I have just finished a restoration on a ring that was pretty much ready for the scrap pile.

Our customer did NOT want a new ring (the item was very dear to her) so we had to work with the original piece. Preserving the piece and making it wearable again was the mission.

An identical replacement head was not available, which is not uncommon for older items, and the ring was shaved thin on the sides. Again, thinning is a constant enemy on softer metals like gold, so this needs to be addressed or the ring can crack and even fall off.

So, with my laser (more on the laser soon – it’s very cool), I completely filled all the shaved/cracked/broken sides of the ring. I then rebuilt all the prongs to ensure the center stone would be held securely for the next few decades of constant wear.

I had to cut out the thinnest part of the shank as it was not reparable and infilled to bring it up almost 3 sizes as well. People often forget that sizing a ring is not always a simple affair and sometimes larger size changes can have real challenges.

What do you think? We took an heirloom piece, preserved all of it and made it wearable for the new owner. We love this type of work as it fits in with our philosophy that jewelry is more than a simple product, it’s a vessel for memories, tribute, and love.

Before and after shots below …

~Andy Russakoff