Jewellery Case Studies

Our work covers repairs, re-modelling and commissions. See how we have helped our customers with their jewellery needs.

Sovereign Pendant

Problem

After years of natural wear and tear, the owner found that her sovereign pendant had worn through and detached itself from the connecting ring to the necklace. The chain was removed from the ring and the sovereign was removed from the pendant surround, to keep it protected from the restoration work.

Work Undertaken

The joining ring and pendant mount were both cleaned before any work was carried out. Both pieces were coated in a protective solution and fired. Both the joining ring and pendant ring were built up with new gold and solder to return it to its original condition. They are then filed and buffed to remove sharp areas and to allow them to fit together smoothly.

The joining ring was then cut through, reattached to the pendant mount and soldered back together. The repaired pieces are then cleaned in the diluted acid and the pendant is put back on the owner's necklace.

Result

The necklace and pendant are both polished and the sovereign is reset into the mount. It is then given a final brightening.

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Solitaire Ring

Problem

All of the claws on the lady's solitaire ring had worn down over time. To avoid further damage and the possibility of her losing the diamond, she agreed to have all of the claws replaced as new.

Work Undertaken

The ring was cleaned thoroughly to avoid any dirt burning onto the back of the diamond and therefore discolouring it permanently. The ring was then coated in a solution to protect the diamond when it was heated up.

All of the claws were then individually built up with new gold and solder. Once the claws had been replaced, the ring was then dipped in diluted acid to remove oxidisation and to clean the diamond before re-finishing.

Result

All of the claws were then rounded off with needle files and assorted burrs to tidy them up, and were all checked to make sure that they held the diamond securely. The ring was then polished and all white gold areas (the claw setting) were rhodium plated to give a more pristine finish.

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Bracelet

Problem

The client had a re-occurring problem where the traditional ladder clasp on her bracelet kept breaking; despite being repaired a number of times. She was quite specific about changing the clasp completely for a different type that was more reliable but still retained the streamline effect with the overall look.

Work Undertaken

The clasp that we found matched the width perfectly and also had a double fastening for extra security (1. A box snap fastening, 2. A figure of eight clip)

Once the client had approved the style and cost involved, the bracelet is given a thorough clean to avoid any burning or staining when the item is heated up. The old ladder clasp is disconnected from the bracelet. The new box clasp is separated into two halves. Parts of the end links on the bracelet are cut down to give a clean area where the new clasp will be soldered. The clasp and bracelet are then coated with a solution to protect the surface of the item, to avoid movement from any pre-existing solder seams and to help with the final re-finishing. Once both halves of the new clasp have been soldered to the end links of the bracelet, the bracelet is then dipped into diluted acid to remove any oxidisation.

Result

Once the bracelet is clean, the clasp is checked to make sure that it works properly and that it is level and in-line with the rest of the bracelet. Any sharp edges around the soldered areas are then smoothed off. The bracelet is now ready for polishing and re-finishing.