Fine jewelry is meant to be worn and enjoyed for a very long time. However, like with most things, you’ll need to take proper care of your jewelry to ensure it lasts. This is especially true with rings, which we tend to wear the most. Unlike with necklaces and earrings, our rings come into contact with a lot of objects throughout the day, leading to an increased chance of accidentally damaging them. The last thing we want to do is look down at our ring and notice a gemstone has fallen out of its setting and disappeared forever. So pay attention to these ring damage warning signs. They’re good indicators of whether or not your ring needs repair work.

• Worn-down prongs. Over time, the metal surrounding your gemstones can wear off and disappear. That means there’s less metal to hold your gemstones in place, making it more likely for a gemstone to fall out of its setting. Sometimes it can be a bit challenging to notice worn-down prongs with just the naked eye. That’s why we recommend using a jeweler’s loupe or magnifying glass to get a closer look at the metal surrounding your gemstones.
• Bent prongs. If you accidentally snag your ring on something like a sheet or article of clothing, a prong can bend out of place. When that happens, you’ll likely notice that one or more of your prongs may feel a little rough and may continue to catch on objects. That’s a sign that your prongs are not securing your gemstones as well as they should be.
• Thin shank. Like prongs, your ring’s shank (the bottom portion of the ring) can wear down after a while, leading to breakage. If you notice that your ring’s shank is a little thin, take your ring to a goldsmith who can add more metal to the shank or install a new half shank.
• Loose gemstone. One of the easiest ways to determine whether or not your gemstones are secure is to try moving them with your finger. When you touch a gemstone and try to move it, it shouldn’t budge at all. If it does move, that’s a sign that the prongs aren’t supporting the gemstone like they should be and require tightening by a goldsmith.

If you notice any of these warning signs, bring your ring to a jeweler you trust as soon as possible. They’ll make sure the gemstones in your ring are secure so you can keep on enjoying your ring without worrying about gemstones falling out or the shank breaking. Even if you’re not sure whether or not your ring needs repair work, it’s always a good idea to have your ring checked over by a professional jeweler about once every year.

If you have any questions regarding the warning signs of ring damage, feel free to contact us at info@kloiberjewelers.com or 414-276-2457.