Setting a Loose Diamond?

[Eeyores Butterfly]

My mom is giving Aaron and I a diamond solitaire necklace of hers so that we can have it set and made into my engagement ring. Next month a local store is having a show where you can take in jewelry and they will reset it for you so you can see what it looks like.

Has anybody had a diamond or other stone reset like this? Neither of us know much about jewelry, so any advice would be great. I believe the diamond is 1/3 ct, but am not sure. I have never seen the necklace as it has been sitting in a safe deposit box ever since my mom developed her metal allergy. Any advice on styles for a smaller stone, what to look for, etc would be great!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Oh, How Lovely!
As far as having diamonds re-set, I have. I would first say, that I would not trust just anyone with my diamond and have only used a jeweler I know. Perhaps you can ask someone that likes/buys a lot of jewelry who they use or where they shop, many places have those "show" things, some switch diamonds and you'll not know unless it is inscribed . It does happen, especially with higher end diamonds. And most all jewelry places do settings if one comes in with a stone.
They have different shaped/sized stones and settings and they place it in to see what it looks like...some settings look better with certain shape/size stones.
The cost depends on the style, metal type (gold/platinum), if additional stones, ect. My sis actually fell in love with a ring (setting) she got from BIL (swirl of diamonds with her birthstone in center). She actually had a cz placed in the middle and uses it as her engagement ring now. That was 100.00 Her original diamond (I think .5 carat) was placed in a necklace. But I digress...
Anyhoo, the setting if a plain gold one, simple style should not be more then like 200-300 (gold prices are UP) and they can get very expensive depending on style.
Well, I think it is so sentimental to have a ring that is passed along. Good Luck!!!!

 

[Imzadi]

I had a ring hadmade for me once and then got to pick the diamond. I took it to a professional diamond setter. It was very easy. Took like 10 minutes to set it.

The people will measure the size of your diamond and then show you appropriate settings it will fit in. But, there shouldn't be a need to drop the stone into different settings. That's when they can palm your diamond and drop a cheap fake in. They should have mock up examples of what the diamonds should look like in finished pieces.

One thing you want to be aware of is that they should never take the stone out of your physical sight. No, "Uh, let me take this into the back room for a moment while I get some tool to work on this." If they need a tool, they should put the diamond down where you can keep an eye on it. If they are legit, they wouldn't even try that as they know that's when people would worry about them doing a switcheroo. Also it protects them. Someone can't later try to sue them saying, "I brought in a diamond and they switched it with a cheap rhinestone."

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

We are a solidly middle class family. I highly doubt the diamond is a valuable one. How often does that happen? You all are making me nervous now!

The other question I have for those who have been there/done that:

I have a ring that is very special. Years ago my friend's sister took her similar ring and had it melted down to form part of her husband's wedding ring. I would love to do the same. The store I was at yesterday said that you can't just melt down gold and reform it, that it loses its integrity. They did mention that the jeweler could put in some kind of gold grain so that the metal would be part of the ring but not the whole ring (which is fine, there's not near enough to make a whole ring for him anyway!). They said they didn't think their jeweler did that and I'm not sure where I could find someone who will. The other option was to make the gold on the ring into a nugget and then mount it, but I'm not sure I like that option as Aaron doesn't really wear jewelry.

 

[Imzadi]

We are a solidly middle class family. I highly doubt the diamond is a valuable one. How often does that happen? You all are making me nervous now!

It doesn't matter how cheap your diamond is. You would still lose a $200 diamond if they replaced it with a cheap $10 rhinestone.

It's one thing if you give your diamond away. It's another if they steal it.

 

[Feralpeg]

After my mother died, my dad gave me her wedding rings. I didn't see the point of leaving them lying in a jewelry box, yet I could not wear them as they were. I had the large stone made into a diamond solitaire necklace. The smaller stones were set into a ring in the style of an anniversary ring. They turned out great. I have worn them so many times. It's like having a piece of my mom with me all the time.

 

[Meriweather]

I took the stones from my engagement ring, my mother's old engagement ring and newer anniversary ring and my grandmother's ring and had them made into a ring for me.
I love it and it is so special.
We went to a jewelry store that did custom designs. So he incorporated all 11 stones (various sizes) into one band for me.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't get tempted by this show. I would, instead, take your time and find a really FINE jeweler (not fine like "eh, I'm fine", but fine as in very good) that you can trust. That others trust. Lots of background.

Don't do the nugget thing, omg those are heinous. My mom had her old wedding set and my stepdad's old wedding band melted and made into a nugget necklace for me, along with 3 diamonds from my mom's set, and while it was fine *at the time*, one has to remember that Miami Vice was popular at that time. I would have fit in as an extra on that set in a heartbeat!

Just take your time. Don't rush with the ring. If Aaron already proposed and you want *something* on your hand, buy something from ice.com (while I lose weight I have a "pave" and tanzanite ring from them) or elsewhere to wear. Even if it's not a spendy spendy diamond, you still want it treated well. You're obviously sentimental, wanting to use the gold in something...so you surely want to keep the actual diamond and not lose it in some weird scam.


Congratulations!

 

[clgwli]

If you are worried about anything getting switched out by a jeweler (which honestly is very unlikely and not a worry of mine) I would take the necklace to an appraiser to have any inclusions plotted out. Inclusion plots are kind of like a finger print in the gem world and will help you identify if something does happen to your stone. Or you can send it off to GIA to have them do this for you. They will rate the stone for you and tell you all you need to know about it.

Switching out diamonds is one of those myths that a good jeweler would not dream of doing. Paritcularly in this day and age when people know about stones and know how to identify their own. even without an inscription.

If the jeweler holding the event is a chain store, I would pass up getting it set then. They usually are over priced in general. I would sooner go to a local family owned place and see what they can find for you. Many either have stock of good items or will be able to order you something in your budget. I would find a jeweler that has a goldsmith on site so your stone will never leave the store while work is done.

Some jewelers will melt down stuff and remake it, but I would sooner redo a ring than just melt it. I've switched out stones in rings many times in my life. You can do a lot more to fix up a ring than just melt it down to a nugget.

Good luck and congratulations!

 

[ZachnElli]

I use to work at a mall jewelry store and then a real jeweler (lol). The stone switching I've never seen happen. Any respectable jeweler that's been in business for a long time wouldn't chance switching any stones, it's their business, they are insured. The previous posters are just scaring you for something that rarely happens and probably in fly by night stores. Anyway, I would not go to one of those shows where the jeweler is there for a day. You could look at the settings, but I would not have that jeweler set it. When I worked for the actual jeweler, we fixed those one day show settings all the time. Their work was very rushed, for example the prongs would be very rough, not polished and would scratch and snag everything. Look for the stores that have been in business in your area for a long time and they will have to do the work out of your eyesight. Making jewelry is actually a very dirty, smelly job. The walls of my jeweler would blacken within months and we would have to wipe them down again and again. Don't stress too much, this will actually be fun! Look for the setting you HAVE to have, not just one that will do. It may take some time, but it will be worth it!

 

[mjkacmom]

We used my grandmother's diamond for my engagement ring. We went to a local jeweler that my parents knew well, picked out a setting (not fancy, but with some little diamonds, $1500 15 years ago), and then had the whole thing appraised, with notes and pictures.