Fine jewelry repair tips: How to know when your diamond needs a new crown

Gold, platinum and other precious metals are like all other materials in the world, over time they will wear away and become damaged. It is therefore important that your jewelery is checked every few years to make sure that settings and claws are not excessively worn. Ware can cause the loss of a stone. With the correct care and regular checks by a trained goldsmith, your jewelery can last a lifetime.

When jewelery is repaired there are many things that have to be considered, each piece has the ability to cause its own unique set of problems. Repairing jewelery requires a high level of skill, as poor workmanship can ruin a piece of jewelery permanently.

Things that are considered when repairing jewelery.

The material that the piece is made of can determine the feasibility of a repair. Certain metals are easier to work with, and some stones are harder or more vulnerable than others. Platinum, as a harder metal, is more difficult to work than gold, it is also more difficult to re-polish. This means that repairs can take more time and are a lot more labor intensive.

The stone contained in a piece also requires major consideration, for example, Opals and Emeralds are very difficult to work around and can easily be cracked by both pressure and heat. Ware and age of the piece will also have to be accounted for. If a piece is old or is considerably worn away, then both metal and stones can be quite brittle. In these circumstances extra care will have to be taken so as not to cause damage.

The general condition of piece is probably the most important consideration upon deciding upon the viability of a repair. If a piece is excessively worn, cracked or damaged, a decision may be taken that it is not worth repair. This could be due to the cost it would take to do so or the fact that a piece may not be able to be repaired to a sufficient standard. If this is the case there is an option to restyle the piece. This is where the stones and metal will be used to create a new piece.

Replacing missing and broken stones.

When stones have been broken or lost, it is important that the replacement/s matches the color, size and cut of the other stones in the piece. It is therefore essential that a selection of stones is sourced in order to find the ideal match. Stones are generally sourced directly from dealers which will meet the correct specifications. Very few jewelers or goldsmiths keep a stock of precious stones on site as the large amount of variation in a stones color, size and cut, mean that the chances of an exact match are small.

Broken or distorted shanks.

A common problem with rings is that the shank will bend and warp over time, due to the shape of a finger and everyday wear and tear. Broken shanks and/or shoulders can also happen, usually when a ring is caught or crushed in something, or possibly received a bump or blow. To reshape a ring the shank will have to be heated and shaped using the appropriate tools.