Ring in the New Year with Ring Repair
It’s 2018 already!?! Wow, last year certainly just flew by huh! Well we’re back in the shop again after the holidays and ready to get working. Our resolution? To keep being the best jewelers in town! Do you have a resolution? A similar New Year, New You promise? For some its simply paying more attention to the upkeep of themselves and their belongings (home, cars, etc.) If that sounds like you, then maybe you’d be interested in knowing what goes into repairing jewelry, specifically engagement ring repair!
Engagement Ring Repair
When it comes to repairing engagement rings there are numerous things to consider. First, before you even take it into the shop to get polished or fixed, you need to decide on where to take the ring. The best choice usually is to the jeweler who made it. They have the most knowledge and experience with the materials that went into your ring. They will know the delicate detailing on the band or around the stone that makes it unique.
If taking it to them is not an option, then you need to consider someone else. Look for reputable shops who offer repair as well as sell (and really, if a place doesn’t do repair work along with selling you don’t want to be buying from there in the first place!)
There are three main components to an engagement ring that may require repair. The setting, the band, and the stone.
Repairing the Setting
The setting is the most commonly damaged part of the ring, especially if they are prong or Tiffany styled settings. The setting sticks out from the band and is prone to warping, twisting, or other shifting that can loosen the stone from its secure place. A good rule of thumb is the more intricate a setting is, the more prone to damage it is. To offset this, make sure you are taking your ring into the shop and getting the setting repositioned or otherwise made a secure fit. Sometimes these do need to be replaced entirely and when this happens you can get it done with a more durable metal or thicker prongs.
Repairing the Band
Every engagement ring suffers nicks and scratches. It’s just the facts that anything worn regularly on the finger has the chance to brush up or get smacked on something. If this has happened (and maybe that’s how you found this blog!) to you then don’t get too worried. It’s totally normal, and better yet, totally repairable!
The daily wear and tear don’t necessarily detract from a ring’s gorgeous luster but they can be polished away simply enough. Deeper scratches may require for the piece to be recoated, however. Depending on the metal used a different process will see the recoating take effect.
Speaking of metals, if the ring’s band is made of a softer metal, (gold with higher karat values for instance) then the likelihood of warping is much more pronounced so be sure to check the setting when recoating.
Stone repairs run a wide range. Diamonds may be up there with the hardest known substances but that doesn’t make them invincible. Other types of stones are softer and they too can be damaged. Fortunately for everyone involved, most jewel damage is minor most the time. Simple small chips or light scratching can be easily polished away by a professional. If the stone has an inclusion or flaw then you need to be even more careful as they can fracture or split under the wrong conditions. These too can be repaired luckily, with a filling or coating treatment. Of course, in the rare instance where nothing can be done, the stone must be replaced.
Those are the main areas of ring repair! All that and we didn’t even talk about resizing (though that’s less of a repair, to be fair.) If your ring is needing some TLC after the holidays, give us a ring and we can get your engagement ring shining again!
