Help! I Think I Have a Loose Diamond On My Ring

July 3, 2012 Paul Gian No comments yet Q&A

Today’s question comes from Krysta and here’s what she asked:

Shaky Diamond in Mounting

Question: When I was cleaning my diamond with a toothbrush yesterday, my solitaire ring was making a strange sound when I am moving it back and forth.

This ring was an engagement ring bought by my husband and he did all the research on his own. Basically, I am clueless when it comes to diamond rings except for looking at them.

First things first, is it normal for rings to produce this kinds of sounds? For your information, it is only 8 months since I first worn it. I wear it almost everyday.

Before I arrived on your website, I did some search online and the issues that I think it has relates to a loose setting. Do you have any idea how much it costs to get it re-tightened and is this the reason for the sound?

Answer: Hi Krysta, thanks for your question. From the looks of things, it seems that the diamond is loosened from its setting. This is bad news and is something you need to rectify immediately. You should check with your husband where he bought the ring and whether the jeweler offers any kinds of warranty for free tightening services.

Here’s what you can do now to verify whether the diamond has gotten loose in the setting.

1) While holding on firmly to the shank of your ring, tap the ring lightly with your finger nail and see if it makes a rattling sound.

2) Check your ring with a loupe and examine the contact points between the prongs and diamond. If you notice that your prongs had worn down or there are small gaps in between the contact areas, it is likely due for a repair.

3) Try moving the diamond around with your finger nails. Is your diamond moving around in the prongs? If it is, this is a serious case of loose prongs and I advice you NOT to wear it until you bring it to a jeweler. You don’t want the diamond to fall out and run a risk of losing it.

As for the costs of repairs, it should be free of charge if you take it back to the jeweler it was purchased from. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to assess the ‘damage’ done to the prongs and make an estimate on repair costs.

If the stone is loose due to a bent prong, fixing the issue is as simple as moving the prong back in place. If the prongs are worn down, they may have to be rebuilt and this may cost a little more. I would say that it wouldn’t cost more than $50 for a simple job even if you try to get the ring repaired elsewhere.

Bring it down to a jeweler as soon as possible and let a professional assess it. That’s your best option.

Paul

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