“On The Mend”-Repairing, Redesigning and Mending the Broken

April 1st, 2021

I am sitting here listening to music while working.  It’s late, or early in the AM.  It’s quiet and it’s my favorite time of day, or night.  Repairs are taking place.  I put it out there on social media that I am doing repairs and many need their jewelry repaired.  I used to say, “I don’t like doing repairs unless I am redesigning it.” Now, I feel differently.  Repairs are always needed and not many like to do them so people seek me out, ask questions about a jewelry designer that can fix a beaded necklace on Nextdoor Swarthmore/Wallingford and I am recommended.  It’s good to offer a service that many jewelry designers detest.  Your business always keeps on moving and many a time, clients come in and buy something while they go over what they want repaired or redesigned.

Repairs, everyone needs them when it comes to anything, but especially anything beaded.  Necklaces, bracelets and earrings break all of the time.  Women and yes, sometimes men need their jewelry repaired and it’s not the typical repair; it’s restringing a necklace, or bracelet and adding a new clasp, or replacing beads that are hard to find.  That’s what I do.  That’s where I come in.  Jewelers typically work with metals and have no time for restringing beads or even pearls.  It’s sometimes hard, mostly easy and yet often tedious and it’s always needed so during winter months, or summer months I usually have a lot of repairs, but I think because so many received their stimulus checks, they are gathering all of their jewelry that they have had for years and bringing it over and we are going over what needs to be done.  

I also redesign necklaces or take Murano glass that women buy in Italy and create a necklace with the pendants they bring to me.  I ask them if they prefer silver or would another metal work?  What price point are they looking to spend?  Some like to go all out and some want a less expensive option.  I can do that, I just won’t use Sterling, but it’s unreal the chain that is out there now.  Base metal chains now have a coating that keeps them from turning black.  Sometimes, they look better than Sterling.  This is my favorite aspect of repairs is the redesign.  To redesign a necklace and make it into something so differnet is a good time for me.    

More jewelers who work with beads should take it up.  Repairing jewelry can be easy and inexpensive, but it can also be lucrative.  I charge by the job, but I also charge by the hour.  I also polish and clean up jewelry, too.  Lots of people don’t want to polish something with a pearl or a precious stone and that’s where I come in.  Anything bought from me, for the most part, I do not charge to polish, but anything one needs polished that is from another artist I do for a fee.  Many people can’t stand polising jewelry.  Their hands are not up for the task, or they don’t know what to use so they would rather just ship it on over.  Not a problem.    

And the best part?  I can do it anytime of day, or night with my tunes going.  Right now I am repairing three different clients jewelry and one is coming to pick her jewels up tomorrow.  Tea in hand, pajamas on, music playing, while restringing a necklace with many missing Onyx beads in two different shapes.  I happened to find Onyx in the same size from a gem dealer based in New York.  With the click of my hand, I am able to find what I need for any job. I am used to gem shows and bead shows, but since that is not happening due to Covid, I am using the computer for all things work related and I should have done that a long time ago.  Better late than never.  I’ve been making jewelry since 2004 and I am still learning, which I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Wake me when the hour arrives, wake me with my name, see you somewhere down the line, we’re teathered once again.  I’m here and I’m on the mend.  I am here and I am on the mend, my friend.”   On The Mend, The Foo Fighters….to mending some jewels.

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