If you’ve ever had a piece of jewelry get damaged or broken in any way, you know how upsetting it can be. Maybe your favorite necklace’s chain broke or your grandmother’s ring had a broken prong. Maybe you simply have a ring that doesn’t fit well and you’re constantly worrying about losing it. Jewelry repair is a common part of any good jeweler’s business, particularly when it comes to keeping your jewelry looking its best for years to come.

It’s absolutely vital to the integrity of your jewelry that you trust the jewelry repair expert that you enlist for the job. They should be professional, experienced, and well-versed in all common jewelry repairs. Roman Malakov has an entire team, located in the diamond district of New York City, devoted to repairs and they are some of the most trusted and well-respected professionals in the industry. Each piece of jewelry that needs repairs is carefully inspected to give you the best solution in it’s renewal and repair process. 

Take a look at some of the most common jewelry repairs that Roman Malakov can complete for you, and explore the process of each repair. Then, read on to learn about how to care for your jewelry to minimize the likelihood of damage and the need for jewelry repairs.

The Most Common Jewelry Repairs

Sometimes, no matter how careful we are, jewelry needs repair. Maybe it’s from years of wear and tear or maybe it was a one-time situation that caused damage to your cherished necklace, ring, or bracelet. No matter how your jewelry came to be damaged, rest assured that we can we can handle any jewelry repair at one of our New York City locations. Below are some of the most common jewelry repairs we do at Roman Malakov, and we would love be more than willing to complete them for you as well.

Ring Resizing

If you have a ring that is too loose or too tight, our jewelry repair experts can definitely help. There are a few non-permanent ways to tighten a ring should you desire that; these alternatives include, such as sizing beads , or spring inserts, etc. However, we recommend permanent solutions for ring resizing as they are more effective and will keep your ring safely on your finger.

When you get your ring resized, the repairer will first cut a section of the band, usually on the very bottom. If the ring is to be made larger, the ring will be expanded to the correct size, then have metal inserted into the opening. If the ring is to be made smaller, metal will be cut metal off the band and soldered until the two sides are back together.

Cracked Band

This may seem like a strange jewelry repair, but a cracked band happens far more than most realize. Working out, gripping heavy objects, swimming, and even relaxing in a hot tub can wreak havoc on the integrity of your band and can lead to it cracking. A jewelry repair for a cracked band is done similarly to a ring resizing, except that the ring first needs to be put back into a completely round shape before being soldered together.

Prong Repair

While prongs can sometimes break off completely from a piece of jewelry, the most common prong repairs involve repairing flattened prongs. When your jewelry was first made, the prongs had rounded tips that held the gemstones in place. Over time, the tips of the prongs can flatten, leading to a less secure gemstone. You may not notice that your gemstone is loose if the prongs are just slightly flattened, but it’s best to get your jewelry inspected regularly to ensure flat prongs are repaired before the gemstone falls out. If the entire prong broke off of your jewelry, either the entire head of your piece will be replaced or the individual prongs will be repaired via soldering more metal to them. Many places can also repair flattened prongs by adding a ball of metal to the ends of the prongs and shaping it to match the current prongs.

Necklace Chain Repair

Necklaces commonly get caught on things or pulled by kids, leading to broken chains. Any chain can be repaired, but some people will simply choose to purchase a new chain when one breaks since chains are never as strong as they once were after they have been repaired.

The type of chain and how it broke will determine how the jewelry repair is performed, but most commonly, links can be soldered together to give your necklace back its longer, more secure chain.

Necklace Clasp Repair

Necklaces may snag on something and rather than the chain breaking, the clasp itself will break. Also, clasps may need repairs or replacements after many years of wear. Necklace clasps are generally just replaced rather than repaired, but the jeweler will most likely let you select your preferred type of clasp and will match it impeccably to the rest of the chain. If the jump rings (the tiny rings that connect your clasp to your chain) are broken or damaged, they can be replaced as well. They’ll usually solder the ends of the jump rings together to make them stronger and help your necklaces stay intact and damage-free for a long time.

Loose Gemstone Repair

A loose gemstone is cause for an emergency jewelry repair. That is, you should take off the piece of jewelry immediately and store it safely until you can get your jewelry repair scheduled. The last thing you want to do is lose a gemstone completely, so as soon as you notice any movement with your gemstone, it’s best to take precautions immediately. Most people will only notice a loose gemstone during an inspection with their jeweler, which is part of why it’s so important for you to visit a jewelry store or repair shop regularly to have your jewelry looked at. However, if you notice any shifting, turning, or movement of your gemstone, bring it in right away for a jewelry repair. Oftentimes a loose gemstone leads to just needing to reshape the prongs or re-tipping them to ensure a good fit.

Jewelry Inspections Can Help Avoid Jewelry Repairs

Not every piece of jewelry can be completely protected from damage, as some jewelry repairs are needed simply because of wear and tear on the jewelry over time. Additionally, you may not be able to avoid having a ring get hit with something hard or a child yanking on a necklace chain, but other types of jewelry repairs can be avoided in most cases with proper care of your jewelry. Be sure to visit Roman Malakov regularly for jewelry inspections and cleanings so that we can take the best care of your jewelry and minimize the need for preventable jewelry repairs. Contact us today to schedule a jewelry repair, request a jewelry inspection, or to browse our selection of gorgeous luxury jewelry.