Hi there all- I have the feeling that this is a question with an
obvious answer, but as a friend inquired and it’s far out of my
realm and experience, I wanted to put it to the minds here to be
certain. Said friend has a 14k semi-eternity diamond band as an
engagement ring and would like to find two narrow semi-eternity
black diamond set bands as a wedding band.
She wants to have the three joined with the engagement band in the
middle.
Is there any way to do this? I’m sorry if this is painfully obvious
to the more experienced minds here- I’m more of a heat stuff up & hit
it with a hammer sort of girl. This is not a question I felt I could
answer accurately given my limited experience- she is in a very
remote location and doesn’t have access to a number of jewelers to
inquire with.
Thanks all-Amy
Hi, Amy -
Don’t worry, “heat stuff up and hit with a hammer” works for gold as
well as silver. Slightly different heat-up, but same hammer. But
working on a friend’s gold rings isn’t the way I’d start my
goldsmithing career.
Anyway, here’s a general proceduRe: since it’s all diamonds and
gold, the stones won’t have to be unset - diamonds can take the heat
from an oxy-propane torch. Sizing will have to be taken into
consideration; a wide ring fits ‘tighter’ than three independent
narrow rings. Depending on whether or not the wedding bands are
bought at the correct size, the goldsmith may size them before or
after soldering the bands together.
Make sure your friend gets sized with a wide-band ring sizer, by
the goldsmith who will do the work. Ring sizers have lots of
variation in them. She will want to make sure the goldsmith can refer
to the correct size while working on the rings. The goldsmith may
have to account for size of her knuckles, width of the rings, etc.
In my experience, the three rings are carefully matched up on the
lower inside curve, then tack soldered on one side, then the other.
This allows for fine adjustment of the positioning before the final
solder to make them all one ring. Once the solder has flowed and the
three rings are one, then the goldsmith cleans up the solder join and
buffs the ring. Not much more complicated than most other ring shank
work. (I’m assuming the engagement ring hasn’t been sized or resized
before. This adds an exciting element for the goldsmith…)
Another thing - if the diamonds go pretty far around the band, and
any of the rings have to be sized, your friend needs to be prepared
to pay extra for the effort the goldsmith will make to retighten
everything.
Kelley