Other than being beautiful, shiny, rare, and expensive, diamonds are well known for being one of the sturdiest substances on the planet. In fact, if you've ever heard of rubbing sandpaper on the diamond in order to check its authenticity that is because it's one of the hardest elements around. Still, all while this is most definitely reassuring, as the thought of losing a diamond or having it stolen is terrifying enough without having to worry about it breaking, it is by no means foolproof. Yes, even a diamond can get chipped, cracked, or split, especially from certain angles and on specific cuts and stone sizes. However, if and when such an incident occurs, there are ways to salvage the diamond, or at the very least, make the most of it. Here is how.

Recut/Polish the Diamond

You might not be the clumsiest person in the world, and diamonds can be quite tough to chip, but you can still find yourself with a damaged stone after accidentally slamming your ring into the corner of your granite countertop or other sharp surface. Before you begin to mourn your marred diamond, analyze the damage, or bring it to your local jeweler to have a look. If the crack/chip is not very big, you are in luck. The diamond can be repolished or recut so that the damaged area is removed or perhaps polished down and perhaps after only losing a little bit of weight, the diamond can look as good as new. If, however, the chip is rather large, or the stone is very small, re-cutting may not be a practical option.

Diamond on the Wheel

A diamond on the wheel being polished down to perfection

Reset the Stone

A cracked diamond is a lot to digest, but there are other ways to salvage it besides for having it recut. Though a ring setting is a huge part of a diamond ring, it is usually far less expensive than the stone itself, and therefore much more affordable to replace. By choosing a setting that covers the imperfection, such as with a prong or decorative setting, a small or sentimental diamond that cannot be recut can be successfully salvaged.

Diamond and its Setting

A loose diamond and its setting

Upgrading Your Diamond

If all else fails, meaning you have looked at all of your options and none of them are relevant to the particular condition of your stone, look at the glass as half full and seize the opportunity to upgrade your stone. You have always wanted a different cut, larger stone, or possibly even a beautiful colored diamond. Now is your chance to get that stone, despite the rather dire circumstances that have gotten you here. Some jewelers may allow you to trade in your older stones, assuming that you are purchasing a larger and more expensive diamond. Nevertheless, you will still be paying less than buying a completely new stone from scratch.

Pink Argyle Diamond from Leibish

A pink Argyle diamond from Leibish

No one should ever have the experience of chipping a diamond, but if it does happen, know that there are options, and many good ones too. The world does not end with a chipped diamond; life does go on. It may involve a new diamond cut, ring setting, or possibly a completely new diamond that comes at somewhat of a cost, but in any case, you will have learned a valuable lesson. Although diamonds are “forever,” they must be handled very cautiously, insured, and viewed as an asset that can be replaced if need be, and not just as the symbolic item that it is to you.

Did you Know you Can Salvage Chipped Diamonds?

Recut/Polish the Diamond

Reset the Stone

Upgrading Your Diamond