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Book a consult with an engagement ring specialist
Take a peek behind the scenes at Diamondport to see what our jewellers have been creating this month—and what’s trending in the world of fine jewellery.
We recently came across a client who had purchased a ring overseas at a great price – but for what cost long term? She told us she felt stressed while wearing her engagement ring as it felt fragile and she was anxious she would break it. Let’s break down why her ring felt delicate, and how here at Diamondport Jewellers we triumph quality when it comes to designing and creating your special pieces.
There are many factors that come into the overall quality of an engagement ring. Design is first and foremost a good indicator of quality, as well as the use of superior materials, setting type, and how the ring has been made. Customer satisfaction is our highest priority at Diamondport Jewellers, and we pride ourselves on producing top quality engagement rings right here in Brisbane.
Mass produced jewellery first made an appearance in the early 1800s when methods were developed in factories to be able to reproduce pieces over and over again in a manner that was quick, had very little wastage of material, and was cheap.
Porosity in cast jewellery is one of the most common reasons for metal failure. It occurs when air pockets form inside the metal while being cast. They may be visible on the surface or hidden inside the ring. These air pockets interrupt the structure of the metal, causing it become brittle and prone to cracking or not performing as expected.
At Diamondport Jewellers our minimum ring band width is 1.60mm, but we prefer to make pieces at at least 1.80mm wide as this gives more strength to the overall piece. If setting stones in the band we generally will make the band thicker so there’s enough metal underneath the stones to avoid warping of the metal which can lead to cracks in the metal and stone loss. The wedding ring bands we make are also solid, and work hardened, which makes the ring even more durable – this isn’t a process that mass produced rings normally go through as it takes time.
This image perfectly demonstrates the difference in ring band thickness between our ring and a mass produced ring. The mass produced ring will easily flex with wear, leading to loss of stones or worse yet, a crack in the band that is not fixable
There are multiple ways to set small stones in a band or halo setting in your engagement ring. Each type of setting gives a different look to the piece, but the most important thing is that there is enough metal that is strong available to hold the stone securely.
Many companies, even in Australia, will cast their claws or settings in place which does save time when it comes to setting the stones, but can lead to porosity in the claws, meaning stones are lost easily.
It also allows them to use the minimum amount of metal possible, which they market as ‘micro claws’. Micro claws seem like a good idea – they allow the stones to shine without too much metal covering them which leads to a dainty style. The problem? There’s not enough metal and they quickly wear away with normal wear and tear so before too long you start to loose stones out of your ring.
Stones set in mass produced rings are also often subpar quality, so they don’t perform as well, especially once the piece starts to be worn.
Instead of this we actually cut into the band of the ring while using a microscope to create the claws. This allows us to precisely sculpt them to fit each stone perfectly, and ensures there’s enough metal for long term wear and tear. We only use quality alloys and stones, so you’re always going to get the best result.
The underbezel refers to the metal that sits within the main setting on a ring between the claws. This area of the ring is important to design as well as strength. Its main purpose is to seat the stone and provide structure to the setting. Rings with poorly designed underbezels often end up having a loose stone or even lose the main stone it there’s not enough strength in the setting to hold the stone tight. There are ways to avoid having a full underbezel by doing a partial underbezel, or even thickening up the bottom of the claws on the setting, but it is important that the design is checked for strength.
Diamonds or stones with points such as pears, marquise or princess cuts are weaker on these points and therefore they need to be set properly to ensure the safety of the stone while you’re wearing your engagement ring. It is important to make sure the metal claw or setting covers these corners so a hard knock doesn’t dislodge or break your main stone.
We won’t make a stone-set ring under 1.60mm wide. There’s just not enough metal to ensure the stones can be held securely, as well as the band having enough strength once the holes are drilled for the stones. It’s also important that the width of the band is wider than the size of the stones as this will protect the stone sides from any impacts.
We won’t cast our small diamond claws in place – the extra money you save from the process being quicker will quickly be lost as repair work stacks up due to claws breaking or wearing away too quickly.
Thin claws on a main stone setting are just waiting to be broken or lead to a loss of your main stone as the metal does not have enough strength to keep the stone tight. They are also more likely to get caught and will bend, also leading to the loss of your stone. There are ways we can make the claws seem less intrusive by the use of talon style claws which taper while still giving the claws enough strength to securely hold your stone.
We won’t make a solitaire or halo setting that doesn’t attach to the band significantly – you’re bound to get your ring caught as some point, and instead of your ring being fine, your setting is likely to warp and end up needing repairs, or even worse, a remake.
Sometimes we can fix your mass produced ring, and sometimes we can’t and it needs to be remade. Each ring is a case-by-case basis and we will communicate any issues to you so you understand why we may need to change the overall design of your ring. Changing your ring so the design suits your needs is sometimes the best choice, and will mean you pay less long term on repairs and maintenance.
If you’d like to know more about having your mass produced ring fixed or remade, please book in for an appointment – we would love to help you bring your engagement ring back to life!
