 |
| Sign in or Register Home |
|
|
|
| Buy | Sell | Education | Forum | Directory | Blog | |||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
| HOME : FORUM : EDUCATION : JEWELRY : 6 month old 14k white gold broken prong, lost stone |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
6 month old 14k white gold broken prong, lost stone
Post#1 @
04-05-12
, 08:02 PM
Hope I am posting this in the right section. My engagement ring is only 6 mo old and I looked down one day and the stone was gone. It was a 1.29ct oval, color f, clarity SI2. The setting was a die struck head 14k white gold. After examining it, I discovered that one of the prongs was cleanly broke off below the bend. I did not hit it on anything and I am in sales and do not work alot with my hands. When I showed it to the small jeweler we bought it from he said he has no idea how that would happen, has never seen anything like it and he would not warranty it. He stated he does not warranty center stones, he would be out of business if he did!! Unfortunately for us, we did not get it insured yet, just something we did not get around to.  He also stated that he got it from Steller and that there work is superior and it simply could not be an imperfection in the ring. There is no visable marks on the ring that would indicate any impact whatsoever. I would appreciate any information that I can gather here! I did read on here that white gold can be corroded by clorine or bleach, I do not have a pool, or hot tub. I did go in one once on our honeymoon for about 20 min tops. And no pools at all. I have used water mixed with a small amout of bleach for cleaning probably about 4 times since I got my ring in September, could that have been what made that happen? Please, Please, send advice!
|
|
|
|
|
Re: 6 month old 14k white gold broken prong, lost stone
Post#2 @
04-07-12
, 04:41 PM
Quote:
Yes, that definitely could have made that happen. Any strong oxidizer, (of which bleach is the most readily available), will cause "stress corrosion cracking" in most common white gold alloys containing nickel. The chlorine essentially eats the areas in between the metal grains, rapidly weakening the metal and causing it to crack with the smallest stress. Your jeweler should have warned you of this, but most jewelers don't know or are afraid to comment in any negative way about the stuff they're selling. I once had a customer who had soaked an old yellow gold ring in bleach and water, in which all of the diamonds had fallen out overnight. After examining it under the microscope it became apparent that the heads used to hold the stones were made from old, high nickle white gold and the heads were just crumbly from internal corrosion, (she must have soaked it multiple times). I'm sorry that this happened to you. On your next ring I wold suggest a platinum head or at the least being very careful about how you clean it. |
||
|
|
|
Re: 6 month old 14k white gold broken prong, lost stone
I'm so sorry to hear this. Next time you should consider buying a platinum setting because its much stronger and won't break easily. Good luck : ( |
|
| Read Messages in: | JEWELRY | All forums | ||||
| Newer: |
|
|
||||
| Older: |
|
|
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
| Contact Us - Guidelines - Privacy Policy - Refer a Friend - Top^ |
|
|
|
