Has anyone's tennis bracelet stretched?

[NonieMarie]

I have ordered a bezeled bracelet .10 diamonds, 4+ctw. from IDJ but now am stressing about the setting. Originally I told Luann that I wanted 14k wg. She said most of their custom bracelets are 14k and that 18k over time would stretch more. Now, because I obsess over every detail, I'm wondering if I should go with 18k because this is such an expensive piece. The cost is just $350 more. I've searched through ps and found one person say she had to reset after 7 years. I will be wearing the bracelet everyday and to reset a bezel bracelet might prove difficult. Plat is $2500 more and would weigh almost 30gms. I have worn wg without any allergy or problem with the plating. Is stretching a problem I should be concerned with?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have never heard of such a thing, and if 18k cast wg is harder than 14k, I just do not even see how this could be accurate.

 

[sonnyjane]

I have never heard of such a thing, and if 18k cast wg is harder than 14k, I just do not even see how this could be accurate.

I've never heard of that either!

 

[AprilBaby]

I thought 18k was softer because it contained more gold/less alloy. I would keep it 14k.

 

[junebug17]

I thought 18k was softer because it contained more gold/less alloy. I would keep it 14k.

This has been my understanding too...I think I'd stick with the 14k.

 

[Sparklelu]

Actually, my hairdressers tennis bracelet has stretched so much she had it remade and the extra diamonds made a ring! I'm not sure what karat gold she had but it was a custom piece from a respected local jeweler.

 

[texaskj]

I managed to find this:
http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/1998/dec98/1298fys1.html

I'd never heard of such a thing.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Yes, both of mine did. They were loose and I caught them on "stuff". And gold chains worn everyday with heavy pendants will enocurage the same. Watches also.
cheers--Sharon

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I thought 18k was softer because it contained more gold/less alloy. I would keep it 14k.

This has been my understanding too...I think I'd stick with the 14k.

That is not correct, however.

"The hardness of the final product is a more complicated question than the simple karatage of the metal. Properly worked, some alloys of 18k can be quite durable. For commercially cast type pieces, 14k yellow gold is usually more durable than 18k yellow gold. 18k white is usually more durable than 14k white."

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[donnabrsd]

I have two 14K tennis bracelets that have not stretched and have never needed repairs. Yellow gold one is 15 years old and white gold one is 8 years old. I wore the yellow gold one every day for 7 years, now I alternate. I do not think I am gentle with my bracelets and I wear for long hours each day. I am getting a new tennis bracelet and it will be in 14K white gold. Good luck with your decision. Hope I have helped.

 

[NonieMarie]

I managed to find this:
http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/1998/dec98/1298fys1.html

Thanks for the article, now I need to find out if the clasp is die or cast. Also, Luann said the clasp doesn't have the figure 8 safety on the side. The clasp goes in and then the hindged closure comes up from the underside of the bracelet and closes flush.

 

[FancyDiamond]

Luann said the clasp doesn't have the figure 8 safety on the side. The clasp goes in and then the hindged closure comes up from the underside of the bracelet and closes flush.

Does it mean there is no safety mechanism then?

 

[NonieMarie]

I just sent an email asking that. Maybe others that have an IDJ tennis bracelet can address the safty clasp and how it works.
DS I also asked about the 18k alloy used and if the setting manufacturer can say whether it is one that Neil talked about.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just sent an email asking that. Maybe others that have an IDJ tennis bracelet can address the safty clasp and how it works.
DS I also asked about the 18k alloy used and if the setting manufacturer can say whether it is one that Neil talked about.

I don't think he mentioned an alloy in the post I copied. He just said "cast"pieces, and tennis bracelet settings are almost always cast. To what post are you referring?

 

[NonieMarie]

OK, I just got off the phone with Yekutiel. I'm going with the 14k wg. I think I made them crazy with all my questions. He said his wife has worn a 14k tennis bracelet for 9 yrs and she just decided that it had stretched a little and wanted to reset the stones. He descibed the clasp as a Euro clasp. The tongue clicks and locks and the safety swings around under the bracelet and snaps shut.
Now I'm going to try not to obsess anymore.

DS, I was trying to find out the alloy used in the 18k wg that makes it more durable then 14k wg. I've decided to stop trying to make it "perfect". When I start my research on anything I'm going to buy I make myself crazy with all the little details.

 

[Karl_K]

The design is going to have a much larger effect on if it stretches and or wears out than the material.
Weak toggles == problems
strong toggles == less chance of problems

The worst are O ring toggles where the joint is 2 O rings one horizontal and one vertical hooked together.
The strongest is a double pinned hinge.

 

[Karl_K]

For commercially cast type pieces, 14k yellow gold is usually more durable than 18k yellow gold. 18k white is usually more durable than 14k white."

Keyword "commercially cast type pieces"

bracelet findings are most often die struck.
I think that saying any alloy is better than another with out specifying the specific alloy is problematic.
For example 14k x-1 has way different wear characteristics than other 14k alloys.
Palladium 18k gold has way different wear characteristic than other 18k alloys.
Even among the more common 14k alloys I have seen them range from very stiff to butter, to somewhat elastic to very brittle. The same is true for 18k