How It’s Done: Turquoise Inlay Ring Repair
It can be hard entrusting your heirloom inlay jewelry to someone since it’s a specialty job, and you want to know what the whole process is of fixing it up.
That’s why I want to be transparent in showing how I repair other client’s pieces, so you can make a more informed decision on who to go to for your unique inlay jewelry repair needs. For peace of mind, I even send my clients progress pictures along the way.
Many years after his father passed, my client found this ring of his father’s long lost and forgotten in a coffee cup.
The ring was missing the central onyx band, as well as the two sterling silver strips between the onyx and the turquoise to match the inlaid side panels (like in the picture to the left).
One of the central turquoise pieces also had a corner broken off and needed to be replaced as well.
Since the center stone was missing, it’s best to remove all of the stones in that central section to re-epoxy the now brittle glue. All inlays are made with epoxy, but the formulas very from brand to brand so some may weaken faster than others.
You can see in this picture how the epoxy has become yellow and not as strong from years of wear. I make sure to clean out all of that old epoxy and any residue before recutting the stones.
Now is the most exciting part where I recut the onyx and sterling banding to complete the design. I had a pretty perfect match on the turquoise in-shop, so I only replaced it on one side and left the original turquoise on the other side since it was still in good condition.
Now that everything has been test fit multiple times to ensure a nice snug fit, I use a very strong, water-clear epoxy to put the pieces back in place.
Once the epoxy is cured, I can recut the surface of the stones so they are all flush, do a final polish on the ring band, and it’s done!
Now my client can proudly wear his father’s ring and have an everyday reminder of him.
Do you have an inlay ring that needs repair and you’re ready to get started?
Use the form below to send me an email to get a quote today!