A diamond is missing from my pave ring: what should I do?

ZKZ Editorial TeamMain answer · Product & gemmology desk

Stop wearing the ring, store it safely, search for the stone, and take the ring to a jeweller for an inspection of the whole setting, not just the empty hole. One missing stone is often a sign that others are loosening.

First hour

1. Stop wearing it. Each wear risks losing another stone and bending the metal around the gap.
2. Put the ring in a small bag or box so that nothing else falls out.
3. Search calmly. Pave stones are often 1 to 2 mm across. Check the sink trap, your clothes and bag, and the floor in the rooms you used. A vacuum cleaner with a stocking or cloth over the nozzle can find tiny stones without sucking them in.
4. Photograph the gap and note when you last saw the stone complete.

What a jeweller will check

Fact Jewelers Mutual advises not to keep wearing a damaged ring, to store it safely until a jeweller can see it, and to file an insurance claim promptly if you have cover. It says a loose stone is often fixed by tightening the prongs, that a bent or worn prong is typically re-tipped, and that a broken prong may need rebuilding. For a stone that has vanished, you will likely pay for a replacement unless insurance covers it.

Our advice Ask them to examine every stone and prong, not only the missing spot. Pave settings hold stones with tiny beads or prongs, and one lost stone often means others are about to go.

Replacing the stone

Our advice If you find the stone, bring it, as it can usually be reset. If not, ask whether a stone of matching size and colour can be sourced. In small melee sizes the match is normally close, but not always identical, so ask to see the replacement beside its neighbours before it is fixed in.

Our advice Ask for a written quote that says what is included: stone, setting, tightening of other stones and any re-plating that has to follow.

If you bought it recently

• Check the seller's warranty or return policy before you pay for a repair. Many cover manufacturing defects but not wear or loss, and you may need to report the problem within a set time.
• IGI advises keeping grading reports in a safe place, separate from the jewelry, so that you have documentation if something goes missing.
• If you have jewelry insurance or a home policy that covers it, ask about a claim before the repair is done.

It depends Whether the seller pays depends on the terms you agreed. A stone lost soon after purchase in normal use may be treated differently from one lost after years of wear, but this is the seller's policy, not a fixed rule.

Uncertain We cannot say how much a repair costs. It varies with the stone, the metal and the work the setting needs, so use a written quote from a jeweller rather than an estimate from the internet.

Related reading: Setting Styles for Engagement Rings: Solitaire, Halo, Pave and Bezel · Resizing and Maintaining a Lab Diamond Ring · Contact ZKZ Jewelry — 925 Silver & Lab Grown Diamond Manufacturing

Sources

• Jewelers Mutual, What to do if you need a ring repair
• IGI, Never do this with your jewelry

Fact = stated by the cited source. Our advice = editorial recommendation. Uncertain / it depends = limits of what can be said in general.