5 Ways to Know if Your Jewelry Needs Repair.
If you wear your jewelry every day it will eventually need some maintenance from everyday wear. Below are some guidelines to know if your jewelry needs to be repaired.
Rings
Rings get the most wear at the top where the gemstones are. If the gemstones are set into prongs, rub your finger over the top of the stone where the prongs are. Your should be able to feel “bumps” over the gemstones where the prongs are. If the "prongs feel almost smooth with the stone, it is time to take it into a jeweler to have the prongs checked.
Earrings
Earrings usually have minimum maintenance when it comes to repair. The biggest thing with earrings is to make sure you have a secure; tight back so that you don’t loose the earring. The back should snap on tight with some friction. If the back comes on and off easily, then it’s time to invest in a good pair of back. I like to use a medium friction back and they usually run around $20-$25 each. Screw post and backs over time loose their thread from screwing off and off and become loose. They can also be difficult to unscrew if you do not take your earrings out and the dirt builds up locking the back on.
Bracelets
Bracelets and rings tend to get the most wear because we use our hands so much throughout the day. If it is a link bracelet, overtime the pins wear thin between each link. The thin link than can break much easier. One way to test this is to gently pull the links apart and push them together. If there is wiggle room between links, they are starting to wear. Most links wear faster by the clasp. Sometimes you can see the pin between the links and see if it is starting to look hour glass shaped.
Chains
If you wear a chain plain there isn’t much wear, just make sure the clasp is secure. If you have a pendant on the chain, the weight of the pendant can pull on the chain. Depending on how thin the chain is, it can stretch overtime from the pendant hanging from the chain. When the chain stretches it makes the chain weaker and more prone to break. The best way to test this is to slowly lay the chain in the palm of your hand. If the chain lays nicely, link by link, the chain is in good shape. If the chain lays in large sections, many links at a time, the chain is stretched and getting worn. You can also measure the chain. Most start 18” & 20”, if it measures 19” or 21” it has stretched at least an 1”. I have seen them stretch a few inches before.
The best thing to do is bring your jewelry in that you wear the most and have it cleaned and checked once a year. Try to do a birthday or anniversary to help you remember. Seeing it come back clean and sparkly will want you to get it cleaned everyday!
