Noob question on why some engagement rings are hollow

[lamscott]

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking at some rings and have my sites on this engagement ring that is about 5 mm width and is encrusted with pave set diamonds on the whole band and the sides too (yes it is the right size).

My question is when you look underneath the band the band looks hollow underneath instead of seeing solid gold. Why is that?

Can anyone answer my question?

 

[Gypsy]

It's structurally sounds and saves you thousands with the price of metals.

 

[Haven]

I don't think I've ever seen this. Anyone have a picture to share?

 

[Gypsy]

It's usually seen in dome rings.

At 5mm, I'd prefer solid metal for strength and durability. But you will pay more for it. Most highend rings will not do this, except with a dome, but if it's done right it can be okay. But it does make keeping your ring clean a pain.

Here's a picture: This one is from WF.

 

[Laila619]

It may be more comfortable to wear with a thick setting.

 

[Haven]

Thanks for the picture, Gypsy.

I've never seen that before. I don't think I like it.

 

[D&T]

Thanks for the picture, Gypsy.

I've never seen that before. I don't think I like it.

I don't like hallow, and from that experience (picture from Gypsy) I decided that my rings needed to be more solid or with small amounts of metal cutouts, if the hallowness was say like this picture from Simon G (i've tried on) it is very comfortable, but when the cut outs thins out the wall going along side the shank, the thin metals digs into my finger and when you have boney finger it was pretty uncomfortable or even when you swell up for whatever reason, the thin wall of metal just becomes very wirey and hurts

 

[denverappraiser]

With pave you need holes that go all the way through the metal or you can't clean it. No matter how tightly the stones fit, crap is going to get underneith and without that hole in the back you're stuck. In the case of pave, that' makes for a lot of little holes and the way to do that and still look artistically reasonable is wht that little mesh cover like the SimonG ring in the picture.

 

[Gypsy]

With pave you need holes that go all the way through the metal or you can't clean it. No matter how tightly the stones fit, crap is going to get underneith and without that hole in the back you're stuck. In the case of pave, that' makes for a lot of little holes and the way to do that and still look artistically reasonable is wht that little mesh cover like the SimonG ring in the picture.

Good point about the pave. I forgot about that.

 

[Imdanny]

Thanks for the picture, Gypsy.

I've never seen that before. I don't think I like it.

+1, +1, and +1!

But I am fascinated to learn something new. You know what they say. You learn something new every day.

 

[jstarfireb]

My engagement ring is solid, but almost all of my other rings are like this. I actually prefer it. It saves you a ton, and they tend to fit better for me. I have large knuckles, and the bases of my fingers are a lot smaller, so most rings spin around on my finger when they're just large enough to get over my knuckles. A hollowed-out shank in a smaller size is large enough to get over my knuckle but hugs my finger a bit more tightly.

 

[lamscott]

I'm a bit confused about the responses.

One responses says that most high end stones are not hallow.

One response says that hallow is needed for pave rings.

I'm confused.

The pave rings I have seen on sites like James Allen are all solid.

 

[Haven]

I' m so tempted to make a joke about hallowed rings right now.

Anyway, I *think* rings there is a difference between completely hollow rings (such as the one Gypsy posted) and pave rings with the little holes* drilled out of the back (or mesh), which are put there for a purpose beyond just using less metal.

*What are those holes called, again? I know I learned the word here a while ago, and now I can't remember it!

 

[Gypsy]

I' m so tempted to make a joke about hallowed rings right now.

Anyway, I *think* rings there is a difference between completely hollow rings (such as the one Gypsy posted) and pave rings with the little holes* drilled out of the back (or mesh), which are put there for a purpose beyond just using less metal.

*What are those holes called, again? I know I learned the word here a while ago, and now I can't remember it!

Azures or something with an A. I never remember the term.

Haven is right. The explanation is that high end jewelers will not do this unless there is a reason. Pave is one reason WHY they might do this. But there are many pave rings that don't have this as well. They are harder to clean as a result.

 

[Karl_K]

If you work with harsh chemicals do not get a hollow ring.
A friend of mine almost lost his entire finger because some chemicals got trapped in his hollow ring.
He washed his hands right away and thought he got it all off not even giving his ring a second thought.
He had a very serious chemical burn under the ring and had to have skin grafts and at one point they thought they might have to remove his finger.

 

[andyj]

Yea well said karl need to be very careful whith those chemicals

 

[lamscott]

Is it relatively easy to fill the hollow out ring completely? I'm not talking about a mesh, instead i am talking about making it solid.

 

[Gypsy]

Is it relatively easy to fill the hollow out ring completely? I'm not talking about a mesh, instead i am talking about making it solid.

I doubt it.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Is it relatively easy to fill the hollow out ring completely? I'm not talking about a mesh, instead i am talking about making it solid.

If it is covered with pave, it shouldn't be solid, as Gypsy and Haven have mentioned. In fact, a good bench jeweler will make beautiful, decorative azures with pride.

This text, from a longer article on Ganoksin, explains a bit more:

When I pick up a piece of gem - set jewelry, I turn it over and look for the holes. If I don't find them, I have to shake my head. Azuring -- the practice of cutting away metal from the underside of a hole to expose as much of the pavilion as possible -- allows a jeweler to create intricate patterns that give the underside a truly elegant look, among other benefits. If you're not creating azures for your settings, I have to ask: Why?

If it's because you think azuring will add unnecessary cost and time to the production of a piece, think again. If a model maker carves the holes by hand with a saw, a few dozen azures will take about an hour to produce. (Azures can also be designed into a CAD program to save time and labor, and maybe even achieve more precise patterns; however, CAD requires its own investments of time and money, which I'll save for another article.) An hour devoted to azuring will yield even greater savings, thanks to two big advantages it provides.

First, let's say that after setting all of the gems, you now need to re - heat the piece to re - size or modify it. As every jeweler knows, those gemstones better be clean and shellac - free before the heat is applied. Azures provide easier access to ensure this is done; the hour spent creating those small holes may actually save several hours of cleaning burned - on shellac from an inaccessible hole. Second, azures provide several selling points. Customers appreciate not only the aesthetic appeal and the attention to detail, but also the fact that azures make caring for a piece much easier. With each stone more exposed, customers can more easily clean out hand creams and other oils, which cloud diamonds and other gems. They'll also be better able to see the results.

In addition, I've found that as customers come to understand the process of azuring and the reasoning behind it, they become more involved in a piece and develop a greater pride of ownership: They can now inform their friends about the finish of their new piece of jewelry. I've also found that this new expertise makes them feel more comfortable about other and perhaps more significant purchases.

If you are not talking about a pave ring, then the best solution is to add a sleeve inside the ring and solder it on, which gives the appearance of a solid ring, but not the weight.

 

[lamscott]

Is it relatively easy to fill the hollow out ring completely? I'm not talking about a mesh, instead i am talking about making it solid.

If it is covered with pave, it shouldn't be solid, as Gypsy and Haven have mentioned. In fact, a good bench jeweler will make beautiful, decorative azures with pride.

This text, from a longer article on Ganoksin, explains a bit more:

When I pick up a piece of gem - set jewelry, I turn it over and look for the holes. If I don't find them, I have to shake my head. Azuring -- the practice of cutting away metal from the underside of a hole to expose as much of the pavilion as possible -- allows a jeweler to create intricate patterns that give the underside a truly elegant look, among other benefits. If you're not creating azures for your settings, I have to ask: Why?

If it's because you think azuring will add unnecessary cost and time to the production of a piece, think again. If a model maker carves the holes by hand with a saw, a few dozen azures will take about an hour to produce. (Azures can also be designed into a CAD program to save time and labor, and maybe even achieve more precise patterns; however, CAD requires its own investments of time and money, which I'll save for another article.) An hour devoted to azuring will yield even greater savings, thanks to two big advantages it provides.

First, let's say that after setting all of the gems, you now need to re - heat the piece to re - size or modify it. As every jeweler knows, those gemstones better be clean and shellac - free before the heat is applied. Azures provide easier access to ensure this is done; the hour spent creating those small holes may actually save several hours of cleaning burned - on shellac from an inaccessible hole. Second, azures provide several selling points. Customers appreciate not only the aesthetic appeal and the attention to detail, but also the fact that azures make caring for a piece much easier. With each stone more exposed, customers can more easily clean out hand creams and other oils, which cloud diamonds and other gems. They'll also be better able to see the results.

In addition, I've found that as customers come to understand the process of azuring and the reasoning behind it, they become more involved in a piece and develop a greater pride of ownership: They can now inform their friends about the finish of their new piece of jewelry. I've also found that this new expertise makes them feel more comfortable about other and perhaps more significant purchases.

If you are not talking about a pave ring, then the best solution is to add a sleeve inside the ring and solder it on, which gives the appearance of a solid ring, but not the weight.

Can I see an example?