Jewelry Repair and Restoration

Ask any jeweler what their “least” favorite thing to do is and I bet most will say, “jewelry repair and restoration.”  I sort of agree…
Thankfully, I rarely need to repair or restore my own stuff.  I believe strongly in both design and structural integrity for the things I make.  But my clients often have pieces from other sources, some that are very meaningful for them. And honestly, even some things I didn’t make are worthy of another chance when they fail or just wear out.
Jewelry Repair as a Learning Tool
​There’s a reason I sort of agree with it being mostly a nasty task.  There are benefits to me as a designer from doing jewelry repair… it keeps my hands in the trenches. I’ve probably learned at least as much about how jewelry should be designed from repairing things than just making them.  It allows me to see what works.  And, more importantly, what doesn’t work when jewelry is worn often.  Items worn on the body take a beating.  Rings and bracelets especially take a beating.  I don’t like to disparage other’s work, but an experienced eye can tell if a designer has actually been in the trenches of repair for any length of time.
I’ll write again about some specific repair and restoration considerations but for now, I’ll leave you with this very short video about a recent project for a great client.  This ring shown above was in pretty good shape except for the detail on the sides, which had been severely worn from having worn the ring next to other rings, a common problem.  I used a combination of cutting edge technology, CAD and 3D Printing and traditional fabrication techniques to bring the ring back to near perfection!

And the outcome was great!!!  Contact us at Gary Dawson Designs to discuss your project today!