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I think one thing that happens a lot is the setting becomes damaged and you can lose the right. Yes, the stones are strong but if the setting can't hold them it doesn't matter because you have an empty ring!
I'm not sure what to tell you other than that most of the ring horror stories I have heard have more to do with the setting and prongs breaking, and a diamond popping out. So that would have nothing to do with the hardness of the diamond itself.
I also have only heard horror stories regarding the prongs loosening and a diamond poping out of the ring, not about the actual diamond being damaged itself.
I agree that the most often thing is losing diamonds, not damaging them. As for the diamonds themselves, I believe that the only thing that can SCRATCH a diamond is another diamond, but that isn't necessarily true for chipping them. Just because they are hard, that doesn't mean that they can't fracture under enough pressure.
I know which posts you're talking about but don't feel like finding them right now. But I can explain how diamonds chip or crack. Diamond itself is, yes, one of the hardest materials on earth, however, it can also get in invisible weak point, whether from while it's still in the ground or while being cut... it has to do with the inclusions (I am TOTALLY not a scientist) that sometimes create a smaller than a hairline fractures, creating weak points in the diamond. If you hit it just right, it will crack or break. It happens very, very rarely and not really something you need to worry alot about!
The other opinion is that the girls *thought* they had diamonds, but had fakes instead!
Im thinking maybe microscopic flaws can reduce the hardness of a diamond?
Many diamonds have inclusions... in fact, a lot of people prefer a bigger diamond that may have a flaw. If that flaw creates a weak point, then in fact the diamond can chip or even shatter when enough force is applied.
The less inclusions and fracture lines in your diamond, the less likely this is to happen... Your grading cert can tell you whether yours might be prone to problems or not.
mine came to me chipped, because it was his great grandma's. throughout the years, 3 people had it before me, it got a lot of use and bumps and bruises. i don't know much about diamonds, but i do know that they can chip, and when that happens they become even weaker. we ended up getting mine recut.
I've only heard problems with the settings breaking or the diamond popping out of the setting. I agree with your FI wear that sucker! I have an Aquamarine stone and it is a few notches down on the hardness scale from a diamond. We spent way too much time and money on finding the perfect ring for me that it would be pointless not to wear it as much as I can. I do take it off when I know that I'll have my hands in cleaners, food etc.
I think hardness refers to what can scratch it and most substances can't scratch a diamond, but that doesn't mean it can't chip or break. Every crystaline structure has weak points and depending on how a diamond is cut, it may have more or less weak points. A round diamond is the strongest and least vulnerable shape to chipping. In general, the girdle is the weakest part of the diamond and most prone to chipping. If you hit the diamond in just the right place, it will chip, fracture or break, so it's rare, but I think it happens more often than people think. Also, a diamond's hardness doesn't mean something unnatural or manmade can't scratch it. Just stuff to keep in mind...
Yes diamonds are the hardest material on earth as far as scratching. They are not immune to chipping though if there is a fracture that is cut wrong and leaves the stone vulnerable. The horror stories you hear though are related to the metal settings, not the stone itself. My father used to be a jeweler and a hobbyist faceter who knows quite a few very knowledgeable people in that field and they all agree on those two points.
Diamonds can fracture and chip and both decrease the value of your diamond. A lot of times it is because of continous stress on the stone (repeatedly whacking it in the same spot on things) And yes diamond are extremely hard but just like anything else with time and constant abuse (and poor quality to begin with) damage can happen. But I wouldn't worry too much - my mom has had her engagement ring for nearly 40 years and gets it cleaned regularly 2 times a year and then for special occasions (parties, insurance, etc) and just this last time the jeweler said he thought he may see a micro fracture that he had to send to a specialist just to confirm it was truly a fracture. My mom just took out extra insurance and has kept on wearing her ring because she says she feels naked without it after all these years. I hope that my marriage is as strong as my parents and even stronger than my diamonds strength.
i think part of the prong-breaking issue arrises from the fact that diamonds are harder than gold or platinum. the diamond rubs on the prongs a little bit over time and weakens them.
Hardness is not the same as toughness. The hardness of a diamond refers to it's resistance to scratching. However this is different from a material's toughness, which is the ability to withstand an abrupt impact. Essentially, a diamond is unlikely to be scratched(there are some materials that can) but you shouldn't go smacking it around because it can chip. This is similar to the issue of people saying that you can't cut titanium rings because they are so hard...and yes you can't cut them as easily as other materials but as a direct result of their hardness, they are extremely brittle and can be shattered. With rare exception -hard- materials are often brittle and can be damaged by an abrupt forceful impact.
I fell down cement stairs 6 days after getting engaged. Bent 1 prong in completely the wrong direction and another barely enough to keep the diamond from flying out. I have permanent scars on both legs, my upper left arm and 2 knuckles on my left hand, but the diamond remains flawless. They're quite durable =)
fall.jpg (50.7 KB, 45 downloads) 2 years old 
If a diamond chips it's because there is a flaw in it. When you purchase a diamond it will be scored based on color, cut, clarity and flawlessness. They can have feathers, tiny cracks, clouds, or other little diamonds actually inside them. All of these things make a diamond more susceptible to being chipped. If a diamond is perfectly flawless (which would make it really really expensive) then they will most likely never chip.
All I can say is this - get insurance. They have companies out there who ONLY insure jewelry and will replace the diamond if it's lost, the ring is stolen, etc. An e-ring is meant to be worn, your FI is right, but you should still be careful and not reckless. I definitely feel better about wearing mine though, knowing it's insured incase something happened.
Bella
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I'm very protective of my E ring and wedding band since they both got diamonds. I heard stories in person and on WB about diamonds getting chipped and even broken (just now in this board)! I usually don't wear it when I work out, when I clean, when I do stuff in the kitchen.. & whatever I do that increases the possiblity of a contacted impact on the stones. My Fi asks me why I'm so afraid I would damage the hardest thing on earth and that I should wear it more often to amortize the cost. (he's all about amortization).
I tell him that I have heard stories of chipping the stone but being a scientist myself, I cannot explain it rationally. Anyone cares to explain it to me? If it's true, the only thing that can chip or damage a diamond is another diamond itself!!??