Anyone lose a diamond/diamonds?

[kafm73]

2 months ago I was standing in my office at home and was kind of looking around figuring out what I was going to do next and I stuck my hands in my back pockets. Once I made up my mind to move I pulled my hands out of my pockets and I heard a something hard hit my wood floor. I looked down at my wedding ring and my center stone was just GONE from my new (to me) wedding band. The center stone is a 1 carat emerald cut diamond, a little bit of an upgrade from my original wedding set that I received in 2004 when we married. I made a point of following exactly where I heard the sound and got down on my hands and knees. Unfortunately my office is a mess right now, like stuff stacked everywhere...my sewing and crafting supplies all over the place, so I had to be mindful not to disturb too much around me because I sure didn’t want to accidentally knock it somewhere else and then it totally get lost because stuff I lose seems to have a habit of falling into black holes of sorts. i did find it and booked it to my jeweler. He told me how lucky I was, but I knew it already. He put some prongs on that look a lot sturdier than the previous ones. However, since I had gotten the ring secondhand, I’m sure it was quite worn down and ready to be reset anyway. I got Lucky that time because just a few years ago my husband had a friend who was looking to get rid of a really beautiful past present future ring. I’m sure it came from one of the big chain jeweler stores, it had two tiny little diamonds set inside of the band next to the “past, present, future“ inscription. I have always adored emerald cut diamonds, but this one was not an emerald cut. This ring had three round diamonds with the central one being much larger and then some small channel diamonds on each side of the band. My husband bought it from his friend and gave it to me. I was so amazed at how beautiful and sparkly and shiny this ring was because I know that usually the chain jewelry stores are not really known for having exceptional diamonds, especially a “mass produced“ design like the “past present future“ types. I had it for two or three years and got many compliments. Then one night I happened to look down at my hand and the center stone was gone! Not only was it gone, but the prong setting of the ring looked like it had been smashed. That was bizarre because I never took the ring off, so it wasn’t like it got damaged off of my finger, I had had it on the whole time and could not recall smashing or hitting my hand against anything. We happened to be at our automotive business when that happened and I looked everywhere... on the shop floor, in the office. I just gave up because it was kind of hopeless and I figured if it was meant for us to find it again, one day when somebody was sweeping or something, it will be found! It did make me sick, though, to know that that beautiful ring was no more!

does anyone here have a sad or heartbreaking story of a lost beautiful diamond or other gemstone? Or the whole ring altogether?

 

[Mreader]

Yes not diamond but the entire ring - my mother lost her engagement ring (she has passed now) and the frustrating thing is she has no idea how it happened or when it happened. She did not wear it all the time and one day she went to put it on and it was gone. We never found it. I still daydream of finding it one day because I kept her home after she died. But sadly I doubt we will find it since it hasn’t turned up in all these years.

 

[sydneyatl]

I ALMOST lost my wedding set once. It was shortly after the birth of our first child and I was super sleep deprived to the point of near hallucination…happened to look down one day and realized both rings were gone. I almost never take them off so this was horrifying. And more horrifying was that it was apparently recent- the imprints of both rings were still on my finger (still had edema from birth), but the rings were gone and I had no recollection of taking them off. I was practically hysterical- husband kept trying to reassure me that the fact that both rings were missing was a good thing, that I probably took them off and stashed them somewhere and forgot, while he turned the house upside down looking.

they turned out to be in the utensils tray of our drying rack, both of them. I have no explanation for this other than I must have taken them off and put them there…for reasons I cannot explain, because we had a ring dish only a few feet away. ‍

 

[kafm73]

Yes not diamond but the entire ring - my mother lost her engagement ring (she has passed now) and the frustrating thing is she has no idea how it happened or when it happened. She did not wear it all the time and one day she went to put it on and it was gone. We never found it. I still daydream of finding it one day because I kept her home after she died. But sadly I doubt we will find it since it hasn’t turned up in all these years.

Oh, wouldn’t that be such a great feeling? That’s kind of what I meant about when I lose things, there is no rhyme or reason to where it has gone, and like your mother, I have gone to pick something up or grab whatever knowing The last time I had ever laid eyes on it I put it in X spot, only for it to be missing and have not any clue as to where it could be. I actually lost a family heirloom ring of my sister-in-law ‘s. The last time I had it I was getting it ready to send back to her and my husband walked in and I showed him the ring and then I don’t remember anything after that and when I finally had the shipping supplies ready, The ring was just gone. And I have yet to find it in my house! It’s like a “glitch in the matrix”!

 

[kafm73]

I ALMOST lost my wedding set once. It was shortly after the birth of our first child and I was super sleep deprived to the point of near hallucination…happened to look down one day and realized both rings were gone. I almost never take them off so this was horrifying. And more horrifying was that it was apparently recent- the imprints of both rings were still on my finger (still had edema from birth), but the rings were gone and I had no recollection of taking them off. I was practically hysterical- husband kept trying to reassure me that the fact that both rings were missing was a good thing, that I probably took them off and stashed them somewhere and forgot, while he turned the house upside down looking.

they turned out to be in the utensils tray of our drying rack, both of them. I have no explanation for this other than I must have taken them off and put them there…for reasons I cannot explain, because we had a ring dish only a few feet away. ‍

I know that horrific zombie-like state of which you speak and even the hysteria you described that probably came on so fast it scared you!! And that surely does not help in the finding of lost things, LOL! But motherhood, what can you do?

 

[goldnsilver]

Thankfully I've never lost anything high value (knock wood), but I believe I've dropped many costume pieces especially earrings and brooches when I was out and about. There were two instances that I remember quite vividly. One was a vintage locket style compact that I lost when at an event in our local (huge and semi wild) park, and when I was tracing my way back looking for it a guy started following and harassing me so I had to give up. That was unpleasant and I was sad to give up the search, as it had been an adored gift. The other time it was a 1950s enamel floral earring that fell off when I was running away from a couple of people who were trying to take photos of me in the street - unfortunately a car ran over it and it was ruined, although at least I was safe.

I might have also lost a silver bracelet that was from my father's family, but I still have some hope it may turn up someday among things...

That was wonderful you were able retrieve your wedding ring diamond. Loose diamonds are just so impossible to find once they've fallen on the floor! One tip I've been given is to use the phone flashlight to shine around the floor/room, and look out for bright sparkles. Fortunately I've never had to use this trick for locating diamonds or gemstones, but I've had success searching the floor for little jewellery bits this way.

I agree it's such a horrible feeling when you realise something's gone or damaged.

 

[dk168]

Many years ago I lost the centre stone which was an Imperial Jade of my mum's ring on loan to me during one drunken work event.

It was claw-set with 4 claws, and one of them caught something and was pulled out of shape, and the stone fell out as a result.

I woke up at about 03:00 in the morning and realised what had happened, and went back to the venue to look for it, including emptying the vacuum cleaner that was used to clean up afterwards without success.

That cemented my loathing of anything claw or prong set.

About 9 years ago, a 20pt diamond that was a side stone of a 3-stone ring fell out of its bezel setting, and I was not able to find it anywhere. That cost me 400 GBP to replace and for the ring to be repaired.

DK

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

My mother in law was playing with my DH on orange shag carpet when he was a baby, when she heard a “pop!” And noticed her .50 carat diamond had popped out of the prongs and was now lost in a sea of orange shag carpet. With a energetic baby boy crawling all over it. I am pretty sure my DH got thrown in a baby pen for the rest of the day while MIL searched the carpet on her hands and knees for hours, inch by inch. And she FOUND it!! She loves telling that story, as a testament to how much of a “rough and tumble” boy mom she was with her kids. Hahah

My mother was not so lucky. She was doing laundry when the clothes snagged her prongs and tore out her teeny diamond. It was never found, and dear dad couldn’t afford a new one for 20 more years.

 

[Ally T]

I once lost the pear cut from my solitaire engagement ring. I had strapped the babies into their car seats to take them to Nursery & as I turned a corner, I noticed the setting was empty. I actually dry heaved.

My older sister talked me down from the ceiling & made me retrace my steps once I returned home. I went out to the car & carefully looked all over the carpets & seat cracks. Inbetween the kiddie chairs in the back I kept a little toy basket with lots of bits in there to keep them busy. I pulled everything out one at a time, giving them a gentle shake over the seat. And there in the bottom of the emptied basket, glistening at me, was my beloved diamond!

Turned out I had snagged the V-tip claw on one of their seats as I harnessed them in & as it only had 3 claws, that puppy just pinged out. The jeweller crafted a new head with 5 claws & a brace girdle underneath & since then, absolutely no issues 9 years on. I pretty much only remove it to clean.

 

[kafm73]

My mother in law was playing with my DH on orange shag carpet when he was a baby, when she heard a “pop!” And noticed her .50 carat diamond had popped out of the prongs and was now lost in a sea of orange shag carpet. With a energetic baby boy crawling all over it. I am pretty sure my DH got thrown in a baby pen for the rest of the day while MIL searched the carpet on her hands and knees for hours, inch by inch. And she FOUND it!! She loves telling that story, as a testament to how much of a “rough and tumble” boy mom she was with her kids. Hahah

My mother was not so lucky. She was doing laundry when the clothes snagged her prongs and tore out her teeny diamond. It was never found, and dear dad couldn’t afford a new one for 20 more years.

I think shag carpet has swallowed many valuable things over the course of its reign, LOL! Luckily that she heard it, or else your hubby might have swallowed that diamond if he’d been at that crawling around AND putting stuff in their mouth phase! LOL!

 

[kafm73]

I once lost the pear cut from my solitaire engagement ring. I had strapped the babies into their car seats to take them to Nursery & as I turned a corner, I noticed the setting was empty. I actually dry heaved.

My older sister talked me down from the ceiling & made me retrace my steps once I returned home. I went out to the car & carefully looked all over the carpets & seat cracks. Inbetween the kiddie chairs in the back I kept a little toy basket with lots of bits in there to keep them busy. I pulled everything out one at a time, giving them a gentle shake over the seat. And there in the bottom of the emptied basket, glistening at me, was my beloved diamond!

Turned out I had snagged the V-tip claw on one of their seats as I harnessed them in & as it only had 3 claws, that puppy just pinged out. The jeweller crafted a new head with 5 claws & a brace girdle underneath & since then, absolutely no issues 9 years on. I pretty much only remove it to clean.

Ugh! I can imagine that feeling in the pit of your stomach! While the diamond from my past present future ring was very beautiful and never found, it was not sentimental to me like an engagement ring would be. So glad all turned out well in the end!

 

[kafm73]

Thankfully I've never lost anything high value (knock wood), but I believe I've dropped many costume pieces especially earrings and brooches when I was out and about. There were two instances that I remember quite vividly. One was a vintage locket style compact that I lost when at an event in our local (huge and semi wild) park, and when I was tracing my way back looking for it a guy started following and harassing me so I had to give up. That was unpleasant and I was sad to give up the search, as it had been an adored gift. The other time it was a 1950s enamel floral earring that fell off when I was running away from a couple of people who were trying to take photos of me in the street - unfortunately a car ran over it and it was ruined, although at least I was safe.

I might have also lost a silver bracelet that was from my father's family, but I still have some hope it may turn up someday among things...

That was wonderful you were able retrieve your wedding ring diamond. Loose diamonds are just so impossible to find once they've fallen on the floor! One tip I've been given is to use the phone flashlight to shine around the floor/room, and look out for bright sparkles. Fortunately I've never had to use this trick for locating diamonds or gemstones, but I've had success searching the floor for little jewellery bits this way.

I agree it's such a horrible feeling when you realise something's gone or damaged.

Thanks for the tip, though I hope I never have to use it! Those are some interesting stories about how you’ve lost your jewelry items, LOL! And those enamel earrings you were talking about... I loved those types. Very pretty!

 

[APlaceForEverything]

Not a diamond, but my grandmother’s Georg Jensen tulip brooch which she bought in the 1950s or 60s. It was passed on to me and I wore it a lot with its original clasp when I was younger.

When I noticed it missing I was icily, dreadfully, achingly gutted, and had to face up to telling my dad (his mother’s brooch). The look on his face was a titanic struggle between knowing it was an accident and tearing me a new one!

Mentally tracing back my steps, I though it may have fallen off in a restaurant. I had to wait overnight until they opened again which was, I am sure, the only night on record that actually lasted 378 hours.

When I called them, not really hoping for much as it was a busy restaurant with high turnover, I expected nothing. Surely it had been swept up, or “collected” by another diner, or crushed underfoot. I gave it a go.

They had it!

My dad insisted I take them a gift as a cosmic, karmic offering of thanks. They were a bit bemused but dad was right; it felt better to express my thanks with something tangible. I always remember that now when something lucky has gone my way.

That brooch went straight to the jeweller for a safety clasp!

 

[elle_71125]

Years ago, I had a three stone ring from Kays or Zales. It was an upgrade to my original engagement ring and I adored it. Those rings often came with a warranty of sorts and you had to have the ring inspected every year. I went to drop it off at the store but they were closed so I decided to “put it somewhere safe“ until I had it checked. At this point, I had another colored gemstone ring I was wearing more often as an e-ring so I didn’t notice that time was passing without me wearing that diamond ring. Then one day, a few months later, it just popped into my head. I searched everywhere I could think of but I never found it. I like to think it’s waiting somewhere for me to stumble upon when I least expect it. Unfortunately, there’s also a strong possibility that I left it in my car, which we traded in years ago. In that case, I hope someone found it and it brightened their day.

I also lost a little diamond from my eternity band once. I was standing in my kitchen and I heard it plunk onto the floor. I spent a good hour scouring the floor to find it but it had freaking disappeared. You wouldn’t think a sparkly diamond could become invisible but I swear they do.

 

[Mreader]

@elle_71125 I also lost a small stone out of a ring once (halo stone). I could’ve sworn it probably happened while I was out so I thought I would never recover it. A month later my husband saw some thing glinting on the floor and it was the diamond! I had already replaced the stone, so I’m keeping the found one in case it ever happens again.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think I’ve told this story on here before but I once lost a (treasured and expensive) bracelet of mine. I had put it in a bag to go put in the safety deposit box in the bank before going on vacation. Months later I wanted to wear the bracelet again so off I toddled to the bank to retrieve it… and it wasn’t there. The last thing I could remember was actually carrying a bag with the bracelet in it to the bank, and I became convinced that I must’ve dropped the bracelet at the bank itself. Enquired there but it had been too long. Came home, searched everywhere but no bracelet. I cried for ages.

One day when I was spring cleaning I found the bag I took to the bank in the linen cupboard for some reason, tucked in the back. And inside the bag was my bracelet! I guess I just forgot to put it away at the bank and for some reason stuck this bag away with the linen.

 

[valenledge]

Years ago, I was taking of my wedding set in the car to head into the gym, when the wedding band flew off, and all I heard was a couple of tiny “tink tinks” and it was gone.

I looked everywhere in the car, thought it might have fallen out of the car somehow, so scoured the sidewalks up and down and around the parking lot. I was devastated and kept hoping I would find it over the next few weeks.

After that, every time I had my car checked, I asked if they could keep an eye for it, but no one found it…except about a year or so ago! One technician came in with a very dirty and tiny pave circle and said he found it inside the emergency brake clutch.

I’m grateful! But also likely made even more anxious and conscientious of where my jewelry is than before.

 

[kafm73]

Years ago, I had a three stone ring from Kays or Zales. It was an upgrade to my original engagement ring and I adored it. Those rings often came with a warranty of sorts and you had to have the ring inspected every year. I went to drop it off at the store but they were closed so I decided to “put it somewhere safe“ until I had it checked. At this point, I had another colored gemstone ring I was wearing more often as an e-ring so I didn’t notice that time was passing without me wearing that diamond ring. Then one day, a few months later, it just popped into my head. I searched everywhere I could think of but I never found it. I like to think it’s waiting somewhere for me to stumble upon when I least expect it. Unfortunately, there’s also a strong possibility that I left it in my car, which we traded in years ago. In that case, I hope someone found it and it brightened their day.

I also lost a little diamond from my eternity band once. I was standing in my kitchen and I heard it plunk onto the floor. I spent a good hour scouring the floor to find it but it had freaking disappeared. You wouldn’t think a sparkly diamond could become invisible but I swear they do.

I know! It’s like I said about falling into a black hole. I mean, how far can it go?

 

[starbrite]

Years ago, I lost a very high quality 1 ¾+ carat oval ruby. It was the center stone on a brand new ring. I had the stone on “lay away” with a local jeweler (not a chain store) for over 2 years and made monthly payments to be able to afford that quality of ruby and the individual stone that I had absolutely fallen in love with. As many here know, some Burmese, high color and clarity rubies can sometimes be more expensive than diamonds. That was one…

Once the stone was finally paid off, the jewelry store then sold me one of their thousands of stock mountings. I spend a couple of hours going through trays and trays of settings until I found one I “kind of ” liked for my new ruby. It had little diamonds and was overall pretty setting. However, the head was set really high; which I didn’t like. The woman, who sold me the ruby, reassured that their bench could easily lower the head to be exactly what I wanted. She called that a “custom design”. Big mistake… This was back when I knew little about things.

Although the store was local, the sales rep also insisted I should have the ring shipped to me; rather than my picking it up in person. The store was a 40 minute drive from my house. So I went along with her idea. Another really big mistake. I then didn’t see the finished ring (after the ruby was mounted) until I opened the package from the USPS in my home a few, short days later.

When I received the ruby ring in the mail & took it out of the box, I was shocked & disappointed. The modified head on the setting was as cock eyed as a drunken sailor. It was really bad in anyone’s eyes. No question that the head was horribly distorted. The ruby was sitting tilted almost sideways in the twisted head. I called the jewelry store immediately, but the sale rep, who told me to have the finished ring mailed, insisted that I was only imagining a problem.

What I was seeing was not my imagination or even remotely questionable. Within less than an hour of receiving the US mail package, I drove across town and took the ring back to the jewelry shop in person. The woman, who sold it to me, said (without her even looking at the ring) that I must have somehow damaged the mounting during the one hour that I had it. When I insisted she look at the ring & asked how that could be possible, she answered “maybe you ran over it with your car”!!!

Bottom line, the jewelry store said that they weren’t responsible for anything because I didn't pick the ring up in the store. The sale rep absolutely refused to admit that their bench had done faulty work nor correct the problem with the mounting head. The other sales reps (and the store owner) said that they didn’t see the finished ring before it was shipped. So they had to take the woman (who-sold-me-the-stone-and-setting)’s word that the setting was perfect when she put it in the mail. For the record, the ruby was itself in perfect condition. No damage. Just the head on the mounting was totally wonky.

FYI, this was the same local jewelry store that had previously shattered one of my sapphires while retipping the prongs. Fortunately, that time, the store did replace the stone because I instantly reported the damage the moment they handed me my ring back IN THE STORE. To this day, I still don’t understand how they expected me not to notice that something was dramatically wrong when they gave me my sapphire back with a hundred greenish, tiny cracks. When it went in for a clean & check securing the prongs, it had been a beautiful, clear blue stone with no inclusions. Luckily, the store’s owner handled that transaction from start to finish. She also had looped the sapphire when I first gave it to her. So it would have been difficult for her to claim the stone was damaged when I gave it to them.

With the ruby ring, I wasn’t so lucky. Unlike some of the varied “tilt” problems that have been mentioned in various threads here on Pricescope, the head holding my new ruby was twisted totally out of shape. No question in anyone’s eyes. One side was mm’s different than the other side. And twisted. I have no idea of what the bench did, but it was an absolute disaster.

Because the jewelry store refused to take any responsibility, I was then stuck with the problem because I hadn’t picked it up in the store. I probably was too passive. Rather than make a big stink, I felt my only solution was to take my beautiful new ruby somewhere else and have it remounted at my own cost.

However, after waiting over two full years to get it, I still wanted to try see the ruby on my hand. Even briefly. So when I got home, I gave in to the temptation to put the ring on for at least a little while. Third BIG mistake. After that, I had planned to put the ring away until I could find another jeweler to reset the stone.

However, a half hour later, I noticed the ruby was gone!!! One of the prongs, on the twisted head, had given way. The ruby had popped out without my noticing.

Although I never left the one room nor did anything memorable, no, I never did find that lost stone. Almost daily, I looked everywhere in the room for months… I also checked through the vacuum bag every time I vacuumed. I wear contacts and I had almost always found those whenever I’ve dropped one. You would think I could also find a ruby that had dropped out in a very limited area.

However, once the ruby fell out of the faulty setting, it had just disappeared. Although I still have the setting, other jewelers have said that it’s not worth anything more than recycled gold. It’s not worth fixing for a different stone.

Obviously since I only had the new ruby ring for a few hours (before the ruby popped out of the setting) the ring was not yet insured. Ouch!!! It was a gorgeous stone. And very expensive for me back then. Not huge, but 9x7 mm was still a nice size for a ruby of that color & clarity. Frankly, I still lust after someday getting a replacement ruby, but that size, color, & clarity just never has been in my budget again.

Other stones that I have lost have been diamond melee (from time to time over a lot of years) out of my paved wedding ring. That’s just part of the price of having a prong setting with these kinds of smaller diamonds and wearing the ring 24/7… I have never babied the ring. It was given to me to wear, and I just do. And replace the melee that occasionally pop out.

I also recently lost one of the melee out an unheated blue diamond ring that I have totally babied. I seldom wear the ring & when I do, I’ve been super careful with it. Still, some melee seem to be prone to loss; no matter how careful you are. Such is life.

As for a “lost” loose diamonds, my husband opened the box wrong on a brand new, loose, D IF Super Ideal diamond. The loose diamond went sailing across the kitchen and out of sight. He was beside himself. That was not an inexpensive purchase and not yet insured. However, that story ended well with my going into my “find the contact lens” mode. I wasn’t present when the diamond went flying; however, I was the one to find it within a 15 minute search. I found it underneath the edge of our refrigerator. It could have been most anywhere in that side of the kitchen. However, with a flash light, diamonds will glisten like a dropped contact will. So I had some idea of how to search. Popped contacts can also go sailing in unknown directions. I’ve had a lot of experience over the years in finding those.

I still don’t understand why I couldn’t find my lost ruby. That was lost in a very limited area in one room of my home. Plus it was a colored: not clear stone. Guess it just wasn’t meant for me to have the ruby of my dreams…

The ruby disaster was our third misadventure in dealing with that jeweler. Another problem (even before the shattered sapphire) was that one of the reps sold us a 1 caret anniversary band that was supposed to be F VS diamonds but much later (after the ruby incident) turned out to really be M SI2 diamonds. We were uninformed back when we got the ring. Later (once I changed jewelers) learning that we’d been taken advantage of was a real eye opener. But the ruby ring fiasco was the event that really still frosts me.

Nevertheless to this day, that store remains the leading jeweler in our part of the country. Someone must like them because they have grown a lot over the years. It started out as a mom & pop shop where we knew and liked the owner. They now have two armed security guards out front and maybe two dozen sales reps inside. It’s now really big business and sells mainly brand name jewelry but does no custom design. They do have thousands of settings in stock.

Thinking back farther, I also “lost” a small diamond bracelet (just accent stones and not a full tennis bracelet) that my husband had given me for our 2nd anniversary. I wore it everywhere back then. One night, while I was out of town on business, I suddenly noticed that the bracelet was no longer on my wrist. Panic time. It had been on my wrist when I got out of the rental car, but it wasn’t on my wrist when I got to the front door of the hotel. So with a small flashlight (that I keep in my handbag), I searched the parking lot all around the driver’s side of the car and along the path where I’d walked. Nothing. It was a really dark night. Figuring that the search might be more productive in daylight, I finally gave up for that night. However, losing that bracelet bothered me so much that I got up in the middle of the night & went back outside to search some more. No luck. I again searched in daylight the next morning. No luck again. Accepting that the bracelet was “gone”, I put my suitcase in the rental car and got ready to head for the airport. Just as I was about to close the driver’s side door, I suddenly noticed something on the ground glitter. I got out, and there was my bracelet on the ground; barely showing from underneath the edge of the car. Since that day, I now always have an additional security catch put on all of my “good” bracelets. Sometimes, it has to be a custom addition, but I don’t want to ever have another scare (which ended well) repeated. Next time, I might not be as lucky. Although I still have it, I no longer wear that bracelet.

One last episode. I “almost” lost my entire 2 ½ carat, heirloom E-ring. I went to the spa on a cruise ship to get a stone massage. The therapist said to remove all my jewelry. My E-ring was unusually tight from travel swelling. So I had to use some force to get it off. To my shock, the ring not only came off, but it also went flying completely across the room. Plus DOWN the drain of the small sink in the treatment room. I about had heart failure. Fortunately, that story had a good ending. A plumber was able to open up the sink’s trap & the ring was no worse for wear. I now will never remove jewelry anywhere near plumbing of any sort.

No matter how careful you try to be, stuff sometimes just happens if you wear jewelry. You then learn from your experiences.

 

[elle_71125]

Years ago, I lost a very high quality 1 ¾+ carat oval ruby. It was the center stone on a brand new ring. I had the stone on “lay away” with a local jeweler (not a chain store) for over 2 years and made monthly payments to be able to afford that quality of ruby and the individual stone that I had absolutely fallen in love with. As many here know, some Burmese, high color and clarity rubies can sometimes be more expensive than diamonds. That was one…

Once the stone was finally paid off, the jewelry store then sold me one of their thousands of stock mountings. I spend a couple of hours going through trays and trays of settings until I found one I “kind of ” liked for my new ruby. It had little diamonds and was overall pretty setting. However, the head was set really high; which I didn’t like. The woman, who sold me the ruby, reassured that their bench could easily lower the head to be exactly what I wanted. She called that a “custom design”. Big mistake… This was back when I knew little about things.

Although the store was local, the sales rep also insisted I should have the ring shipped to me; rather than my picking it up in person. The store was a 40 minute drive from my house. So I went along with her idea. Another really big mistake. I then didn’t see the finished ring (after the ruby was mounted) until I opened the package from the USPS in my home a few, short days later.

When I received the ruby ring in the mail & took it out of the box, I was shocked & disappointed. The modified head on the setting was as cock eyed as a drunken sailor. It was really bad in anyone’s eyes. No question that the head was horribly distorted. The ruby was sitting tilted almost sideways in the twisted head. I called the jewelry store immediately, but the sale rep, who told me to have the finished ring mailed, insisted that I was only imagining a problem.

What I was seeing was not my imagination or even remotely questionable. Within less than an hour of receiving the US mail package, I drove across town and took the ring back to the jewelry shop in person. The woman, who sold it to me, said (without her even looking at the ring) that I must have somehow damaged the mounting during the one hour that I had it. When I insisted she look at the ring & asked how that could be possible, she answered “maybe you ran over it with your car”!!!

Bottom line, the jewelry store said that they weren’t responsible for anything because I didn't pick the ring up in the store. The sale rep absolutely refused to admit that their bench had done faulty work nor correct the problem with the mounting head. The other sales reps (and the store owner) said that they didn’t see the finished ring before it was shipped. So they had to take the woman (who-sold-me-the-stone-and-setting)’s word that the setting was perfect when she put it in the mail. For the record, the ruby was itself in perfect condition. No damage. Just the head on the mounting was totally wonky.

FYI, this was the same local jewelry store that had previously shattered one of my sapphires while retipping the prongs. Fortunately, that time, the store did replace the stone because I instantly reported the damage the moment they handed me my ring back IN THE STORE. To this day, I still don’t understand how they expected me not to notice that something was dramatically wrong when they gave me my sapphire back with a hundred greenish, tiny cracks. When it went in for a clean & check securing the prongs, it had been a beautiful, clear blue stone with no inclusions. Luckily, the store’s owner handled that transaction from start to finish. She also had looped the sapphire when I first gave it to her. So it would have been difficult for her to claim the stone was damaged when I gave it to them.

With the ruby ring, I wasn’t so lucky. Unlike some of the varied “tilt” problems that have been mentioned in various threads here on Pricescope, the head holding my new ruby was twisted totally out of shape. No question in anyone’s eyes. One side was mm’s different than the other side. And twisted. I have no idea of what the bench did, but it was an absolute disaster.

Because the jewelry store refused to take any responsibility, I was then stuck with the problem because I hadn’t picked it up in the store. I probably was too passive. Rather than make a big stink, I felt my only solution was to take my beautiful new ruby somewhere else and have it remounted at my own cost.

However, after waiting over two full years to get it, I still wanted to try see the ruby on my hand. Even briefly. So when I got home, I gave in to the temptation to put the ring on for at least a little while. Third BIG mistake. After that, I had planned to put the ring away until I could find another jeweler to reset the stone.

However, a half hour later, I noticed the ruby was gone!!! One of the prongs, on the twisted head, had given way. The ruby had popped out without my noticing.

Although I never left the one room nor did anything memorable, no, I never did find that lost stone. Almost daily, I looked everywhere in the room for months… I also checked through the vacuum bag every time I vacuumed. I wear contacts and I had almost always found those whenever I’ve dropped one. You would think I could also find a ruby that had dropped out in a very limited area.

However, once the ruby fell out of the faulty setting, it had just disappeared. Although I still have the setting, other jewelers have said that it’s not worth anything more than recycled gold. It’s not worth fixing for a different stone.

Obviously since I only had the new ruby ring for a few hours (before the ruby popped out of the setting) the ring was not yet insured. Ouch!!! It was a gorgeous stone. And very expensive for me back then. Not huge, but 9x7 mm was still a nice size for a ruby of that color & clarity. Frankly, I still lust after someday getting a replacement ruby, but that size, color, & clarity just never has been in my budget again.

Other stones that I have lost have been diamond melee (from time to time over a lot of years) out of my paved wedding ring. That’s just part of the price of having a prong setting with these kinds of smaller diamonds and wearing the ring 24/7… I have never babied the ring. It was given to me to wear, and I just do. And replace the melee that occasionally pop out.

I also recently lost one of the melee out an unheated blue diamond ring that I have totally babied. I seldom wear the ring & when I do, I’ve been super careful with it. Still, some melee seem to be prone to loss; no matter how careful you are. Such is life.

As for a “lost” loose diamonds, my husband opened the box wrong on a brand new, loose, D IF Super Ideal diamond. The loose diamond went sailing across the kitchen and out of sight. He was beside himself. That was not an inexpensive purchase and not yet insured. However, that story ended well with my going into my “find the contact lens” mode. I wasn’t present when the diamond went flying; however, I was the one to find it within a 15 minute search. I found it underneath the edge of our refrigerator. It could have been most anywhere in that side of the kitchen. However, with a flash light, diamonds will glisten like a dropped contact will. So I had some idea of how to search. Popped contacts can also go sailing in unknown directions. I’ve had a lot of experience over the years in finding those.

I still don’t understand why I couldn’t find my lost ruby. That was lost in a very limited area in one room of my home. Plus it was a colored: not clear stone. Guess it just wasn’t meant for me to have the ruby of my dreams…

The ruby disaster was our third misadventure in dealing with that jeweler. Another problem (even before the shattered sapphire) was that one of the reps sold us a 1 caret anniversary band that was supposed to be F VS diamonds but much later (after the ruby incident) turned out to really be M SI2 diamonds. We were uninformed back when we got the ring. Later (once I changed jewelers) learning that we’d been taken advantage of was a real eye opener. But the ruby ring fiasco was the event that really still frosts me.

Nevertheless to this day, that store remains the leading jeweler in our part of the country. Someone must like them because they have grown a lot over the years. It started out as a mom & pop shop where we knew and liked the owner. They now have two armed security guards out front and maybe two dozen sales reps inside. It’s now really big business and sells mainly brand name jewelry but does no custom design. They do have thousands of settings in stock.

Thinking back farther, I also “lost” a small diamond bracelet (just accent stones and not a full tennis bracelet) that my husband had given me for our 2nd anniversary. I wore it everywhere back then. One night, while I was out of town on business, I suddenly noticed that the bracelet was no longer on my wrist. Panic time. It had been on my wrist when I got out of the rental car, but it wasn’t on my wrist when I got to the front door of the hotel. So with a small flashlight (that I keep in my handbag), I searched the parking lot all around the driver’s side of the car and along the path where I’d walked. Nothing. It was a really dark night. Figuring that the search might be more productive in daylight, I finally gave up for that night. However, losing that bracelet bothered me so much that I got up in the middle of the night & went back outside to search some more. No luck. I again searched in daylight the next morning. No luck again. Accepting that the bracelet was “gone”, I put my suitcase in the rental car and got ready to head for the airport. Just as I was about to close the driver’s side door, I suddenly noticed something on the ground glitter. I got out, and there was my bracelet on the ground; barely showing from underneath the edge of the car. Since that day, I now always have an additional security catch put on all of my “good” bracelets. Sometimes, it has to be a custom addition, but I don’t want to ever have another scare (which ended well) repeated. Next time, I might not be as lucky. Although I still have it, I no longer wear that bracelet.

One last episode. I “almost” lost my entire 2 ½ carat, heirloom E-ring. I went to the spa on a cruise ship to get a stone massage. The therapist said to remove all my jewelry. My E-ring was unusually tight from travel swelling. So I had to use some force to get it off. To my shock, the ring not only came off, but it also went flying completely across the room. Plus DOWN the drain of the small sink in the treatment room. I about had heart failure. Fortunately, that story had a good ending. A plumber was able to open up the sink’s trap & the ring was no worse for wear. I now will never remove jewelry anywhere near plumbing of any sort.

No matter how careful you try to be, stuff sometimes just happens if you wear jewelry. You then learn from your experiences.

Oh man, that ruby story damn near breaks my heart.

 

[Johnbt]

Yes I have. The date was 4/28/18.

www.pricescope.com/community/threads/why-you-need-ring-insurance-or-how-i-lost-her-ring-on-the-beach-yesterday.240519/

18 days old. A 1.51 carat F VVS2 ACA in a platinum U-113. Oops.

 

[valenledge]

Oh man, that ruby story damn near breaks my heart.

Same And the way that jeweler treated you! I’m so happy for you to have recovered everything else.