Re-Buffed Gem Gets a New Lease On Life – How Gem Polishing Works

Classic Before Shot

When You Wear it Everyday, You Don’t Always Really See What’s Happening

Carol loved her Tsavorite and Diamond ring. It started out like all good jewelry love affairs. All sparkle and joy.

But, just like the fact that your car doesn’t run forever without a tune-up and the occasional detail job and waxing, your jewelry can lose its luster over time.

What Happened to Carol’s Ring?

Carol thought her gemstone was dirty. Actually the Tsavorite was scratched.

Detail of the Side Channel and Missing Diamond

Technically speaking, it had abraded facet junctions. (All the little flat planes and sharp shiny angles were worn away.)

While the Tsavorite was colliding with the physical universe and getting scratched, a diamond fell out of her side channel setting and the gold scratched up enough to lose its luster too.

Was This the End of the Line for Carol’s Ring?

Nah, this is Calla Gold, the Santa Barbara Jeweler’s blog post, not Billie’s Bad News Blog. It looked like that little Tsavorite had had its day, but that’s not the way it played out.

This is a happy blog about the redemptive power of awesome Jewelers, about broken jewelry, the redesigning of old funky, out-of-date jewelry into great new up-to-date bling, the blog about how you can design jewelry that you really want! But today Jewelry Repair Extraordinaire is the focus.

So Carol’s ring was not to be counted out.

After the Lapidary Work on Carol's Tsavorite!

A Good Lapidary is the Jewelry Lover’s Best Friend

A Lapidary, cuts, polishes and facets gemstones. Carol’s Tsavorite went to my favorite Lapidary for some tender loving gem polishing and re-faceting. (The re-buffing of the title.)

Actually Carol’s gemstone was re-faceted, and re-buffed!

What Else Did We Do?

After her Diamond Was Replaced

Her bezel setting (the rim of gold that holds the gemstone,) for the Tsavorite was also re-built, her gold buffed and her lost diamond replaced.

Once we re-set her Tsavorite I squealed. It looked so awesome.

Never Give Up

If you have a gemstone that looks, “just dull and awful,” it might not be over for it. Just look at these before and after pics and see what was done for Carol. It was my blue ribbon favorite repair of the month.

Has one of your rings been rebuffed because it's lost its luster?

Do You Have a "Before" Wishing to be an "After?"

It's calling to you. I dare you to go take a look in your jewelry box!

Wear It Don’t Warehouse It!