When a piece of jewelry such as a necklace or bracelet become damaged, it can be quite distressing. This is because the pieces may be family heirlooms or just very expensive gifts. Luckily, some of the repairs can be done by oneself. Here are some tips on how to perform Jewelry Repair in Charleston SC and fix a broken necklace.
Take an overview of what damage has occurred so that the proper tools can be set aside. The most common tools that will be used are needle-nosed pliers. If beads are missing on the necklace, they can be very often be purchased at a jewelry store.
If the clasp is damaged, perform the following instructions.
- Move the necklace, so the clasp end is facing towards the person making the repair. From there, the jump rings can be opened. There will be a jump ring on each end of the necklace.
- Place the jump rings between the tips of the fingers and grasp securely. Take a pair of needle-nosed pliers and-and clamp them on one side of the slit on the jump ring. The slit is aiming at the ceiling. Take a second pair of needle-nosed pliers and clamp them on the other side of the slit. Pull gently apart so that the slit is widened.
Repeat this procedure on the other jump ring.
- Replace the damaged clasp with a new one and replace any jump ring which may be damaged. This method will also work if repairing chain links.
If the hinge is broken, perform the following instructions.
- Locate the area where the hinge attaches to the necklace. Save the original parts.
- Grind the head off of the rivet by using a ball burr. Place a divot into the necklace at the location the hinge attaches to.
- Push out the pin by using a steel punch. Place a divot on the other side of the hinge.
- Reassemble with a new hinge using the old parts for reference.
If this seems like too much work, a professional jeweler such as Cormier Jewelers can easily perform the necessary Jewelry Repair in Charleston SC. In fact, by having a professional do the work, it may still keep any applicable warranties or guarantees applicable if the jewelry was recently purchased.
