QuestionHave a pair of diamond earrings that I had the stem changed. The earrings are totally closed on the back with a sold gold backing..the diamonds are set in the front. The diamonds cannot be seen from the back. The jeweler wanted drill some small holes in the back because this way no solution or dirt would get in the back and would be easy to clean.
My diamonds were totally white. They are old and needed prongs. He calls and tells me one of the diamonds fell out because of the heat when putting the new stem since there was no gold holding the diamond.. I went to see...and the diamonds had turned dark, no longer white. He said it was because of the high heat and the dirt that had accumulated in the back. He said that when he drills the holes in the back and cleans them...they will be white again. Is this jeweler telling me a lie? I am very very upset and do not know what to do. It is a jeweler that has been in our area from 30 years. the earrings are 18K. gold. Thank you kindly for your response ...
AnswerNorma, hello and wishing you a fine day for all.
This question is good for me to receive from you since getting diamonds clean enough to do repair work is critical to good quality repair.
I am often amazed at how the most insignificant and unseen dirt on a stone can burn and make the stone look black. Perhaps the worst situation is stones with no opening to clean the backs of the settings and the stones. The next worst are baguettes, since the ends of the stones are often very hard to get totally clean even if the backs are open. Once a torch heat is applied, the dirt will go black and the slightest bit of black even on the edge of the stone trapped between the stone and the metal of the setting(as with a baguette diamond)can make the whole stone appear dark. Cleaning at the "dark already" point is difficult. Sometimes the best to do is remove the stone and clean all then reset the gem. (Another method using heated chemicals can be used but is only for the very experienced bench jeweler to attempt.)
Your jeweler is wise in wanting small openings on the settings backs to allow cleaning solutions to act on any oils and soil which may over time worked and squeezed its way into the setting behind the stone. Even with small openings, cleaning will still take longer than normal in most cases but that is ok..get it clean is the idea.
I would have suggested the holes before even doing the work and explaining why. Chances are a customer might say "no" and then I would warn them what can happen and that the stones might have to be removed and reset to clean if repair is attempted without more thorough cleaning. You see, as lovely as the totally closed setting might be, it is a bench jeweler's nightmare if soldering must be done.
Your jeweler may have his hands full getting all clean and white again. I believe he will do it but it will not be easy once soil is burnt and causes discoloration. Be assured, the discoloration is not the diamond itself but burnt dirt so closely adhered to the surface of the stone that the dark color shows throughout the stone. This is not damage to the diamonds. Damage to a diamond from heat is a very slight frosted look and less shine on a part of the surface which was overheated and actually burnt. The color is white, not dark, difficult to spot in many cases unless quite severe.
I believe your jeweler is telling it like it is. Honestly, the degree that even a very slight bit of dirt can cause a stone to look dark when heated in repair is surprising. Jewelers learn this quickly from the get go, either from a wise instructor or from unfortunate experience. In some cases, even the very best cleaning of mounted stones will not prevent some darkening. I can clean so much I believe it must be clean enough. Ahh..surprise! Then, the real job of cleaning is to be done because a tiny, tiny bit of stuff burnt onto a stone. Obviously this does not happen with most jobs or we jewelers would have to give it up and do something else for a living. : )
Thanks for this question. This is another reason to have jewelry cleaned regularly and not to "never take off" a ring as if that is a sacred duty. Without regular cleaning, there is no examination of the settings for security and cleaning for repair becomes even more difficult. Clean your own jewelry most of the time and ever so often take it in to have a jeweler do it. Most will clean and inspect jewelry for free. (Some don't but I believe they should, for what my opinion is worth.)
Norma, this should work out just fine.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
