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safe to wear a chipped stone?

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Rhapsody

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I just noticed a chip in a tourmaline I had set last week. I''m going to assume because it''s been a few days since I picked it up the jeweler will tell me I chipped the stone. Sigh. Theres nothing worse than that heart in your throat feeling when you notice something you love is damaged.

The chip is right next to a prong, and is on the girdle and runs down a pavillion facet. From the top you can barely see it but it''s pretty obvious if you look at it from the pavillion side. Is it ok to wear it as is or do I need to immediately get it repolished/recut?
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Depending on how bad it is, it might be better left alone as the carat weight loss incurred (and size decrease) may make it non cost effective to be repaired (and may no longer fit the setting). I’m so sorry to hear about the damage but agree that you have no recourse since it’s been a few days and no one can say with surety when it was damaged. I would guess based on your description that the stone is wearable but a picture would be helpful.
 

LD

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I agree with Chrono but one thing I would suggest is that you get a jeweller to thoroughly check it out (not the jeweller who set it for you). This could be a pressure chip caused by the setting of the stone especially if it''s very close to the prong. You need to make sure that it''s not a chip that could cause the stone to fracture.
 

Rhapsody

Shiny_Rock
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Thank you both for your replies. I''m totally nuts so decided to run home over lunch to take some pictures. These are the best I can get without an extra pair of hands. From the top you cant really see it, but I managed to get some sun glare off the sharp egdes so you can see its proximity to the prong. To me it looks like a tool slipped while setting, stricking from the bottom up along the pavillion; the chip runs along the same angle the prong does. I can try and get pictures from other angles later tonight.

I''ll certainly have it checked out but I''m not sure by whom. I was hoping this jeweler could be my go to guy but now I''m having some doubts. The dealer I bought the stone from is local, although he doesnt have a store front he may let me bring it to him and see what he thinks about the damage.

If it''s safe as is I dont plan to screw with it, as long as the chip wont worsen if I wear it I''ll just enjoy it in its flawed state.

tourmchipcollage.jpg
 

Michael_E

Brilliant_Rock
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As long as there are not any fractures leading from the bottom of that chip into the stone, then you''re probably O.K. to wear it as is for a while. It''s kind of a strange chip in that it looks pretty deep and narrow. The stone may have had an inclusion there that was not easily seen and when set down or bumped, it just popped out. Recutting that would definitely make the face up size of the stone smaller and require a total recut due to it''s location right at the girdle.

If you do have the stone recut and reset you might also see if the person setting it can change the way the head is placed in the setting. A little more room would allow the head to be set without having to cut those relief cuts in the side of the prongs.
 

cellentani

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Date: 3/29/2010 3:46:04 PM
Author: Michael_E
As long as there are not any fractures leading from the bottom of that chip into the stone, then you're probably O.K. to wear it as is for a while. It's kind of a strange chip in that it looks pretty deep and narrow. The stone may have had an inclusion there that was not easily seen and when set down or bumped, it just popped out. Recutting that would definitely make the face up size of the stone smaller and require a total recut due to it's location right at the girdle.

If you do have the stone recut and reset you might also see if the person setting it can change the way the head is placed in the setting. A little more room would allow the head to be set without having to cut those relief cuts in the side of the prongs.
Michael, my jeweler consistantly cuts notches in prongs, even in basket settings, and I'm very interested in knowing how to get around this - I always envision him placing the stone over the top of the setting and pressing down until the stone clicks into those notches, and this freaks me out just a little. What do you think is the best way to prong-set a colored stone?

By the way, I've tried to check out your website, but I've been getting a "page not found" error for quite some time (before Feb. I think).

ETA: sorry Rhapsody, didn't mean to hijack your thread! That's a beautiful tourmaline, and I'm so sorry for the damage - I've had a stone or two get chipped, and it's always heartbreaking. Worse yet, it's difficult to find a benchman who's skilled at setting colored stones, not just diamonds.
 

Michael_E

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Date: 3/29/2010 4:23:01 PM
Author: cellentani
Date: 3/29/2010 3:46:04 PM

I always envision him placing the stone over the top of the setting and pressing down until the stone clicks into those notches, and this freaks me out just a little. What do you think is the best way to prong-set a colored stone?


By the way, I've tried to check out your website, but I've been getting a 'page not found' error for quite some time (before Feb. I think).

cellantani,
By cutting a relief in the prongs I was referring to the notches that have been cut farther down in order to provide clearance for the upper part of the band as shown in the attached picture. This can be avoided by raising the head a little bit and then setting the stone deeper.

The best way to set a colored stone does not involve pressing until it clicks into place, since that clicking noise gives you about a 50/50 chance of chipping the edge of the stone. Better to have the setting just the right size so that the stone slides into place, the bulk of the prongs gently brought up against the stone and then tightened by "vectoring" the prongs up against the stone. Vectoring basically means bending the prong sideways at an angle. Doing this back and forth over the entire prong brings it up tight against the stone without the danger of using pressure directly against the stone. If you slip while vectoring, your pliers just snap into empty space and not onto the edge of the stone.

My website...I can't discuss that openly since it would be inappropriate and against the rules. E-mail me if you'd like a whole list of excuses about that
23.gif
 

Michael_E

Brilliant_Rock
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OOPS, here''s where the prong was cut to provide relief for the end of the band.

prongrelief.jpg
 

cellentani

Ideal_Rock
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Ah, I get it now - thanks! Sorry about the difficulty in answering my question within forum policy - I should have just emailed you in the first place.
 
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