Many people have a similar problem: pushed to the back of the jewelry box is a piece of jewelry that is never worn because it’s in need of repair. People often are unsure if their jewelry is worth the cost of repair or if it can even be fixed. If you are holding on to damaged jewelry, either because you’re not sure if it’s valuable or because it is dear to your heart, here are a few suggestions to help you decide if you should repair it or let it go.
Some Factors to Consider
1 — Heirlooms
A special piece of jewelry that was passed down through the family can have sentimental as well as financial value. If it’s even slightly damaged then you risk having a loose stone fall out, or losing the piece entirely if a latch or clasp fails. If you don’t want to wear the piece yourself, keeping it in good repair can help to preserve its value and appearance for years to come. Heirlooms are usually worth repairing, so you can protect a special piece of family history and pass it on to be treasured by generations to come.
2 — Gemstones
It can be very difficult to determine the value of a gemstone with the naked eye. Slight variations in quality and wear can have a significant impact on a gemstone’s value. The best option is to bring in your jewelry with gemstones, so we can evaluate its value. Depending on what the stone is worth, you can decide if it’s worthwhile for you to have the piece repaired or place the stone in a new setting.
3 — Metal
The type of metal used can make an enormous difference in deciding what to do with jewelry. Gold, silver, palladium, and platinum all have different values and present different levels of difficulty when repairing. We can examine the metal to help you decide if you want to refurbish the piece or if it is worthwhile to re-cast it to create a new piece. You may even want to consider selling it for the metal and turn unused jewelry into cash.
4 — Do you love it?
Even inexpensive jewelry is worth the investment if it’s special to you. If wearing it will bring you joy, it is valuable enough to repair.
How to Tell if Your Jewelry Needs Repair
It’s important to know that all jewelry goes through wear and tear with normal use. It can be easy to miss the subtle signs of damage, which can lead to bigger repairs if they go unaddressed. Here are a few details you can check to see if it’s time to have your jewelry repaired.
- Carefully inspect chains and bracelets. Look for broken or bent links and make sure the clasp closes completely and securely. A loose clasp is usually a simple repair, but if it isn’t fixed it can cause you to lose the piece entirely.
- Check the prongs holding gemstones to see if they are bent or broken. If a prong catches on clothing or scratches your skin, that’s a sign that it’s not properly aligned.
- See if any gemstones are loose. Gently prod them with a toothpick to see if they shift at all in the setting.
- Look at the shank of your rings. This is the part of the band that sits on the underside of your finger, near your palm. Check for signs of wear and tear. Discoloration can indicate metal erosion or fatigue.
- Look closely at gemstones, to see if any are missing, or if they have been chipped or dulled with scratches.
Jewelry that you can’t wear because it needs to be repaired isn’t doing you any good. Let us take a look and help you decide what you want to do with it. With the proper care and repair, those pieces can bring you joy again.
