A potential store client walks in and wants you to remake her diamond ring jewellery, it has numerous diamonds in this ring. What are dealing with? This might be a “ring from Hades” if these diamonds not fully properly investigated!
Store owner; please be aware of possible errors in assuming that each white stone might be and not always be a diamond. This following essay might and will clear the air for you and your staff! Reprint this essay, and pass it around to everyone in your shop!!!
Is this a diamond, or a “white stone”? what to look for, while in your presence of your retail customer!
Here are a few pointers to look for; they will save you much grief, let alone dollars!
When you take in a Diamond for repair, always write down on your repair envelope “White Stone”, how do you know at first glance, it IS a Diamond? You are saving the stores reputation in replacing a CZ with a diamond of the same size!
Upon inspecting a clients repair ring, what should you be looking for?
Always inspect the quality of the diamonds, condition of the claws, any inclusions of ANY stone, if so where.
Is the diamond in need of reconditioning in the near future, is this stone “Fracture Filled? ( we will discuss this in a moment)! Do not second-guess the diamonds.
Inspect in front of the client at all times. Do not walk away with the ring!!!! Use a Gem-Scope and let the client view their stone!
Inspect the inside of the mounting for “trademark”.. “karat stamp” or any other logo’s.
If the stone is “Fracture Filled” Do not even think of applying ANY heat to it. The reason being is that the injected liquid that fills up the inclusion, will most definitely leech out.
Leaving you with a feeling of dread. as in “what happened now?”
Upon taking in a ring to be sized. Whose ring mandrel is accurate? Yours, or the jewellers?
Neither, why? Yours might be almost accurate, but is the jewellers ring mandrel near the same accuracy as yours? The jeweller’s mandrel is used how many times a day? His mandrel might be altered from its use, so the sizing will be + size off, at the best of times!
Always think that the White Stone a client brings in is not a diamond, Now prove to your self that it isn’t. HOW? here are the few basic rules to remember!
First of all, look at the girdle, is it too highly polished and too smooth?
Is it too wide and having a transparent girdle? Can you look right through this stone?
Are the Crown facets out of alignment to the Pavillion cuts (under the girdle)?
Are the Facet edges anywhere, ’rounded’ and not sharp and well defined?
If your “gut feeling” says “NO!” to some of these question, then use your Electronic Thermal Diamond-Tester. It reacts to heat as its being returned back from this stone
Is the stone too clear, and too free of any ‘inclusions”? You might not have a diamond!
Are all of the facets not the same in size or in symmetry to the others? If you are permitted to execute a repair on this stone, please make the client aware of your decision on its quality and reasons of your deciding it isn’t what it truly is. Or, in failing this, request a Diamond Appraiser to give his unbiased opinion. This will get you “off the hook” and keep your stores reputation in order. Nothing worse that a misguided client:>(
Here are some further observations for you all!!!
If you are permitted to remove this stone, (with your clients written permission) inspect the following ‘tell-tale’ little quirks of a white-stone. By holding the stone upside down, Culet up, does the whole stone look transparent when viewing from the bottom? Do you observe a “Halo” effect? A ring of narrow facetting along the circumference of this stone? Upon a closer inspection, do you see an uneven cutting or lack of symmetry of the Pavillion facets? Even as before, “rounded” cutting edges of the facets. Are the Pavillion and Crown Facets out of alignment? As in, not in line?
Gerry Lewy
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