Diamond rings are expensive, and that’s why you should be very careful when handling them: It can be very easy to lose your diamond without even noticing. Let’s see what you can do to protect your stones from falling off and being lost.
Is One of Your Diamonds Missing?
Very often, people don’t realize that one or more of their diamonds are missing from their ring. This is usually the case when there are a lot of small stones set in the mounting.
Bezel settings are among the safest choices for diamonds.
Pave-set stones are some of the easiest to fall off without being noticed. Invisible-set diamonds are also at risk as this type of setting does not hold stones as well as prongs do, for example.
Even channel settings, which are relatively secure, are not always safe: If the channel is damaged, it may not hold the stones well.
Why Diamonds Fall Off
Most commonly, diamonds fall out of their mountings when people hit their rings inadvertently. Some settings are not as sturdy as others, and a stronger bump can knock a stone out of its mounting.
Related: Check out this extensive selection of fine rings with diamonds and gemstones.
Even if your setting is designed to be relatively secure, as is the case with prong and bezel settings, you are not 100% protected. With time, metal wears down, and mounting parts become less durable.
For example, if the prongs on your ring are too worn, they can bend, loosening your stone, and it may fall off next time you hit your ring.
Which Diamonds Are at Risk?
So, how do you know that your diamond is at risk before something happens? One thing you can do is check your stones to see if any of them are loose.
Touch your diamond and push it very gently to check if it moves. If there is even a slight movement, you should have the stone tightened.
Diamonds set in prongs that are worn, bent or broken are at a high risk of loosening and falling out. If your setting is made of a softer metal such as gold or silver, you should be aware that its prongs are easy to bend and damage.
As already mentioned, diamonds set in invisible settings, pave settings, or settings with inlaid stones are also more prone to fall off.
Related: If you’re looking for a diamond ring, check out this selection of ring settings.
How to Protect Your Diamonds
To make sure your diamonds are safe, have your ring fixed immediately if you find out that your stones are loose. The jeweler will tighten your setting and repair any damage that may cause trouble when you wear your ring.
If you have a prong setting, be on the lookout for worn prongs. You should check regularly to see if any of the prongs are bent or broken – especially after you’ve hit your ring – and have them fixed if you spot any damage.
Be extra careful if your prongs are made of yellow gold, which is not very durable, and buy rings with white gold or platinum prongs if possible.
If you have a ring with invisible-set diamonds, do not wear it when doing any vigorous activity as shaking the ring hard may cause some of the stones to pop out of the mounting.
The same goes for rings with inlaid gemstones, which can easily fall off, especially if the glue holding them has gotten old and weak.
Be sure to clean your ring often as dirt can not only prevent you from spotting any damage to the setting but also make your ring’s parts wear down faster.
However, be careful with ultrasonic cleaners: The vibrations they produce tend to loosen stones, so check whether your settings are tight before and after you put your rings in these devices.
Where to Buy a Diamond Ring?
We recommend James Allen (read review) because you can take a 360-degree look at any stone before having it set in a ring.
Blue Nile is another reputable diamond retailer we recommend.
