AboutThomas Expertise Have a question about jewelry repair or working with gold or silver jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and some custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.
Experience Education is English/Physics!Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion!
Expert: Thomas Date: 7/6/2008 Subject: lost sapphire
Question hi. I got a gold ring with one diamond and 2 sapphires for my 25th wedding anniversary. I have worn it for 8 years with no problems. I recently took it to the jeweler who made the ring and had it sized 1/2 size larger. Exactly one week after i picked it up one of the sapphires has fallen out. Do you think the sizing had anything to do with the loss? How can i go about telling the jeweler that that is my suspicion?
Answer Margie, we jewelers sometimes say to ourselves, "If something is going to go wrong it will be right after we work on it." This is not saying what we do causes problems at all since every item we send out from where I work is checked thoroughly for security of stones and everything else needing checking. It is like a bit of "fate" and the timing is such the customer immediately relates what went wrong with the fact we worked on their item.
If a jeweler does not check stones carefully, it is possible a resized ring is sent out with a loosened gem. Generally, sizing up will not cause stones to loosen but sizing down can. Also, a few rings we see have not been properly cleaned in a long time and when cleaned the stones are loose. The cleaning did not make the stones loose but removed the soil which was making the stones appear tight! All sorts of things happen in this business.
YOUR SITUATION
Without seeing your ring before and after the work was done, it is impossible for me to say what happened. We really do not know.
This is how I would approach the jeweler: Do not go in the store in an accusatory manner but rather tell them the ring was sized very recently and since bringing the ring home, a stone has fallen out. Can they explain why this would happen? See how they react. If you feel very strongly about the situation, ask if they are responsible for replacing the lost stone(or if found, resetting it securely).
Believe me, they will know what you suspect the minute you mention the stone fell out and the work was done recently. You will not need to say that directly.
Margie, there are many reasons a stone may come out of a ring. I have no clue why this happened to your ring. I do hope you and the jeweler can resolve the situation to everyone's satisfaction.
