the ultrasonic to test for loose stones. I do not recommend using it weekly, try cleaning them by soaking and a soft toothbrush.

 

[diamondringlover]

I had a pair of blue topaz earring for years and I cleaned them in my US and the stone fell out...so I am thinking it is the US

 

[marcy]

While I hate to admit it because I use mine everyday; I think the US made it fall it. I''d rather have it come out in my US than loose it during the day though.

 

[lyra]

Date: 11/3/2007 7:25:46 PM
Author: diamondrnglover
I had a pair of blue topaz earring for years and I cleaned them in my US and the stone fell out...so I am thinking it is the US

Yeah, I''m starting to feel less secure about my US now too. I really thought my bezel set ring was fine, but I have been wearing it 24/7 for 10 years now. Maybe I should cut back on the US cleanings. I think my solitaire is okay, it''s just 4 prong WG. I wasn''t advised against using the US on it. Do most people here use their US on their rings weekly, or less? I''m curious.

 

[marcy]

If it''s diamond or sapphire I use the US on it so my wedding ring and diamond bracelets get cleaned in my US everyday. One of my bracelets is bezel set so I guess I''d best stop putting it in there so often. My wedding rings have diamonds embedded in the band (not really channel set or bezel set) but I am sure they could come out pretty easy. Rats. I will still clean them everyday but not in the US.

 

[baby monster]

Thank you for everybody''s input. Unfortunately, the stone did not fall out during cleaning. I lost it sometime during the day on Friday. I guess I''ll stop putting the earrings in US. What kind of settings do you think will fare better in it?

 

[Lynn B]

I would have thought that a bezel set would be one of the most durable types of settings to withstand the US cleaning. Right up there with a standard 4 or 6 prong.

I have fishtail pave and while I ADORE the look of 100% squeaky clean diamonds (that nothing can do like the dang US!) I almost NEVER use it on my rings. Just too scared of losing stones.

 

[Catmom]

I''ve had a few stones come out in my US so I''ve pretty much stopped using it. I just use a baby toothbrush and some jewelry solution.

 

[avlis]

the stone was probably loose to begin with. or the dirt that was holding it in place was washed away by the US. the US is not going to make the metal move which would be required to make a stone loosen and fall out by use of the US alone.

 

[diamondringlover]

I clean my rings everyday with jewelry cleaner, but I only use the US once a month or every couple of months and I dont use if for my earrings anymore (except my diamond stud earrings), so far, other then my blue topaz earrings I have not had any problems.

 

[kcoursolle]

I doubt it''s the solution, it''s probably the vibrations. It may have been loose already. It shoudn''t be a big deal to take it to a jeweler for him to put it back in. The good news is that you lost it in the US and still have the stone.

 

[jewelerman]

Baby Mnster,
Im sorry you have had problems with your earrings.The solution in an untrasonic jewelry cleaner will not wear down the metal on the bezel holding the diamond in the earring.The vibration can continue to loosen an already loose stone.If the metal was being worn down or weakened by the solution then all the diamonds would have fallen out.Before i put my jewelry in a ultrasonic or anyone elses when i clean jewelry for clients, i check the stones before i put them in the cleaner to see if they wiggle in their settings with the end of a wood cuticle stick or toothpick.I also reccommend that you purchase a 10 power loupe and check each piece before cleaning to check the security of the gems.Remember to remove your jewelry before you sleep.Sleeping in your good jewelry can bend and damage delicate gold settings and stretch delicate gold chain...causing problems when cleaning.I Rarely use a toothbrush to clean the surface of my jewelry as it scratches the gold and can remove rhodium plate.I soak my jewelry in a warm water and amonia solution and use my finger tips over the surface and rinse with warm water .I will put pieces with many small diamonds(micro-pave)in stainless wire tea catty in case a stone comes loose it will not get lost. i hope these tips help.Good luck with your earrings.

 

[jazzgal4ever]

Sorry to hear about your earring woes! I agree with all of jewelerman''s advice.

I have actually had a client''s pave diamond fall out of her necklace in the US when I turned on the vibration in the us. I had already cleaned it with a brush and the stone hadn''t come out, it came out from the vibrations. In the store, they advise us not to put in anything that has a lot of pave because this has happened a lot. In the store our US is heated, so I can get jewelry much cleaner w/o the us than by using a regular store bought us device.

Good luck with your diamonds!

 

[denverappraiser]

If the stone is already loose in the setting, the vibrations of the ultrasonic can move the stone and the edge of the stone itself will cause wear on the setting. It’s a good habit to check the tightness of your stones before you put them in the ultrasonic occasionally.

Often it has to do with that the dirt is glueing the stone into place and cleaning it out causes the stone to come out with it. Mostly I look at this as good news because your stone was going to come out eventually anyway and this leaves it in the bottom of your ultrasonic tank where it’s relatively easy to find and have reset instead of somewhere out there in the world where it''s easily lost.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA (AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[jewelerman]

Hey Jazz gal,
Does the Jazz part of your name refer to music or the basketball team?

 

[oldminer]

Cleaning jewelery in an ultrasonic makes the diamonds look great. I have seen no evidence nor direct experience that it ever loosens diamonds, but there is no doubt that dirt is often what is holding many people's diamonds in their jewelry. It is way better to have your diamond fall into the US pot than to be lost while wearing it. Getting a diamond reset is far less costly than needing to replace it and reset it, too.

There are fragile stones and organic items like tanzanite, emerald, coral and pearls which have no business being put into an ultrasonic, but diamonds and metal jewelry should not be any problem. An ultrasonic does highlight stones which are becoming loose, but I don't think it really creates much looseness on its own. No doubt, there could be an exception to the general situation.

 

[JohnQuixote]

When drilling holes, burring, filing, etc., there is microscopic residue. When tiny diamonds are set such microscopic particles can exist between the diamond and setting. Over time this residue may be loosened in a us cleaner and a diamond could eventually move or fall out. Even without this, wear and tear is part of life. Rings can get knocked, bumped, set down on hard surfaces etc. Precious metals are soft and no ring is immune to wear. The combination of "life" and ultrasonics may occasionally hasten a diamond's movement. Fortunately, when it happens in the cleaner, the diamond is easily found.

This is just FYI, and should not 'scare' anyone. Last Christmas I gave my lady a wonderful us cleaner. Her daily-wear jewelery makes a weekly pilgrimage with no issues at all (I check her pieces for tightness regularly). It's her Saturday routine. The other nights of the week she's a soak-and-soft-brush kind of gal.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 11/3/2007 7:25:46 PM
Author: diamondrnglover
I had a pair of blue topaz earring for years and I cleaned them in my US and the stone fell out...so I am thinking it is the US

I've read that you are never supposed to clean (blue) topaz in an ultrasonic cleaner, fwiw...