Because heat is needed for soldering to replace and re-tip the prongs, all of the seed pearls must be removed. Together with the other work, the estimate to get the ring in order far exceeds the ring's value. It's not an uncommon occurrence for owners of inherited heirloom or recently purchased jewelry to be thoroughly disappointed and discouraged if their discovery turns into an expensive or impossible situation to remedy at the jewelry repair department. Dealers face this profit-robbing dilemma every time they purchase a piece of jewelry. Here is some useful information designed to avoid some of the possible pitfalls by informing you of some various scenarios, together with their causes and solutions.
All consumable goods have a useful working life, and jewelry is no exception.
We think of antique and vintage jewelry as being of superior quality and manufacture than newer jewelry. Although in many cases this is true, antique jewelry is not impervious to the ravages of 75 to 100 years of wear and tear, together with multiple repairs involving stretching, hammering, soldering, plus constant bashing and wearing away of metal due to everyday use. If you have sought an estimate for repairing and restoring an antique jewel, you may be in for a shock to discover what great expense this entails. You must remember that antique jewelry repair and restoration is a highly specialized profession. It involves very slow and painstaking work.