To take my ring back to the jeweler?

[wineymummy]

My engagement ring is an antique diamond and sapphire ring which belonged to DH's gran. The stones are all tiny but it's a beautiful setting. The hallmark dates it to 1920.
A few weeks ago one of the tiny sapphires fell out, so I took it to the jeweller to have it replaced. Picked it up yesterday and paid £45. The ring has also been cleaned. The jeweller did tell me it was a fragile ring and not to wear it every day.
DH was very much of the opinion that it should be enjoyed rather than sit in a box and told me to carry on wearing it every day but remember to take it off for anything where it could get damaged.
This morning, another sapphire has fallen out. By an amazing stroke of luck I noticed straight away (whilst in the shower!) and saw the tiny sapphire on the shower tray, and managed to rescue it before it went down the drain.
Would it be reasonable to expect the jeweller to refix this stone free of charge? Because I suspect the cleaning process loosened it. Or is it a case that the stones were clearly loose anyway and this was always bound to happen again. I'm a bit upset it happened literally 14 hours after putting the ring back on...but I don't really think the jeweller is to blame and it's just the risk you take with antique jewelry.
As a ps. Does anyone know if the stone can be refixed without another trip to the jeweler? It's literally the size of a grain of sand so really very fiddly. I'm a bit reluctant to fork out £45 again so soon. (Maybe a bit less because I have the stone this time.)

I think you’ll be asked to pay for the repair, albeit slightly less if the £45 last time included a new stone. The jeweller might take pity on you but I’d expect to pay.

And maybe take on board the jeweller’s advice re: wearing it less often if it’s an important heirloom.

Probably best not to be wearing it in the shower if it's fragile....

If a jeweller told you the ring is fragile then you need to rethink wearing it.

You could have the setting remade, using the original metal. My eternity ring is from a cast of my great GMs boat ring, then the ring was melted down and remade. It was very thin in places and wouldn't have survived my wearing it all the time.

Yes it's a different stone and I do agree, it's not the jeweller's fault. I also agree with my DH that it should be worn and enjoyed not just sit in a box...but maybe just brought out for special occasions now.

I worked for a jeweller as a student, you shouldn't wear any jewellery in the shower let alone something you've been told is fragile and is 100 years old.

Why on earth were you wearing such a fragile ring in the shower?

Lionel why shouldn’t jewellery be worn in the shower? Genuine question, I have always worn me my wedding and engagement rings in the shower, never occurred to me to take them off.

I really think it’s too fragile to wear daily, from the sound of it. Especially in the shower...

I think if it is the same stone you can expect it to be re set without charge, if not then it’s unreasonable to expect that as the ring is fragile.

Perhaps wear it for special occasions. Or look to have it melted down and remade in a similar but stronger setting so that you can wear it daily.

It sounds like whilst it was a nice sentiment from your DH he should have forked out for an engagement ring you could wear all the time as many women do. Maybe he could buy you a new ring for your anniversary or something.

It'll be wearing it in the shower that's caused the problem, not their cleaning of it. Surely it needs to be taken off whilst showering, washing hands, doing the housework etc.

I wouldn't expect the jeweler to fix it free of charge when you've been wearing it in the shower, especially when you've ignored their advice.

Ask them to build it up and re set the stones.
You'll be able to wear it daily.
It'll cost more than 45 quid
Diamonds in the shower is a no from me too. I take mine off.

Ah I see you’ve posted in the meantime.

Some things are just too delicate to wear all the time and it would be a shame to start losing the stones and render the ring unwearable.

It’s clearly too fragile for everyday wear, to be fair if you were around in 1920 you’d be fragile by now too!

Have it repaired once more then You are only going to be able to wear it on nights out, weddings etc you know occasions. Get an everyday engagement ring as well

You should of taken a 1920 fragile ring off before the shower, why would you shower with it surely common sense said not too?

I do wear my engagement ring and wedding ring in the shower Lionel have done for years, they never come off. Absolutely no issues with my rings but they aren’t from 1920.

Teens Diamonds get less sparkly when exposed to natural oils, certain soaps, and lotions. Plating will wear off, finish will reduce/become dull on solid metals; pearls should ever be clitched in a shower, they get wrecked by soaps etc. Also settings get washed through, can become loose by steam, and off pop stones down the plug before you've even realised they were loose

I'd take it back. I suspect they'll tell you to pay but the stones should've been checked after cleaning to make sure they were stable.

I'd look at having the ring reset to see if that would make it more wearable. I only wear my rings on special occasions due to work and the risk of damaging them but I do have a cheap band I wear daily.

I've worn it all day every day for 5 years! I was always of the opinion that taking it off 4 or 5 times a day would make it more likely to get lost than just wearing it 24/7. But point taken! I definitely won't be wearing it in the shower anymore.

I don't want to sound rude but I would have thought it was common sense not to wear jewellery in the shower/bath/pool/spa/when washing up. Even moreso old jewellery that you've been told is fragile

DH was very much of the opinion that it should be enjoyed rather than sit in a box and told me to carry on wearing it every day but remember to take it off for anything where it could get damaged.

But if you've lost two stones in a couple of weeks, there will be nothing left soon! I'd tell him you're keeping it for special occasions only, and if it bothers him that much, he can always actually fork out for a ring himself!

And to the poster who said my DH was a cheap skate...he borrowed this ring to propose with but I loved it so he asked his dad if we could keep it. We were in the process of ploughing all our money into a house so didn't have much spare cash. Currently cash strapped due to having a child and another on the way but in a few years I'll see if I can wangle a replacement ring.
I don't think the settings can be made stronger and the stones are so small that a remake wouldn't necessarily be worth it but thank you for the tips.

Did he clean it? I had some stones come out of a necklace when I had it cleaned at college as there must have been just dirt keeping them in place (or maybe the vibrations loosened them).

If it was antique maybe the setting was quite fragile - is it a 4 claw?

And yes - take it back - he said fragile and not to wear it every day not 'keep it in the box'.

Yes it was cleaned which was why I wondered the same lordfrontpaw but general consensus is obviously in disagreement!

I've had my mum's engagement ring reset and can wear it all the time now.

OP, did you get the ring size reduced / made smaller in order to wear it, as there's only so much reduction in size the ring can take before it affects the stone fitting. My engagement ring belonged to MIL's mother and we have the 1922 receipt for it. I don't wear it day to day because I'd hate to lose a stone from it. I have quite slim fingers and the jeweller warned me about how much he could take it in because of it affecting the fitting.

Can you and DH look to buy an everyday ring for you to wear instead of this one, then keep this one in its box? It doesn't sound robust enough to be worn day to day now.

I would've thought the jeweller should have checked all the settings tbh. How long have you worn it daily with no problems before the first stone fell out?
I wonder if it's been through a sonic cleaner? That might have affected it.