Beat the Heat
How to protect gemstones when retipping prongs with a laser welder
By Fabio Penuela
Being a jeweler is a rewarding profession as we get to create jewels that people will wear and treasure for years to come. However, every piece we make will be exposed to wear and tear over those years, especially rings, which can be bumped against everything the wearer encounters. As a result, the prongs on a ring can erode or be damaged, risking the safety of the set stones. Hopefully, before that happens, the ring makes its way back to your bench to have the compromised prongs repaired.