What to do if a diamond falls out of your engagement ring

It’s every bride’s worst nightmare: one moment you’re living your best married and/or engaged life, the next, you look at the sparkler on your left hand and see that a diamond, or worse, the centre diamond, has vanished from your ring. 

Of course, feelings of panic are bound to ensue as you scramble around looking for the lost stone, and once the initial shock of discovering you’re missing a diamond has abated, you need to take a series of decisive steps in fairly rapid succession.

But before we offer suggestions on how best to resolve this unfortunate situation, examining its causality can help you avoid such an undesirable position in the first place. 

Read more: How to keep jewels gleaming

There are a number of reasons a stone might have fallen out of your engagement ring but the general consensus amongst jewellers is that it’s usually due to wear and tear and improper maintenance.  

“Diamonds, gemstones and jewellery are expensive purchases. However, they are not indestructible,” says James Allen gemologist Lorraine Branter. “Damage can happen during an accident or from wear and tear over time.” 

This means no matter how careful you are, your ring is still susceptible to damage due to being worn on a daily basis and a plan to service your ring at least once annually is in order. 

Ritani gemologist Ryan Kelsie suggests a bi-annual check-up would be preferable. "It would be best if you had your ring examined by a jeweller every six months to ensure your prongs are secure to avoid losing any stones,” he says. Of course, there is the possibility that the diamond fell out due to a poorly constructed ring made with inferior materials

“It’s important to use an experienced jeweller who uses the correct mixture of gold and alloys for the setting, avoiding soft metals that are fragile and unfit to hold a diamond,” advises Chagit Leviev, CEO of Leviev Diamonds. Be sure you inquire about maintenance packages and warranties at the time of purchase and explore what insurance policies will and will not cover. 

“It is important to have your bridal set and any other expensive pieces insured for loss, theft and mysterious disappearance,” says Branter. 

Read more: 13 things your jeweller won't tell you

Apart from regularly servicing your ring, most jewellers caution against engaging in activities that could subject your rings to damage while wearing them such as strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, or cleaning the house.

“Avoid harsh chemicals such as chlorine, household bleach and everyday substances such as lotion, hairspray, perfume and other cosmetics that cause grime to accumulate over time in the setting and cause the stone to get loose,” says Easter Ahn-Lee of Easter Ahn Design in California. 

If you knock your hand into something or your ring is otherwise impacted by blunt force, this could also cause a stone to become loose. Should this happen, do a quick check for damage by listening for a rattling sound.

“You can hold your ring up to your ear to listen for rattling in the ring as a sign of loose prongs,” says Kelsie. This is an easy check you can do at home that could save you hours of agony in the future. 

In the unfortunate instance that you notice a stone has gone missing, experts recommend remaining calm and immediately searching your surroundings for the lost diamond. 

“Carefully search your immediate area and then trace back your steps,” advises Branter. “Diamonds and gemstones can fit into the smallest of places so it’s important to be methodical.” Enlist help to cover more ground and if you’re at a venue such as a restaurant or hotel, alert the staff so they can be on the lookout for the lost gem.

If the missing stone happens to be your centre diamond, file a police report as it might be requested by your insurance provider. Most police departments will allow you to file a claim online, so try to file it the same day you notice your stone has gone missing. 

Losing one of the smaller diamond pave stones is generally more of a headache than cause for alarm. 

“This type of setting is created with tiny little prongs holding tiny little diamonds,” says Mollie Boutell Suarez of Westshore Diamond Co. “The most vulnerable ones will come out in the first year of wearing the new piece, after that they should be set and tightened enough to last a few years without any coming out.” 

“The best practice in caring for your ring is for it to be the last thing you put on in the morning, and the first thing you take off in the evening,” says Lucy Zimmerman, co-owner of Roman Jewelers.

“(The) two main mistakes that women make with their rings are assuming they can be worn all the time and never taking them off.”

Read more: A guide to buying loose diamonds

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