Fine jewelry is an investment that’s worth protecting and maintaining to ensure its beauty and value last for generations to come. Whether you’ve inherited a family heirloom or splurged on a special piece, proper care is essential to safeguard against common issues like loose stones, broken clasps, knotted chains, tarnished metal, and more.
In this guide, we will share some practical advice to address these concerns and offer jewelry repair tips you can do at home. Continue reading below to learn how to preserve the beauty of your jewelry pieces and keep them sparkling for years with the help of Kroman Jewelry.
Learn more about Kroman Jewelry’s Repair Services
Jewelry Maintenance: The Key to Longevity
Routine and preventative jewelry maintenance is essential to preserving your cherished pieces’ aesthetic appeal and monetary value.
By prioritizing care for your jewelry, preventing wear and tear, completing routine cleanings, and properly storing your pieces, you’ll ensure they remain in top condition. This means they will be ready to complement your look and help you mark the special moments in your life.
Preventing Wear and Tear
Your jewelry is meant to be worn, but that doesn’t mean you can be rough with it. Protecting your custom jewelry is crucial in keeping it looking nice and preventing costly repairs.
Our first tip to prevent unnecessary wear and tear is to be mindful of your setting. If you’re engaging in strenuous activities like exercising, gardening, and cleaning, you should remove your fine jewelry. Likewise, your jewelry should not be worn if you’re working with chemicals like cleaning supplies and hair products or abrasive elements like salt water.
Another thing you may consider is rotating your jewelry pieces to distribute wear evenly amongst your pieces, which offers you an opportunity to take your favorite pieces to a jeweler for an inspection and thorough cleaning.
The Importance of Regular Cleaning
Regular cleaning is essential for maintaining the beauty and protecting the structural integrity of your pieces. If left unclean, dirt, oil, and other debris will build up, scratching your pieces and dulling their luster.
To clean your fine jewelry at home, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) recommends soaking it in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap. Then, once you’ve removed it from the soapy water use a soft clean toothbrush to clean the hard-to-reach places. Doing this once or twice a week will help preserve your pieces’ natural sparkle.
Additionally, it’s important to take your engagement rings or wedding bands to your favorite local jeweler two times a year to have them professionally cleaned. During this time, your jeweler will not only clean your rings but inspect them for damage and, if necessary, perform gemstone tightening and ring sizing.
Storing Your Jewelry
One of the biggest mistakes people make when caring for their jewelry is not storing their precious pieces properly. Many people think that simply putting their jewelry in a box is enough. But haphazardly throwing it in there without proper organization is a surefire way to end up with knots in chains, broken chains, and scratches.
To avoid this, we recommend implementing an organizational system that allows every piece to have its own special place. Also, consider leaving your delicate pieces in a soft pouch.
Understanding The Basics of Jewelry Repair
Occasionally, jewelry repairs can be done at home with the proper tools, but it’s crucial to approach DIY repairs with a certain degree of understanding.
In the second half of this blog, we will discuss what kinds of repair tasks are safe to tackle on your own and provide to help you navigate the process. We will also share a list of tools you should keep on hand to make these repair jobs a little easier.
Common Types of Jewelry Damages That Can Be Fixed at Home
Before we go any further, you must understand the kinds of jewelry damage that can be repaired at home and the type of damage that requires professional assistance.
Jewelry damage that can be fixed at home includes:
- Untangling knots in chains
- Fixing a broken chain
- Tightening a loose stone
- Replacing a broken jump ring
- Polishing tarnished metal
Jewelry damage that requires professional assistance:
- Resizing a ring
- Complex stone setting repair
- Soldering metal components
- Restoring antique jewelry pieces
- Repairing filigree or enamel
- Replacing missing gemstones
Essential Tools for Jewelry Repair
Before you begin performing any DIY repairs, you need to make sure you have the right tools for the job.
We recommend purchasing the following tools:
- Jewelry pliers
- Jewelry wire cutters
- Jewelry hammers
- Jewelry adhesive
- Magnifying glasses
- Needle nose tweezers
- Polishing cloth
With these basic tools in hand, you’ll be equipped to tackle a variety of different jewelry repair tasks from the comfort of your home.
General Jewelry Repair Tips
Whether it’s a loose stone, broken clasp, tangled chain, or tarnished metal, knowing how to handle basic jewelry repairs can save you time and money.
One of the most important aspects of jewelry repair is knowing what type of metal and stones you’re working with. Different materials and stones require different care and handling, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the components you’re working with before you begin a repair project.
For example, gold and silver are softer metals in comparison to platinum and must be handled differently. Similarly, some gemstones like emeralds chip easily and must be handled with care.
When it comes to actually making a repair, you must be patient and precise. We recommend waiting until you have enough time to complete the project to avoid feeling rushed. If you’re too hasty, you may damage the piece further, making it very expensive to fix.
Lastly, you must thoroughly assess the damage and recognize when you’re in over your head. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help from a local jeweler who is trained to fix these types of jewelry damage and restore your piece to its original glory.
Professional Help for Jewelry Maintenance and Repair
If the damage to your jewelry is not something you’re comfortable fixing yourself, you’ll need to seek help from a professional. A jeweler can preserve the value of your piece by restoring it with precision and offering expert advice to help you care for your precious pieces at home.
That being said, not all jewelers are created equal. You must source help from someone you trust to be transparent and deliver the best quality work. Below, we will outline some tips for choosing a local jeweler and what to expect from the repair process.
Finding a Reliable Jeweler
When you need professional jewelry services, there are a few things you should consider to ensure you get the best service at a fair price.
We recommend looking for local jewelers who:
- Have a good reputation
- Have experience and have geological credentials from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
- Good communication skills
Learn more about Josh Kroman, your local Kansas City Jeweler
What to Expect From the Jewelry Repair Process
Once you’ve selected a jeweler you feel comfortable with, you can begin the repair process. This usually starts with a thorough assessment of your piece and a conversation about the scope of work and the timeline for completion. Then, an estimate will be provided.
Once that has been agreed upon, the repair work begins. During this time, your jeweler will meticulously repair your pieces to make them look brand new.
After the pieces have been restored, they will be inspected to ensure the work meets quality standards and will be professionally steam cleaned. Then, it’s time to pick up your jewelry! At this time, we encourage you to inspect it once more before leaving the store to make sure it meets your expectations.
Remember, when you entrust your jewelry repair work to an experienced jeweler, you can rest assured knowing your treasured pieces are in good hands to enjoy them for years to come.
Trust Kroman Jewelry to Handle Your Jewelry Repairs in Kansas City
If your favorite jewelry needs repair, contact Kroman Jewelry in Overland Park, KS, today! Our team understands how meaningful your pieces are and will handle your pieces with the utmost care.
Our jewelers have the knowledge and the skills to fix a wide variety of repairs, from broken clasps to intricate filigree work. Plus, with our dedication to customer service and transparency, you can rest assured that you will be treated fairly throughout the process.
Contact us today to discover the Kroman difference and schedule an appointment to learn more about our repair services. Your jewelry deserves the best, and that’s what you’ll get if you trust Kroman Jewelry.
