Diamond chipping?

[sunshine55]

Hi everyone,

I often read that diamonds may chip if they are hit hard enough/in the right angle. As I'm planning to buy a plain solitaire (around 1.5 carats), I wonder how likely it is to chip it.

Is it common that chips occur at least once in a lifetime or does it only happen quite rarely?

Any answer would be appreciated!

 

[Christina...]

Chipping isn't as common as one might think. Typically it takes an enormous amount of force to chip a diamond, though there have been cases where the wearer discovered a chip and had no idea how it occurred. Diamonds undergo a tremendous amount of heat and pressure during manufacture, so if it's going to crack the likely place would be there. Setting the diamond is also a vulnerable time. There are specific inclusions and inclusion placement that make a diamond more likely to crack or chip so a gemological evaluation is always recommended to ensure that there are no durability issues. In the past few years we have seen a number of old cuts posted as they've gained popularity, these rings are nearly 100 or more years old and often do have chips or 'flea bites' on the girdle. Typically though they are easily polished off. It's really important to insure your stone so that if something were to happen you will be covered.

 

[ame]

Hi everyone,

I often read that diamonds may chip if they are hit hard enough/in the right angle. As I'm planning to buy a plain solitaire (around 1.5 carats), I wonder how likely it is to chip it.

Is it common that chips occur at least once in a lifetime or does it only happen quite rarely?

Any answer would be appreciated!

Little chips in the girdle from wear will happen, little tiny teeny ones. I would think a 6 prong vs a 4 prong would probably provide more protection as more surface area is protected if that matters to you.

Get insurance on it, for starters, that way IF it happens, you're covered. While unlikely, it can happen and it really doesn't require THAT much force, it just requires the right angle and whack. But I think it really depends what you're DOING while wearing the ring for it to happen. While an accidental fall or whatever cannot be prevented, wearing it while doing heavy work isn't the best idea if you're concerned. My mom's done it, she has no real idea HOW, but she has. I have had melee chip and crack on a Target shopping cart on the short lived WF band. My aunt wore hers every day while cooking and catering and she's on her third diamond, she cracked two in half, and chipped her third but on the girdle and not badly enough that she worried yet, she had it hidden under a prong for now, since she's about to retire she wanted to wait til she was retired to do something about it. Her insurer probably is sick of her. I know I groan at her about it. But she refuses to not wear it constantly. Where I never wear mine at all!

 

[chrono]

Any shape with points like princess cut or the tip of a pear also has a greater risk compared to something rounded like an oval or cushion. But no matter how protective the setting is, what matters most is how you treat your diamond. If you plan to wear it to workout at the gym, do housework, yardwork and etc on a daily basis, expect to see girdle and perhaps some facet wear / damage.