Under Pressure

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Ring with cracking and microscopic background

Understanding stress corrosion cracking

By Stewart Grice

Stress corrosion cracking. It’s the bane of many a jeweler, even if they don’t know it’s happening. Ever wonder why a couple of perfectly good 14k white gold prongs failed for what appears to be absolutely no reason? Or why a 10k yellow gold chain link fails when all the others seem fine? Chances are, it’s because of stress corrosion cracking.