Jewelry Repairs – Life Extension for Your Jewelry

She says, “Please Keep my Jewelry Repairs up to date. Sometimes I’m Kinda Hard on it!”
Photo – Russel Heidler – RB Gems

Let’s talk about jewelry repairs. I’ve been hearing all the time things like, “my ring broke at the bottom”, “my diamond fell out” or “my pearls broke.” “My chains tangled.”

The calls I want to get are, “seems like time to check my prongs,”  “I bet my pearls are due for a restringing,” or “could you come by and check my rings and look at my necklaces to see if they need a tune up?”

You love your jewelry. A great way to have it love you, and last longer and not let you down is to tune it up now and again just like a car.

The Mystery of Jewelry Breakage, “But I Didn’t Do Anything to it!”

Who Thought This Could Happen?

I too have been that person who looks down to see a gemstone missing and the first thing I say to myself is, “but I didn’t hit it or anything.”

I’m kind of upset that it “happened” to me. Like I had nothing to do with it.

Then I get out my loupe and look closely at the prongs and see the story. They are dinged and bent.

Or This?

So if I didn’t hit it up against something (repeatedly, judging from the worn condition I see) who did? Hmmm, I guess it was me, but I didn’t notice.

I guess I’ll admit that it’s possible since I find random bruises sometimes and have no recollection of colliding with anything. And yet I must have done something to have gotten that little black and blue mark.

These little life collisions happen and your jewelry can get a bit chewed up without your realizing it.

So What do You do About it?

Put it on Your Calendar

Get on a Schedule in Spring and Fall with Your Jeweler.

Arrange to have your jewelry cleaned.

At the same time have your prongs checked and re-aligned as needed.

Use a calendar, use your phone, but find a way to remind yourself.

Ten Ways to Extend the Life of Your Jewelry Collection with Jewelry Repairs

1. Bring in your pearls to have the knots checked. When they break it’s too late. Restringing not only keeps you pearls safe, but allows them to look their best. See my Ten Reasons You Need to Restring Your Pearls.

2.Bring in your earrings to have them cleaned and have your backings checked. Did you know that all the switching around of earring backings is a big cause of lost earrings? Yup! Go over your earring backings situation with your jeweler. Buy new matching backings where needed and don’t switch them from now on.

3. Bring in your chains for polishing and while you’re at it look over each clasp, not only for weakness, but to see if you can easily open and close it. Many people barely wear some of their chains because they have such annoyingly small clasps. These same people get way more wear out of those chains once we change to a slightly larger clasp. And don’t forget to have your jeweler enlarge the annoyingly small ring your new clasp with hook on to.

4. Look at the engraving details on your engraved jewelry. Is it looking lackluster? Did you know that a good hand engraver can go over and re-engrave and bring back the sharp details of your engraving and make that piece of jewelry look amazing? It’s true.  Have this service done and be amazed.

5. Not all jewelry you aren’t wearing is broken. Take your necklaces in to your jeweler and try them on. Are they a good length for you? I’ve shortened too long necklaces for people and had them tell me, “I wear this all the time now.”

6. On the other side of the coin clients have told me, “I’d wear these pearls I inherited, but they are just too short.” I have then located matching pearls and lengthened their necklace. It’s like getting a new piece of jewelry when you solve a problem like this.

7. Have your rings cleaned and polished up like new for a lift in your day when you wear it in its dazzling new cleanness. Dirt and scratches really impede the beauty of your rings especially.

8. Try on each of your rings while with your jeweler and see if they fit nicely. If they are uncomfortably tight have them sized larger. Don’t wait till you lose five pounds. See my post on

ring sizing and weight gain.

9. Bring in your bracelets and have the adjustment of their safety catch checked as well as having them polished. Do check out the security of each clasp while with your jeweler.  That clasp could be barely hanging on. Your jeweler will preemptively adjust or outright repair your clasp. Bracelets get a lot of unnoticed banging around, so be sure to bring them in for a bit of love from your jeweler.

10. Bring in your pendants to be checked as well. The bail, the bit that connects your pendant to your chain gets rubbed against the chain every day you wear it. Have your jeweler check the wear on your bail and the little connecting rings too.

Let Your Jeweler Extend the Life of Your Jewelry

This Necklace Looks Amazing When Cleaned

People comment on and notice your new jewelry. When it’s properly cleaned and polished it looks new. Have your jewelry cleaned and polished from time to time and enjoy the new look and smiley feel of your happy, tuned up jewelry.

Jewelry repairs come in many flavors. I say all are good for your jewelry.

Clean, Polish, Check and Alter Your Jewelry on a Schedule

Your beloved jewelry collection thanks you.

Let me Love Your Jewelry Back to Life,
Calla Gold