QUESTION FROM NICOLE IN ENGLAND:
Question :
I have an 18kt 2.20 Carat Diamond Bracelet. Would it be possible to turn it into an Engagement Ring?
ANSWER FOR NICOLE:
Hi Nicole.
Lots of concerns come to mind when we're talking about turning a Bracelet into an Engagement Ring, so let's dive in. The first thing is the Gold content. 18kt is a beautiful Gold, but it's also a softer Gold. For an Engagement Ring it may wear down faster than the 14kt Rings you find in stores today. It's not a big issue, but your prongs will be softer, bend easier and scratch easier. Plus, since 18kt is more Yellow in hue, it may not match the other Rings you have, unless they are also 18kt. (If we're talking about 18kt White Gold, matching hue is not an issue.)
And then we move onto the Diamonds. Normally Diamonds in a Tennis Bracelet are not high Clarity or high Color. They are usually I Clarity and I Color. But in this instance, with the metal being more rich and 18kt, they may be better quality. (Could be SI or possibly VS?)
The sad thing about putting Diamonds into a Ring from a Tennis Bracelet is this: The Diamonds are probably all the same Millimeter size! Which means in a Ring, they just wouldn't look right. (An Anniversary Band would be fine using all the same sized stones) But in an Engagement Ring they normally don't look good unless you used them as the side stones. And if your Bracelet is like most Tennis Bracelets, you probably have about 20 or more Diamonds in it, and that's probably way more than you'll ever need for an Engagement Ring. And then you have the other factor of setting costs. Having a Jeweler remove all those Diamonds from a Bracelet and set them into a new mounting (That's if you find a mounting that will hold those exact sizes) could get expensive and time consuming.
This is what I always recommend to people when they bring up an issue like this: Either keep the Bracelet and just buy your new Ring out right. Or trade the entire Bracelet in towards the new Ring. It's faster, easier and probably cheaper to do it this way. If the Bracelet is really sentimental and you want to keep the Diamonds, then save a couple for Earrings, maybe one for a matching Pendant, and find a Ring Mounting that will hold just a couple of the Bracelet Diamonds. That way you get to use some of them and you can still trade the left over Bracelet and Diamonds towards the new purchase.
And if it were me, I would seriously consider getting a Ring that's 14kt Gold. (Unless you just love the rich look of 18kt) 14kt is more durable, cheaper, and will last longer, especially in an Engagement Ring where you will wear it for the rest of your life. Hope this helps! Good luck!
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