QuestionI received my engagement ring 5 days ago. It is a white gold cathedral setting, with pave-set diamonds in a channel on the shank. The prongs are set on a base between the channels.
This morning while at the office, I went to the ladies room to wash my hands. I took my ring off (I know - VERY dangerous! But the sink has a special drain top to prevent things falling in) and it fell off the counter of the sink. I picked it up off the floor and realized for the first time (though I've been inspecting my ring quite thoroughly for the past 5 days!) that it appears that the prongs are closer to one channel than the other.
Is it possible that the prongs could have bent just from the fall off the counter? The ring is white gold, and I assume the prongs are either white gold or platinum.
Thank you for your help! I am a very concerned fiancee!
AnswerLindsay,
To the get straight to the point, yes. It is possible that prongs could bend some from a fall of that height. It probably hit just right in an unlucky position. This probably happens to people more than they realize because after the thrill of the new ring goes away a little bit, people don't spend as much time admiring or inspecting their rings.
Several things can contribute to the prongs bending, though there's no way for me to know which, if any, might have played a part in your case.
1)Prong thickness - Thinner prongs, as you'd expect, will be more susceptible to bends.
2)Gold alloy purity - I don't imagine that you're white gold ring was higher than 18kt gold, but gold jewelry made in higher purity alloys such as 22kt or 24kt are much softer and would be more susceptible to bends, dings, and scratches.
3)Gold alloy composition - there are more than one metal that goldsmiths will use in their white gold alloys...palladium and silver is preferred, though some use zinc or nickel instead of palladium. I haven't seen any kind of testing done on the differences between the hardness of these metals, but it's reasonable to assume that there are at least some minor differences.
4)Poor solder joints - The setting could have been soldered poorly to the band, though movement here would probably result in a crack and likely even separation from the band as well. I don't suspect this is what occurred with your ring since all is still intact.
Without seeing the ring in person it is difficult to say definitively, but at any rate, if it's a major shift I'd certainly bring it back to the jeweler for a look. They may be able to straighten it for you without removing the stones. Good luck!
