Post # 1
Member
29 posts
Newbee
So for some background info my engagement ring is a platinum band with pave set side diamonds and a green round sapphire center stone set in a six prong setting. I dont have any pictures yet because of icky splotches of brown on the prongs, but ill get to that shortly…
I was told by my jeweler after asking for plat prongs that they dont carry them big enough to fit my stone and they would have to special order one to fit. I said no prob, I can wait to have it perfect. After not hearing back for over a week I called them to see if the prongs were in. They then changed their story to say that my order for the plat head wasnt filled and that my center stone should not be placed in a platinum setting at all. According to them the heat from soldering it in place could discolor the sapphire. Wth?
Before deciding on what to do I went online and was able to find zero info about such a thing existing. Thinking maybe I was just being google inept I let them go ahead with adding white gold prongs to it instead of platinum. Since then I have already had to take it back in once to get reset in new prongs because in two places the prongs were discolored, uneven, and almost a brown color in relation to the rest of the platinum setting. Ick! It has been maybe a month since getting fixed the first time and its already starting to do the same discoloration back to icky brown splotches 🙁
I have tried since getting it fixed the first time to be extra careful about what goes on the ring too. I take it off when I put on lotion, take a shower, use perfume, wash dishes, etc. And yet it is still discoloring really quickly like last time in about the same spots.
So my questions are these: Is this gemstone discoloration something you have ever heard of or had experience with? I dont want to damage the stone so I’m not sure if I should just suck it up and deal with the brown splotches, go back and fight for the plat prongs I wanted in the first place, or go to an different jeweler entirely to fix it?
Sorry this is so long but any advice for me or stories in dealing with the same and how it was resolved would be greatly appreciated! Thanks bees 🙂
Post # 3
Member
7298 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Well, different stones have different behaviors. Some of what they say could be true. I have a moissanite ering and a lot of places won’t touch it because they don’t know how to work with it. They can destroy it if they don’t know what they are doing.
Maybe plat has to be heated to a higher temp then white gold and sapphire can’t take the temp?
Post # 4
Member
15279 posts
Honey Beekeeper
I have white gold prongs on a yellow gold ring, and after some time (I’ve been wearing mine for about 2.5 years now), you can definitely see that the tops of the prongs most prone to being hit or rubbed on stuff are yellow now. The prongs that arent exposed to contact with anything are still white. This is just how white gold will behave since there is no true white gold, it will get worn down to yellow and need replating. Does this sound like what is happening? Are the brown spots just the yellow gold shining through?
Post # 5
Member
29 posts
Newbee
@Miss Tattoo: If I remember right that is how they explained it to me when I asked why it couldnt be done. Just seems fishy that they didn’t say that flat out to me in the first place which is what brings me to asking opinions 🙂 Thanks for the quick response by the way!
Post # 6
Member
7298 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@MsPandabear: They may have never worked with sapphire before. If I were you, I would take it to another place and see what they say.
Post # 7
Member
29 posts
Newbee
@pinkshoes: It seems like where they soldered it to the band just isn’t holding the white gold coloring. Its kind of hard to describe but its down at the base of the ring in between the prongs. Ive had white gold rings before and had the natural wearing down effect where it looks warmer, but this just looks brown. Not located in a place where natural wear and tear would happen which is what has me so confused! Its not that I’m against the idea of white gold prongs over plat because I know they are way easier to retip down the road, I just dont want whatever i have to be brown haha
Post # 8
Member
29 posts
Newbee
@Miss Tattoo: That is exactly what I am leaning towards. Think I am in need of a pro second opinion for sure. Just wanted to come to here first to get some bees first hand experience before doing so. On a side note how durable do you find the mossy is for a center stone? I have been thinking of getting a right hand ring down the road and love various alternatives to diamonds.
Post # 9
Member
15279 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@MsPandabear: ooh, that is definitely very strange then. I’d take it somewhere else to see what they say… that does not sound normal at all.
Post # 10
Member
7298 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@MsPandabear: It’s just about as hard as a diamond. 9.25. It’s actually tougher than a diamond because it has no natural fractures that can crack if the stone is subjected to an impact of some kind.
Post # 11
Member
29 posts
Newbee
@Miss Tattoo: Thanks for the info! Sounds right up my alley since I tend to be very clumsy. Planning on going to a different jeweler tomorrow that is more familiar with non diamond stones and see what they say. Had my fiances wedding band custom made by them with great results, and they seem very knowledgeable on various gems so we’ll see how it goes. Hoping I can get it fixed asap since the big day is just around the corner!
Post # 12
Member
1271 posts
Bumble bee
i know that a lot of the time sapphires are heated to make the color deeper/brighter…if you have a natural sapphire that has NOT been heat-treated it’s very true that heat could “discolor” the stone. you’d know if your sapphire hasn’t been heat-treated though, it would come with a certificate and cost you a heck of a lot more in general. most sapphires are heat-treated, and i don’t think a heat-treated sapphire would discolor from the soldering process unless it’s REALLY hot.
definitely get a second opinion.
ETA: ok, after doing some quick wiki research, it seems the melting point of platinum is around 1760*C, and sapphire heat treatments (in air, not water or chemicals, so a much lower heat-transfer rate than direct contact with molten metal) occur in the 500-1800*C range…so it seems like discoloration could be a very real danger still, even if it was treated at the highest temperature, and especially if the jeweler doesn’t know what he’s doing. it sounds like your initial jeweler doesn’t know a lot about sapphires, and realized after the fact that it’s not something he felt comfortable doing himself. definitely get a second opinion from a jeweler well-versed in gemstones other than diamonds. i’m seeing tons of sapphire/platinum rings even just on amazon, so i’m sure it’s possible to get what you want with the right jeweler.
Post # 13
Member
29 posts
Newbee
@cardus: Thanks so much for the research, that was super informative! All of this taking it back in and having issues with it has made me second guess my choice of a sapphire in the first place :/ Heres hoping when I go to get a second opinion tomorrow they can fix the thing and I’ll fall in love with it again.
Post # 14
Member
2904 posts
Sugar bee
@Miss Tattoo:Platinum has to be heated to much higher temp than gold and is more brittle, less pliable, but still strong. Sapphires can and do change color with heat. You can try a different jeweler. They aren’t lying, they’re just not skilled enough (or not risk taker-y enough) to do it. It could be a real issue. It would take a very careful and skilled (read: expensive) jeweler to get this job done.