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About Thomas
Expertise
Have a question about jewelry repair or working with precious metal jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and limited 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
I have near 35 years experience at the sort of jewelry work I do.
Education/Credentials
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! Don't let the work tear up your body along the way.
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You are here: Experts > Style > Jewelry Making > Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals > When an old ring gets polished......
Expert: Thomas - 11/9/2009
Question
I had a ruby replaced from a vintage rose gold ring that had been my grandmother's. I was surprised how shiny and new looking the ring was when I picked it up and was told the jeweler "buffs them out really well".
I can't help thinking the ring is somehow changed now. The back looks thin, almost worn through, and the ring just feels lighter. Maybe the polishing brought out imperfections I hadn't noticed before.
My question is: Is it possible to loose metal in the polishing? I thought the ring had weighed .5 before I took it in. It now weighs .2 on my digital scale.
Answer
Wendy, this is a very appropriate question.
You see, I have not had many questions on this web site about polishing removing metal from the jewelry but have certainly been asked this in person at my work. Those at my work generally asked prior to the work being done and not with a complaint that everything looks thinner and buffed away.
Most actual complaints of a ring "being thinner" come from folks who have had a ring with a narrow shank(band) and the ring has been sized up several sizes. With the changing of the sizes of people apparent in the jewelry shop, it is not a surprise to see and old ring not worn for years which must be sized up 3 or 4 sizes. When the ring was a bit thin to begin with, the visually larger circle of the substantially larger circle makes the thickness of the shank appear even thinner when measurements will show no change.
In your case, the ring was not changed in size. You wonder if a jeweler would buff away so much ring. Wendy, polishing of any sort will remove some metal but this is minute. If scratches are deep, I generally will tell the customer the truth about removing scratches right up front: All the surrounding metal must be lowered to the deepest part of the scratch to make all blend in and remove the scratch. With really deep marks, we go for a nice buffing but do not attempt to remove the very deep scratches simply because that will remove more metal than desired and perhaps blur some of the details of the jewelry design.
How much metal is removed even if the jeweler "buffs them out really well"? Honestly, the metal thickness removed would be difficult to measure accurately. Very, very little metal is removed. Of course, if buffed every week over time the effect will be noticed and real! In your case, I see some metal being removed but certainly not enough to affect the ring as drastically as you might think has happened. Was any other work whatsoever done to the ring besides replacing the ruby? Stone setting means some metal is removed to smooth out tool marks depending on how the stone was set into the ring but that would not have anything to do with the back of the ring shank. To have gone from 0.5 to 0.2 on your scale (what unit of weight was used I do not know) would have removed 60% of the metal in the ring. That simply will not happen and buffing will not do it. Aggressive sanding followed by buffing could remove that much metal but very little of the original ring would be left remaining. That figure must be incorrect? : )
Since I have not seen the ring before and after, I honestly cannot say what may or may not be thinner. Some metal was removed but I suspect that was quite minute. What I have seen the most in my business is how carefully the customer examines or simply looks at the ring when fresh from the shop and shiny and refinished. The item always looks different than the aged look present when brought to the jewelers. Generally, when the item is left for polishing, there is not the close examination given when a bright and almost new appearing jewelry piece is handed to the customer when the work is done. The transition can be amazing and certainly the customer takes a close look. It is then that a thin shank is first noticed and perhaps worn detail is seen. Buffing if very over zealous can be the cause but generally is not. The cause for believing an item is buffed down too much as I have witnessed in my years facing customers is generally the fact that the jewelry is given a once, twice, thrice over visually which was not done by he customer when the item was brought in.
Wendy, I had to answer in a general sense not having your ring in hand. What actually happened I cannot but speculate. Please fine perhaps some help in what I have said in this answer.
Enjoy the lovely ring and thanks for the photo.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
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