Necklace Broke Again From a Customer
4 Different Types of Difficult Chains To Repair
Annabelle / September xxx, 2019
Non all jewelry is created equal…and not all jewelry is repaired equally either! If y'all have a broken necklace or bracelet in demand of concatenation repair, you might exist experiencing mixed results with some jewelers in getting information technology fixed. Worse nonetheless, they might exist turning you down- only why? Read on to learn more than most why your jeweler is saying no to chain repair.
How are Chains Repaired?
Chains are usually pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to fix, if they're inside a standard thickness around 1.4mm. Depending on the type of concatenation, the jeweler can cut a link open up at ane of the two broken ends, thread it through another link, and fuse the gap shut with solder, an hands melted metal blend that functions similar a glue.
Other types of chains aren't every bit straightforward, even so. For instance, it'southward difficult to repair a rope chain and maintain its original integrity due to the way it's constructed; the area of work will have a visible divergence in comparing to the rest of the chain. Sure chains will never expect the aforementioned even after repair. Here are a few scenarios every bit to why a jeweler might turn a chain repair down:
1. The chain is hollow
Rope chains are notorious for this construction: the design of the chain is empty on the within of the links. This is to reduce metal weight and make the slice cheaper for sale. While it ways you lot can buy the concatenation for a lower price, it as well ways that the item volition exist "crushed" at the spot where the jeweler works on information technology. In addition, the repair is not strong and may not withstand daily wear over time. As a consequence, some jewelers volition plow the item down to avert whatsoever potential problems with their customers.
This rope chain was stock-still by weaving i single link through the area of repair.
two. The concatenation's blueprint can't be fixed
Herringbone chains and other custom designed chains are nigh washed for if they are cleaved. Because these bondage are constructed via a series of fluid, interlocking apartment links, if the chain is snagged it "unravels" the entire construction. The links are unremarkably very thin slices of metallic, and once they're bent information technology'due south near-impossible to hammer them back to an acceptable state.
Most jewelers will non even effort the repair with these pieces; all the same, we will take them and let the client know that the areas of work will be very visible. Our jeweler gently bends and moves the chain back into place with several probes; he then tacks sure locations in less-visible areas (such as the back) to brand the links stay.
This herringbone chain was snagged and torn. Our jeweler "unfolded" the links to the best of his ability.
3. The metal is strange
If your concatenation is fabricated from an anarchistic base metal such as brass, bronze, or copper, the jewelers may non have a gamble on information technology. This is especially common if your concatenation has other components on it such equally stones, charms, and pendants. Unknown metals tin react very strangely to heat, and the soldering procedure requires exposure to a laser or a flame. When the metal heats upwardly, it could potentially melt or burn down, causing damage to the concatenation and anything attached to information technology.
Additionally, the surface area of repair won't lucifer the balance of the concatenation. Most jewelers do not accept base metal solder, then they will default to using silver solder. This disrupts the overall color of the concatenation.
At Quick Jewelry Repairs, to avoid these issues, we test the concatenation with a little heat outset. If it reacts badly, we will inform the customer that we cannot perform the repair. If it seems to have heat well, we'll remove any components from the chain that may burn in the repair process equally an actress precaution earlier we proceed. The chain is then polished and re-plated if necessary to make the color compatible.
This brass chain had a lot of plastic beads and stones. Our jeweler added links in a similar metal and minimized the amount of soldering needed.
4. The concatenation is plated
Some chains are plated with gold or rhodium in society to give it a sure color. The repair work removes that plating, exposing the original color of the metallic underneath. Every bit some jewelers may not have the ability to aureate plate the chain, they will turn it down to avoid whatever issues with their customers.
An additional gene is the original metal of the chain. If the chain is sterling argent plated with aureate, nearly jewelers should be able to re-plate that. Strange metals, even so, cannot be plated easily and if the jeweler determines that it's not readily conducive to the gold plating procedure, they will not have the task.
Our jewelers can piece of work with singular jewelry metals that need plating. We do this by nickel plating the chain to make it chemically uniform with the gilded plating procedure, then nosotros proceed to place information technology in our golden-plating tank for the final coloration.
This citrine pendant was golden-plated to restore its original color.
Now you're upward to date on reasons why your jeweler won't perform the chain repair! If yous're experiencing this issue, hit us upwardly in the comments below and we tin can help you out.
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Source: https://quickjewelryrepairs.com/articles/difficult-chain-repairs/
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