Why do Jewelers refuse to do certain repairs or alterations?

Let’s talk about the repair side of your jewelry experience.
You know the purchase side, where you buy that piece you just had to have, you know, the one that “haunts” you at night until you rationalize why you absolutely need it. Then comes the repair and maintenance of that same very special piece.

I know from experience as a jeweler, it is hard to explain why a piece of jewelry you bring in for repair is more complicated than you had anticipated. Explanations from, “I cannot size this ring because the structure will not permit it” or “it has to go back to the original creator of the piece”, are hard to hear when you came to us for a solution.

As always, if you are dealing with a jeweler you know and respect, you should understand where they are coming from. The last thing a jeweler wants to do, is create more of a problem by doing something that may cause a bad end result.

Here are some examples:
· Sizing a ring by cutting a piece out may loosen the stones, which may fall out later. The jeweler you deal with should be an expert on which rings this will happen to, and which will not.
· Heat makes metal more malleable, so when you heat up a chain to solder it, the next link on either side may become more weakened.
· Heat from a torch if brought too close to a stone could break that stone. (The laser machine has remedied a lot of this).
· Work of any kind on an Emerald, Opal, or Pearl can be very risky
Because they are soft stones.

The bottom line: I would be “irresponsible” if I didn’t alert you to the possible problems your piece may suffer. I would not like telling you after the fact that your piece was ruined because of the repair we just did. I want to give you the option to NOT take the risk, and give you an alternate plan.
This is where many jewelers fall down. No creative, alternative plan!
No sympathy! Where is the bedside manner? I know we go out of our way
to do just that.

Simple solutions to repairs:
· Instead of sizing the risky ring, wear it on another finger. (Pretty simple solution, not always practical).
· Ring guard instead of sizing a ring smaller (stops most rings from spinning too).
· Instead of soldering a jump ring that may put the piece at risk, use spiral rings that look like mini key chain rings, they don’t need to be soldered.

If a jeweler says that he does not want to handle something for you, it is usually for your own good and the good of the piece. Ask for the alternatives, and look for the “caring”. Both should be there!