You might be surprised to know just how many ladies come to our business with similar problems. Of course, the knuckle is the critical point in simply getting a ring on the finger in the first place, and then comes the difference in size with that and the bottom part of the finger. We see this from injury, arthritis and simple heredity. The knuckle on my left ring finger is larger than the part where the ring goes and I like wider bands...well, the size difference is not so great but the situation was solved by using three narrow bands which will go over the knuckle ok while a single band that wide would be a real problem. In your situation there is the problem of the ring being so loose that it turns on the finger and is perhaps uncomfortable with the extra space. Let me tell you now, there is hope! The differences in the "hope" is price and what suits you best.

I will start with the lowest priced options first. Truly, sometimes the simple solution works fine but other options are there even if more pricy. I will not even mention duct tape!

MEANS OF FITTING A RING WHEN THE KNUCKLE IS ENLARGED. This is the first option. The simple RING GUARD. A ring guard is a piece of metal formed so the ends will wrap around the lower part of the ring shank (band). Sometimes these work quite well. Generally, in gold filled the price installed is about $7 - $10. Ring guards are available in karat gold such as 14k but first try the gold filled ones and see how it works for you. Over time, the device will need to be replaced but the cost is minimal compared to other options. To see what a ring guard looks like, browse through a few search engine results. For example, Ring Guard (site chosen at random in Google): Figure perhaps $7 -$10

Sizing Beads. Figure perhaps $55

There is no website for this since this is a jeweler made and installed option. Sizing beads are small roundish beads made of the same metal as your engagement ring. Two beads are soldered into the ring shank on the lower 1/3 of the ring. These take up space and help prevent a ring from turning on the finger. Generally, unless actual bone against thin skin is the knuckle problem, the sizing beads work pretty well. It is difficult to measure accurately for these beads. The jeweler will make the beads larger to start and can trim the size down in a "try and fit" situation. The two beads generally go over the knuckle with little if any problem. Figure perhaps $85 plus the cost of sizing the ring up about 1/4 sizes, about $28 more.

The butterfly is a U shaped piece of white gold (since it is more springy than yellow) with the bottom of the U soldered in place inside the ring. The bottom of the U is at the bottom of the ring. The two sides go up about ? to slightly more in the ring. The sides spring outward when the ring is put on and spring back in when on the finger where the ring is to be worn. The ring must be resized slightly larger to accommodate the space taken up by the "butterfly" piece of metal. These work pretty well in most cases but fit can be guessy.

Ok, so those are the first ways to approach the fit problem with a problem knuckle. The rest are quite price in comparison and are certainly permanent options. The afore mentioned methods may be removed and the ring made just as it was to start with. These next devices mean about 1/2 of the ring shank must be removed and replaced with the new shank which opens and closes to fit the finger. If the ring is platinum, the price is not shown here. In fact, some of the devices are not available in platinum. Yes, these are pricy but work very, very well. I suggest trying the ring guard and perhaps sizing beads first, even if it means spending a little up front. Then, if all else fails, consider one of these specialty ring shanks. Web site for each type are shown, the home sites for the manufacturers.

Ring Shanks of the Open and Close Type. See each type for price guesses.

Fingerfit ? shank. The fingerfit shank is the one we sell the most of. The device opens to allow fitting onto the finger and closes on the wearing part of the finger. For this and the other two devices mentioned, first the jeweler must measure your knuckle and then measure your finger where the ring is worn. The new shank is fitted to the lower half of your ring with a closed size to match your finger size. Figure about $400.

Superfit shank. This is heavier than the fingerfit and very well finished. The shank snaps shut on well designed closure which is practically invisible when closed. The top of the ring must be strong enough to keep tension in the Superfit. A good jeweler who has installed these before can tell you about that. Do not use a jeweler who does not have experience with the Superfit. Figure about $500.

Lockshank. This is one I have not used. I have done all of the above but not this one and cannot comment on how well it works. Price, well, I figure about $500.

This device appears to be simply an open and close hinged ring band with a secure fit when closed. It should work just fine.

There is your answer and I did not mention duct tape again or adhesive tape...a nightmare to jewelers to remove when doing work on a ring!!! Please do not use the tape. If the ring will fit on with something like tape on the shank, the sizing beads should work fine. The butterfly is not a bad option but I get mixed reviews on it. The beads are difficult to fit to size and do not work in all cases. However, when smooth and the right size, these seem to be and almost ideal answer with no more than 1 size is the finger issue.

Note on prices: I figured average prices based on the totally out of sight price of gold right now. Gold is higher than in years and silver and platinum are in the same situation. Prices from last year are almost doubled in some cases and at least up 30% in other areas of the jewelry market. Prices include total cost of the item and installation based on typical pricing structure. Of course, you local market will determine actual price in your area.

Whether or not a watch band will take an electro plate depends entirely on the band. If it is made of stainless steel, most jewelers do not have the capability to plate the band adequately. If they can do it at all, the plate would likely be quite thin and wear away quickly. Also, if the band has steel parts in it, electroplating solutions can be damaged. I believe it would be quite difficult to find a jeweler who would try doing the watch band.

There is a chance a jeweler can send the band out for plating, as well as the ring. This "farmed out work" will generally go to a plating company specializing in that work with the high level equipment and experience to do a good job and render a thick enough plate for better durability.

One company is Red Sky Plating. Jewelers can send items to this company for estimates and to get the work done properly.

To gold plate the ring would not be difficult for any jeweler with gold plating solutions. Keep in mind, the thickness of the plate and durability cannot be assured with most jewelry store plating services done in-house. For the best results, I would suggest the ring be sent to the company mentioned or to a similar company. You could have a jeweler gold plate the ring and then "try it" to see how well the yellow surface lasts.

Various items sold to "consumers" for coloring metals and adding a microscopic silver or gold color generally do not last long and are not effective overall, in my humble thought.

The "dipping" process is called "rhodium plating." Rhodium is a precious metal and plating is a less expensive alternative to platinum. (There is no white gold in nature.) The plated finish is long wearing and may not need to be redone for years depending on your wearing habits. If you were a client at my Zales location the plating would only be about $24.00.

One nice thing about rhodium plating is that it offers an option to people normally allergic to the nickel in lower-quality gold. The plating provides a barrier that allows many such people to wear 10k and 14k jewelry.

Normally in Hallmarking, the numbers represent the decimal for the gold quality.

For example 375 or .375 is equal to 375 parts gold out of 1000 or 9ct. If this were a genuine hallmark then 750 or .750 would be 750 parts gold out of 1000 which is 18ct.

777 does NOT fit any standard gold hallmark (being just over 18ct if it were) so I would suspect it may be a makers mark or design or model number.

Platinum is an extremely rare metal, even rarer than gold. There isn't much of it around and it has only been found in select locations across the planet. Platinum is a strong, dense metal, which allows it to be used in many different ways. Besides jewelry, it is also used to make catalytic converters, and it is helpful in the medical field because it resists oxidation. As the perfect material for pacemakers, platinum not only makes lovely jewelry, but also helps save lives.

Despite its strength, platinum is a very supple, workable material, making intricate designs and details far easier to achieve than with gold. Since it is so pure, platinum jewelry is the perfect hypoallergenic accessory for those who cannot wear gold. Part of the reason people cannot wear gold is often associated with the alloys involved in the jewelry making process. Since platinum jewelry contains very little alloy, it is a good choice for those who are sensitive to metals.

Platinum jewelry is made from very pure platinum. As compared to gold, platinum falls between the 18-karat and 24-karat range, with 18 karat being approximately 75% pure and 24 karat being the purest. Since 18-karat jewelry is 75% pure, that means that the other 25% of the piece is an alloy, such as silver, zinc or copper. This simply means that platinum requires very little alloy to be combined with it in order to make platinum jewelry.

Platinum jewelry is very sturdy and resilient, making it ideal for everyday wear. Platinum jewelry, like other types of metal jewelry, can become scratched, but a scratch won't damage platinum in the same way that it damages other precious metals. Platinum jewelry will maintain its color, brilliance and weight even when scratched, while other metals may lose their luster or become blemished or discolored.

Because this metal is so versatile and so rare, platinum jewelry makes a very special gift that will be cherished for a lifetime. Many people own gold jewelry, while far fewer boast jewelry made of platinum. If you want to choose something truly unique and exceptional for that special someone in your life, consider platinum jewelry.

Platinum jewelry has taken a little change over the past few years, especially since the price has risen along with Gold.

In order for the industry to keep prices competitive, they have started to classify Platinum Alloys with the 800pt or 850pt marks etc - which is quite acceptable as they are NOT using the word 'PLATINUM' (which indicates the pure metal).

While that term (800pt) may be a little misleading, especially if it were not brought to the purchasers attention, it is never-the-less quite acceptable.

You also have to remember that not all jewelry is made in the States and many items made in Europe or overseas may not have such stringent rules and regulations.

Personally, if your friend knew the item was 800 grade alloy and was happy with the price - I'd be happy with that.

Regarding Platinum verses White Gold - White Gold is HARDER because of the way it is mixed with other metals. Traditionally Platinum is used for diamonds because it doesn't throw any colour into the gemstone. Diamonds are graded by their LACK OF COLOR so the less reflection from the ring - the better. Platinum wins for me, but it's still a personal thing.

The first mark (KLd) is usually the Makers or Manufacturers mark. Sometimes it could be the Store Mark (like SH) for Samuel Hill Jewelers... This doesn't make any difference to the Hallmark so you can generally ignore it.

The next mark was an 'F' which is the Date letter.

The next is a Crown, which is the 'Quality' Mark which was introduced for 18ct and 22ct gold in 1798 and has been used ever since.

The 22 indicates the gold quality being 22 carat gold.

The last mark is a shield so I am going to assume that it was assayed in Chester UK. However each Shield is slightly different.

Now one of the MOST IMPORTANT stamps is the SHAPE of the Hallmark. Sometimes they can be oval or square. Many times with the corners cut off. These help with the Date letter 'F'.

MOST date letters come in batches of 20 and they change every 20 odd years (one letter per year). In order to identify them they can sometimes be an Uppercase - othertimes in lower case. This is where the SHAPE comes in too. This is also why I needed to know how old your Anut was when she died. Most women didn't get married until say 20. This will help you in narrowing down the date RANGE (ie: That Batch of 20 letters).

May I suggest you go to the Antique Jewelry of the 20th Century where you will find a complimentary Hallmarking Course. You will learn from very easy emails how to understand UK Hallmarks. This will finally narrow down your search to around the 1950's - Hint: 1956 Date letter is an 'F'.

By very wary of the 'SH' though as it is EXACTLY the same upside down, ie: 'HS' which is a mark for H Samuel, a high street jewelry chain in the UK.

The earlier Samuel Hennell is S.H plus you would have to look at ALL the Hallmarks together and check their overall shape to get an accurate date.

There is NO 22ct gold rings which should be scrapped unless extremely thin or worn.

The 'f' or foreign mark is a modern mark and shouldn't be confused with the full UK Hallmark.

There should always be a qualtiy stamp in any ring bought in the U.S.A. in the last 50 years. The 'C' with the circle is usually a copyright trade mark stamped in most rings. The 'A/C' has no significance other than the 'MFG' stamp.

The mark you describe could be a British registry mark. These marks were sometimes on the outside of the item instead of the usual inside marks. It's difficult to match up since there are so many - the S could stand for shefield or it could be a Registry Month Mark for 1849. These usually were inside a diamond shape or circle. You don't say whether the ring is gold or silver. You might check your local library for a book on British Registry Marks or jewelry marks. Also does the ring have a precious stone ? If so, you might take it to a gemologist for further assistance.

Today at work I did some price checking. You might be surprised at what is said here. I picked out a ring shank which is about 2.25mm wide at the top and a heavier than usual 6 prong setting.

A while back before platinum prices went up so much and the "spot price" for platinum was $700 the prices were a lot different.Now, today with a spot price of $1187 per ounce. The spot price is for pure platinum metal, as traded and bought on metals markets. This price changes and with it also change the costs of platinum jewelry parts.

At the old $700 price, the 2.25mm shank would run about $450 and at today's price about $$650. The prong setting was at about $205 and today is $306.

That comes to a combination of shank and setting of $956! Today, some jewelers realize the price is getting so high for platinum that they are not putting the same mark-up on platinum they did last year.

There is competition from jewelers who are still selling( perhaps foolishly) at the old prices and higher prices discourage customers. Today, at where I work we would not mark-up the platinum as much as we did a year ago.

The total price for the shank and setting mentioned would be sold for about $800. This is for the parts and no labor included.

To assemble the ring, size and set the stone would run about $150. I don't know if your ring requires more work than assembly of the head to the shank, sizing and stone setting. That added work could account for the labor charged. Then again, if only "putting together" the labor seems high to me.

Perhaps the cost is balanced out with the lower price for the head. I don't know what is going on with the jeweler with whom you are dealing.

All in all, the platinum prices are not out of line, but the head is too low unless very light weight. The labor seems too high. Totals are not that far off from the price charged you.

Then again, there is not a real excuse for charging more than the original estimate unless you had been informed that parts are going to cost much more due to rising platinum prices. Perhaps the jeweler is sticking to original head costs and making up the difference in labor, who knows. In any regard, sight unseen, the price total is not far off what I quoted. Keep in mind I picked a fairly medium heavy shank and a heavier than usual head. I might be comparing apples and oranges here and that should be kept in mind.

The trade-in price for your old ring is not that far off, either. This is true IF you were told you were getting the "scrap" price and not trading in a usable ring. Scrap rates vary from refiner to refiner but according to today's platinum prices, we would likely offer about $110 for the old setting as scrap metal.

Sure, we would get more than that form the refiner but once overhead including refining costs, a profit and the fact the ring might sit around a while until we had enough metal to send to the refiner, the price quoted is not out of line. At first, I thought the price too low. I visited some refiner sites today and double checked.

If you were to sell you ring directly to the refiner, certainly you would get more the platinum content. The problem is, refiners often require minimum amounts of metal to be accepted for refining and one ring is not enough.

This is the final part of the answer. I will summarize by saying, the labor seems too high unless more work than assembly, sizing and setting is needed. The head seems too low unless quite light weight. The value offered for scrap (if that was the agreement!) is not far off at all.

I know it seems very low compared to new materials from the supply house. That is a fact of metal accepted as scrap and not as a usable item of jewelry. The broken prong is not your responsibility. The jeweler has little excuse for not informing you of the much higher finished price than estimated or quoted.

Did the dishwashing solution contain any ammonia? I find most do not contain ammonia are a safe method of cleaning jewelry, including pearls. If ammonia was there, that "could" account for some of the discoloration. Also, chemicals and salts in the air in the beach environment are known to cause problems with jewelry. Even in almost invisible amounts, these chemicals can work to cause smudges and discoloration on gold items. Generally, a regular cleaning like you did will prevent problems.

Is the bracelet gold? The color change is not a direct indication the item is not gold as marked. However, there should be a makers mark near the 14k mark. That is law at least in the U.S.A. and the mark should be there. Sometimes the mark is quite small or only a symbol of some sort, perhaps mixed with the 14k metal quality mark.

Do you have faith in the place the item was purchased? If reputable, there should be no problem and they might offer to clean and buff the bracelet or even replace it.

If purchased with no recourse, the only way to truly tell is to have a jeweler who will test gold run a test for karat on the bracelet. These test involve either a simple acid test or use an electronic instrument. The cost should be low. Call and check around before you go since some jewelers do not have anyone on the premises who does this testing. Almost any store with a working bench jeweler should be able to test the bracelet.

If this is gold, why the color change? One possibility and only a possibility is that the bracelet was given a quick flash plate of yellower high karat gold to make it look richer in the first place. We see lots of necklaces and some bracelets(lots with CZ stones) with a plate of very yellow high karat gold. This is all for merchandising to make the color more rich and perhaps more appealing. Unfortunately, repairs will easily remove that surface plate and leave the natural 14k color. The 14k color is just fine as it is! However, some of such plated items do show a more coppery look when the surface flash of gold is removed, perhaps an underlayer used in the plating process or the natural color of a less than attractive 14k gold mix which the maker knew would be flash plated to look rich yellow. I doubt the cleaning or polishing cloth removed the plate.

I simply suspect the environmental conditions led to the discoloration but that should be rather easily removed by a good wipe with a special jewelry polishing cloth. (Your cleanng would remove ocean air salts but not repolish the bracelet or remove tarnish unless a jewelry polishing cloth was used.) These special coths contain no messy polishes but do contain some chemical ingredients. One make is called "sunshine" cloth, used as is till totally soiled then simply disposed of. These cloths are available from jewelers and crafts stores. If not in stock, this cloth may be ordered for you.

My first suggestion is to have a jeweler who does metal tests check the bracelet if the item was not purchased locally and cannot be locally corrected. Then, if 14k as marked, get one of the cloths mentioned(or a similar one). Clean regularly just like you did being sure there is no ammonia in the cleaning solution.

The "Dream" diamond with which I am familiar is a brilliant cut squarish shaped diamond cut and sold to jewelers. This stone is cut to such perfect proportions that a very bright and sparkly diamond is the result. The stone also shows the "hearts and arrows" pattern often suggested as a sign of excellent cutting proportions. Is this the stone you have?

You mentioned a cathedral setting and flush set stone. Do you mean the ring has rising sides and the stone was set low into the mounting, perhaps close to the tops of the cathedral sides? I expect this was still set into prongs and not a bezel. (A bezel is like a tube with the sides of the stone covered with a narrow metal rim going around the very top edge of the stone to secure it safely.)

In my experience, when viewed from directly above the top of the stone, it makes no difference on a well cut diamond if the stone is set high, low or in a bezel. You see, the light comes in from the top of the stone, not the sides or bottom. That is the reason diamonds are cut in the brilliant forms developed and modified today. The faces are called "facets" and those on top act as windows while the ones on the pavilion(bottom) of the stone act as mirrors, reflecting the light that comes in through the windows back out of the top of the gemstone. As far as brilliance from cutting is concerned, the brightness of light coming back out of the stone should be the same whether set in prongs or with the back covered!

One consideration is the amount of metal over the top of the diamond. There should be just enough prong or bezel to hold the stone safely and thick enough to ensure long wear. If the jeweler leaves too much metal over the stone, some top facets(windows) will be covered more and that could affect the sparkle of light from the stone.

Surface sparkle is another consideration. The "reflections off the facets" is a kind of sparkle. This is not the same as the light reflected from inside the stone and back out, giving the stone its brilliance. The surface sparkle is more, well, sparkle and moving reflections as the diamond is moved in the light. I suspect with the stone out of the setting you were seeing more surface sparkle and some from the sides of the stone. When mounted low, this sparkle is not as easily seen or noticed. If that is the case, then by all means you should have the stone set a bit higher in a secure setting. Even if the difference is not noticed by anyone but you, it is still a difference to you and you are wearing the diamond. So, have the stone set a bit higher with a more open setting.

The light comes from the top of the stone, goes in and reflects off the side of the diamond (The Pavilion) and comes back out of lthe top (The Crown & Table). The cause of the loss of 'Sparkle' is ususally the back of the sone is dirty, oily, dusty or all of the above and this causes light to 'Leak' out of the back. The whole reason diamonds look so good is due to their refractive index that bend light at specificanyles and when cut correctly refract and reflect the light to the owners eyes. However, you are also correct, when the diamond is set much of the light is diverted and unable to be seen.

The reason those old setting make the stone look good is the fact that you could easily clean the back of the stone and keep it bright. You can prove this to yourself by cleaning your ring and take a little dab of olive oil and touch the back of the stone, not the top, and watch as your diamond turns to glass or so it seems. Then clean it again and you will see it completey restored to its original beauty.

This may allow a bit of reflection to be seen off the sides but will not increase the brilliance seen from directly above the diamond top(crown of the stone). Still, what you see is a bit subjective and if a higher setting which is more open seems more pleasing, then by all means go that direction.

COLOR AND SETTING.

Jewelers know well that the color of a diamond may look better or worse when set into jewelry. Sometimes a diamond on the yellow side of colorless will look bad or off color when set into white gold or platinum. Set into yellow gold, the stone will often look wonderful, or worse! There is a reaction difficult to describe between the color of the setting and the color of the diamond. This is likely not a consideration in your case. I throw in this tidbit just for information.

When considering the final ring setting for your Dream cut diamond, have the stone gently placed into more than one setting to see an "idea" of how it might look. Keep in mind the stone will have to go lower than the unset mounting will show, to allow a "seat" for the diamond to be cut and the proper amount of prong to be pushed over the girdle(waist) of the stone for safe setting. Ask for the jeweler to advise how high and openly the stone may be securely set into any particular ring mounting and be sure the sales staff notes that information about "high open setting" on the work order. For safety, you may need slightly heavier(thicker and stronger) prongs. This should not affect the metal over the stone and finished correctly will look great and still have an open look.