Diamond Security

“Will you check my prongs?”

“Is my diamond safe?”

These questions are two of the most commonly asked in the jewelry industry. Everyone has heard stories of someone who has had their diamond fall out of its setting. Unfortunately, this is an all too regular occurrence that can cost a lot of money and cause a lot of stress.

The good news is there are some precautionary steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of losing your center gemstone.

First, have it checked regularly. We recommend having your jewelry checked every six months. We will always clean them for you at the same time.

Second, know the sort of things that wear down or break prongs easily and be careful around those items. Metal objects such as grocery carts, washers and dryers, filing cabinets, etc., are some of the roughest on prongs. Paper is another culprit. While metal objects break prongs, paper seems to wear them down excessively fast. If you are around these problem causers regularly, you should be sure to have your prongs checked often, and you might want to consider a platinum set of prongs for your center gemstone.

Third, you might want to consider having a platinum head installed to hold your center gemstone. The head is the set of prongs that holds the gemstone. In most rings you can remove a yellow gold or a white gold head and solder in a platinum one. Platinum offers many benefits that gold doesn’t. Platinum will outlast gold by an extensive margin. Another benefit is malleability. If you hit a white or yellow gold prong, it will break or, at best, bend. If you hit a platinum prong it will absorb the blow and actually bend easier than gold, but it has memory and will often “bounce” back into place. Traditionally, platinum costs more than gold, but over the past few years the prices have dropped to the point that it is affordable. The added security provided by platinum is well worth the extra expenditure.

By making yourself aware of the potential problems and the preventative measures that can be taken, you can protect your investment and increase the pleasure of owning a diamond.