Today we are going to discuss prongs. Fair warning: if you accidentally happened upon this website because you googled prongs instead of tongs, you are in the wrong place. Try googling “kitchen tongs.” Thank you for the visit and good luck in your search!
For those of you who are left… let’s discuss prongs, as in the things that usually hold a stone in place! I say “usually” because there are other stone settings we will discuss in other posts.
Prongs are one of the smallest details of a design yet, in my opinion, they are one of the most significant aspects! If you want to know what kind of jeweler you’re dealing with, look at his/her prongs. And no, that is not a dirty suggestion! Although, if that’s where your mind went, I offer you a high five! Prongs can offer one of the biggest clues about a jeweler’s skill level and his/her understanding of aesthetics.
I’ll give you this comparison so you can understand how important these little pieces of metal actually are. Prongs are like lips that have had filler injected into them. If they’re too big they distract you from looking at the rest of the persons face. Such are prongs. If they’re too big and bulky, they distract you from the main event – the stone they’re holding on to!
Here’s an example of bulky prongs.
Here is one on Shutterstock: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/engagement-ring-hearts-arrows-diamond-close-1058918489
Do you see how your eye gets distracted by them? You keep trying to look at the diamond but your eye keeps getting drawn back to those unsightly lumps of metal! And I know you counted them!
Conversely, here’s an example of lovely prongs.
Here is an online store Adiamor: https://www.adiamor.com/Engagement-Rings/Diamond-Accented/6-Prong-Diamond-Band-and-Basket-Engagement-Setting/14KWhiteGold/1795
Do you see how delicate they are and how seamlessly they blend in with the overall aesthetic of the ring? They are soft and are shaped in what is known as a “claw prong” so they mimic the sharp facet lines of the diamond. reflections and refractions from the facets.
If you’re looking at your ring while you read this and feel like your prongs are too big, have no fear! You do not have to find a new setting, although if you want to update or upgrade your setting, a change is always nice! that’s what you want to yourself in order to get something you really like, I won’t stop you. My suggestion for fixing the bulky prong conundrum is a bit simpler and much more cost effective. The solution for large prongs is to get them filed/shaved down by a reputable jeweler. It’s a very simple procedure and only local anesthesia is necessary. I’m joking! It really is a simple fix and I truly believe you’ll be thrilled with the results!
A word of caution: if this is a ring you wear every day, please do not have the jeweler shave the prongs down too much. Every day wear and tear causes prongs to weaken over time. And, make sure you get your ring checked at least once a year by a professional jeweler. The upside of doing this is that they will also professionally clean it so it will sparkle as much as the first day you got it!
Going forward, I hope you begin to pay more attention to prongs so that when someone comments on your ring, they won’t say “those prongs really stand out” but they will instead say “OMG, that ring is gorgeous!”.