Don’t Lose A Diamond: Jewelry Maintenance

By Raigan Nickle

Losing a diamond is just about the worst thing that can happen to an engagement ring – besides losing the whole ring altogether! The center diamond represents the promise of love between engaged couples, and most of the time, it’s the most expensive part of the ring. Losing it can be devastating! A diamond owner can be sure that the center stone stays put with just a little maintenance and the occasional attention to detail. 

Ring mountings are designed to protect the center diamond and keep it locked in place. The diamond shouldn’t wiggle, spin, or rattle if it’s properly set. But ring mountings are made of metal, usually gold or platinum, and take a lot of wear and tear throughout their lives. Over time and with regular wear, your diamond can loosen in its mounting – this can be due to a variety of factors:  

• Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. Since mounted diamonds are held in gold, over time a diamond can “carve” its way through a prong and become loose.  
• A tip might have been worn thin and caught on a loose thread, pulling it away from the surface of the diamond.  
• An extra-hard hit to the top of your diamond ring can push the stone out of its seat, especially if the tips are worn thin.  
• It’s always a smart idea to keep an eye on your diamond and setting to ensure everything still looks secure. A quick check is easy if you know what to look for:  

Too-short prong: Take a look at your center diamond from the side – get in real close. All four (or six) of the tips on top of your stone should be at the same height. If one is shorter, or nearly nonexistent, it’s time to come to a jeweler for a re-tipping. A thinning tip is more susceptible to catching and pulling away from the diamond, leaving it vulnerable to slip out of the setting.  

Bent prong: Looking at your diamond from the top-down, take note of where your tips sit around the stone. They should be equally spaced around the perimeter. If one tip is closer to another, it’s probably taken a hit and the prong is bent out of place. Do not try to bend it back! The integrity of the prong is now compromised and can break if bent in the opposite direction, it’s best to let a professional adjust it for you.  

Sharp prong: Run your finger over the top of your stone, do you feel anything sticking up that shouldn’t be there? Or have you noticed your ring getting caught on clothing or pulling a thread loose? Those are both signs of a prong that has already pulled up and away from the diamond. It’s best to bring it in for repair before it ruins any more of your sweaters and pulls the diamond out in the process! 

We like to say that prongs are like tires on a car – they wear down over time and occasionally need to be replaced. If you want them to work properly, they need regular maintenance and servicing. We recommend bringing your ring in for a prong check every 6 months. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the security of a meaningful diamond!  

It’s the job of any responsible jewelry owner to take care of their precious accessories. Jewelry can be a pricey investment, sure, but that doesn’t make it indestructible. Clothes can wear out if worn every day, cars can wear out being driven every day — jewelry is exactly the same! If you notice damage to your fine jewelry, as noted above or if something just doesn’t seem right, bring it to your jeweler as soon as possible. We have a full-service repair shop on site in our store – we don’t send anything out! Your precious gemstones will be in trustworthy, capable hands throughout the entire repair process. The sooner you catch a problem, the easier (likely, less expensive) it will be to fix.  

Testimonials

“I found Sayers and all I can say is WOW. They helped me design the perfect setting. Everyone there is so nice and knowledgeable, especially Becky and Raigan. I could not be happier with the way the ring turned out. I highly recommend Sayers!”  ~ Jennifer R. 

“Our consultant, Becky, was very informative and customer friendly. She addressed our jewelry repair concerns and made us feel like part of their 70-year-old business family. Our first visit, but not our last.” ~ Lawrence B.

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