My husbands wedding ring has a braided band of gold going around the middle of his ring, rest of the band is also made of gold. A few months ago some of this braid got loose and started to expand,so much so that when we measured it, it had “grown” a full centemeter in length. Now I will also say that he works with aquarium systems and is constantly dipping his hands in tropical tanks which have fresh and salt water. We brought the ring back to the jeweler and he told us it happened cause the ring got wet.This explanation seemed a little wonky to us considering that millions of people wear gold rings while swimming, showering ,and washing without ever taking them off. So we were thinking that maybe the ring wasn’t really gold but something else…what do you think? Did we get ripped off? or is it possible for gold to expand because it got wet? Any opinions appreciated!
When you say ‘braid’ - do you mean an actual braided cord of gold, like a steel cable? (only smaller)?
If this is the case, it may be that the braid has been created from a single strand, wound round itself; getting it wet could enable it to slip against itself and expand.
Nope it was a 3 strand braid.The braid itself did not come appart or look like it frayed.It actually looked like it grew by a whole Cm,The whole braid part stayed intact.
I’m having a hard time visualizing how it looks. You have a solid gold band. Around that band was a three-strand cable effect which, one assumes, was tightly held to the surface of the plain gold band at all parts(a.most certainly soldered on). Now you say the braided cable has expanded by a centimeter? That means that it’s no longer attached to the ring at some point? Or am I missing something.
Just for info: what karat gold is the ring stamped? 10/14/18?
Yes the braided band was soldered on at one point,wrapped around the ring and then finished/soldered again.Th part that lifted would be the outer part from the soldered part,so being on the other side of the ring,it just expanded outwards.
Did it look like any of these:
http://www.aris-titanium.com/turks-head-rings.html
If so, which one(s)?
G’day
Quite possibly the gold hasn’t expanded. What might have happened is that the strands in the brain have pulled tighter, allowing them to straighten out a little. That would allowed the braid to lengthen without any of the strands lengthening.
To see what I’m driving at, loosely braid three strands of string. Now pull the ends of the braid. The strings straighten but don’t stretch, and the braid gets longer.
Does your husband fiddle with his wedding ring? Squeeze it in his fingers? pull it on and off? Just about any forceful handling of soft gold is likely to compress and therefore lengthen the braid.
Regards,
Agback
Its basically the same idea as the icon/ring at the top left of the page on top of where it says Gold…of couse its at the jewelers right now so I can’t say that it is exactly like that one but thats how the braided part goes around the band. I believe the ring was 14K
Agback’s explanation sounds like the correct one.