Sometimes, mishaps like dropping the diamond ring on the floor or knocking it against a hard surface can occur. And if it happens to you, the first things that probably come to mind: “Can a diamond break if dropped or is it damaged?”
Diamond is an ideal stone for a ring: not only is it beautiful, but also one of the hardest natural substances on Earth. Does this mean your diamond can never be broken?
It is very unlikely that a diamond would crack or break just by dropping it.
In most cases, a diamond would probably chip under a hard blow. Examples of these include hitting the diamond at an angle with a lot of force or banging your hand against a hard surface accidentally.
So in most cases, there is really no cause for worry. What you might seeas a consequence is probably due to a phenomenon known as girdle reflection caused by the pavilion facets. But to many people looking at it for the first time, it does look like a crack or feather inclusion.
Regardless, here are a few tips for recognizing a break in your beautiful diamond jewelry–and what you can do about it if it happens to you!
Diamond Chips, Fractures, and Breakage
When gemologists measure three major attributes they use to determine durability. These are the diamond’s…
- Hardness, or how easily it is scratched.
- Toughness, or how well it stands up to breakage or chipping.
- Stability, or how well it stands up to thermal changes, like temperature.
While diamonds aces in hardness and stability, their toughness however presents a vulnerability that, if the conditions are just right, can cause a diamond to break. Diamond are vulnerable to chipping, fracturing, or even breaking apart along their cleavage lines. These are areas where the atoms are bonded less tightly together—But unless you’ve got a microscope handy, you won’t be able to see exactly where they are.
Now, these cleavage lines aren’t cause for too much concern, because you aren’t often smashing things into your hand at great force. However, if something does hit your ring at the right angle on a cleavage line, you’re going to see a chip in that stone . Thankfully, fixing a chipped diamond is easier than you might think.
How to Fix a Broken Diamond
If you notice a scratch, a fracture, or even a chip broken off of your diamond, head into your jeweler as soon as you can. Once you’re there, you’ll have a few different options there:
Recut the diamond
The jeweler will remove the broken section and reshape your diamond into the desired cut, then return it to you good as new. Of course, this does mean your diamond will be a little smaller than it was originally, but it will still retain the fire it always possessed. When a diamond is recut, it needs to be recertified. You may even find the value goes up if inclusions are removed or the symmetry and polish improve on the stone, but this is never guaranteed.
Reset the diamond
You can also talk with your jeweler about resetting your stone to hide a small chip or insignificant damage. This is definitely the most cost effective method, but it does work best if the break in your ring is just beyond negligible. For example, if your ring is a round diamond, a jeweler can simply turn the stone so that the chipped area is hidden by a prong. Just like that, you’ve got a ring that looks like new again!
Replace the diamond
The final option is to replace your diamond. Obviously, there are other things to consider when exploring this option (like your budget, for example), but it can sometimes be the easiest way to fix a diamond that has a large fracture or has been damaged irreparably.
So overall diamonds are incredibly durable, and can withstand a tremendous amount of wear and tear, accidents can happen. But if they do, always remember that there is a way to make your gorgeous ring look as stunning as ever—it just takes a little professional expertise that you’ll amply find at Kanjimull!
