QuestionHi Peter,
My fiance bought me a diamond solitaire ring with a 4 prong tiffany setting
about a month ago.
Today I noticed that the diamond is loose in the setting.
The jewellers he bought it from is not able to repair it until the middle of next
week.
I was wondering how this is repaired and is it something I could possibly do
at home?
I would be very grateful for your advice.
Many thanks.
AnswerGreetings Sue-Anne,
Congratulations on the engagement.
The short answer is, no there is nothing you can do at home, unless you are a jeweller/setter, in which case you wouldn't be asking my advice.
My apologies for the flippancy - its late here.
In my opinion, the Tiffany is a ridiculous setting in this day and age, unless of course you are somebody who never uses your hand for any thing more than writing, knitting or needle point.
The claws offer little protection for the stone, which often becomes loose as the result of a knock. Also the open nature of the setting allows for a lot of filth to get in and around your stone.
There are better settings, and I think this one is used simply as a vehicle to hold a stone, which is simple to set.
Unfortunately it will likely need to be re-tipped in about 4~5 years.
My suggestion is that you don't wash your hands with the ring on and you will need to regularly clean the stone and setting with a soft toothbrush and warm solution with dishwashing liquid, and perhaps a drop of ammonia if you have it. This is finished off by running it under quite hot water and then patting it dry.........the warmth will assist in it drying clean.
NEVER, EVER, EVER USE TOOTHPASTE. This is just way too abrasive and will damage the ring and setting.
The repair will likely be achieved by reshaping the outer of the claw, pushing it down further and re-polishing.
Obviously they don't have an in house jeweller, as the repair should only take about 30 minutes.......and as its a new ring they really should be going out of their way to assist you. This is quite poor service, which sort of indicates that now that they have your $, well they dont have to try too hard.
Good luck and wish you a very happy life with your partner, Cheers, Peter
