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#1
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Chipped Stone
Hi,
A few months ago I set a lab-grown sapphire into a sterling silver Comfort-Fit ring for my son's girlfriend, who gave it to her mother for Christmas. Her mother wore it daily but it now has a small chip in the side. (You can't really notice it from the top) There's also a small scratch on the metal, so I think she might have hit it on something. Isn't lab-grown a 9 like natural? Should this have chipped? Is there anything that can be done beside reset it with a new stone? Any and all info and suggestions gratefully accepted. Regards, Judith |
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#2
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Chipped Stone
On Sun, 10 May 2009 01:54:32 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry
" wrote: Hi, A few months ago I set a lab-grown sapphire into a sterling silver Comfort-Fit ring for my son's girlfriend, who gave it to her mother for Christmas. Her mother wore it daily but it now has a small chip in the side. (You can't really notice it from the top) There's also a small scratch on the metal, so I think she might have hit it on something. Isn't lab-grown a 9 like natural? Should this have chipped? Is there anything that can be done beside reset it with a new stone? Any and all info and suggestions gratefully accepted. Regards, Judith Judith, if the lab grown stone is a true synthetic, then it, like natural sapphire, is aluminum oxide. That is indeed a 9 on the mohs hardness scale. Note that the term "lab grown" does not always mean the same thing as the term synthetic, which would require the stone, if also labeled with the term sapphire, to indeed be a true synthetic sapphire. Lab grown only means grown in a lab. It's not a legally defined term, while "synthetic" as applied to gems, is defined in FTC rules. However, most of the time, "lab grown" sapphires purchased from major suppliers are indeed synthetic sapphires. Some ebay sellers or the like, though, might play fast and loose with the terms. As to the chip, there is a common misconception between hardness and toughness. Hardness refers to the ease with which one material can scratch another. Sapphire can scratch glass, but not the other way around, for example, so sapphire is harder. But hard doesn't mean a material cannot be broken or fractured. As an example, the sharp edge of a piece of glass can easy scratch a piece of plastic. The glass is harder. Not drop both on a hard floor. The plastic does not break, while the glass, more brittle and less tough, does break. Another example: Diamond setters, using steel tools to set diamonds, occasionally accidentally chip diamonds. The diamonds are much harder than the steel, but the diamonds are not always as tough. Hit a diamond with a piece of steel, the diamond breaks, while the steel gets scratched in the process. Sapphire, while very hard as gems go, is somewhat brittle. Hit it wrong on an edge, and you can chip it. The kitchen ceramic sink, or the bathtub, for example, or a bit of a brick wall. Who knows. Lots of surfaces one might hit the stone on are hard and rigid enough to transmit a sufficient shock to the stone to chip it, even if those same materials are not hard enough to scratch the sapphire. If the chip is not severe, live with it. This is something that will happen over time to most gems, even diamonds if worn long enough, especially if the wearer also has diamond jewelry that might also bump the stone. You can replace the stone, of course, but what happens when the owner again hits it by accident, probably not even realizing she's done it, and it chips again. Wait until it looks really worn, and THEN replace it. Or, if the replacement costs more than maybe ten or fifteen dollars, you can have the chip recut and polished. Any good lapidary that does facetting can do this. The stone gets another facet, and then is slightly less symmetrical, but the chip is not then an obvious flaw. Costs range, depending on who does the recutting and how much it needs, from about ten dollars on up. A full recut of the entire stone restores all the symmetry, but then the stone is smaller, and usually costs somewhere in the 30 to 50 dollar range, depending on the cutter, the complexity and size of the stone, etc. Hope that helps. Peter |
#3
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Chipped Stone
In the magical world of this newsgroup called rec.crafts.jewelry on
Sun, 10 May 2009 01:55:29 -0700 we were all amazed to see Peter W. Rowe write: On Sun, 10 May 2009 01:54:32 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry " wrote: snip If the chip is not severe, live with it. This is something that will happen over time to most gems, even diamonds if worn long enough, especially if the wearer also has diamond jewelry that might also bump the stone. You can replace the stone, of course, but what happens when the owner again hits it by accident, probably not even realizing she's done it, and it chips again. Wait until it looks really worn, and THEN replace it. Or, if the replacement costs more than maybe ten or fifteen dollars, you can have the chip recut and polished. Any good lapidary that does facetting can do this. The stone gets another facet, and then is slightly less symmetrical, but the chip is not then an obvious flaw. Costs range, depending on who does the recutting and how much it needs, from about ten dollars on up. A full recut of the entire stone restores all the symmetry, but then the stone is smaller, and usually costs somewhere in the 30 to 50 dollar range, depending on the cutter, the complexity and size of the stone, etc. Hope that helps. Peter What he said. But as a jewelry restorer and repairman, I'd probably suggest simply lifting the prongs, turning the stone so the chip is under a prong, and pushing them back tight. Ain't as much money in that for me, but you'd love me for it and become a loyal customer. I could then later make up for it by gouging you for some custom stuff. -- Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus! |
#4
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Chipped Stone
On Mon, 11 May 2009 10:06:26 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry Limpy
wrote: But as a jewelry restorer and repairman, I'd probably suggest simply lifting the prongs, turning the stone so the chip is under a prong, and pushing them back tight. Works OK with round stones. Not so well with ovals or other shapes... :-) Peter |
#6
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Chipped Stone
In the magical world of this newsgroup called rec.crafts.jewelry on
Mon, 11 May 2009 10:07:21 -0700 we were all amazed to see Peter W. Rowe write: On Mon, 11 May 2009 10:06:26 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry Limpy wrote: But as a jewelry restorer and repairman, I'd probably suggest simply lifting the prongs, turning the stone so the chip is under a prong, and pushing them back tight. Works OK with round stones. Not so well with ovals or other shapes... :-) Peter Truedat Peter! :-o Doc, etc. |
#7
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Chipped Stone
Judith, if the lab grown stone is a true synthetic, then it, like natural sapphire, is aluminum oxide. ?That is indeed a 9 on the mohs hardness scale. Note that the term "lab grown" does not always mean the same thing as the term synthetic, which would require the stone, if also labeled with the term sapphire, to indeed be a true synthetic sapphire. Before I bought it, I did ask if it was the kind that is identical chemically, optically and physically to natural sapphire, and was told that it is, so it better be.:-) ............Hope that helps. Yes, that was very helpful. Thanks! Judith |
#8
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Chipped Stone
But as a jewelry restorer and repairman, I'd probably suggest simply lifting the prongs, turning the stone so the chip is under a prong, and pushing them back tight. I wish I could, but it's an oval and the chip is on the long side. I will definitely remember this for future use, though! Thanks, Judith |
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