14 Dramatic Jewelry Repair Before and After Photos You Have to See to Believe

Jewelry repair can often feel like magic. It’s fun to see a broken, disfigured, or dull piece be brought back to life. Talented jewelers can make old pieces look brand new again through processes like reshaping, polishing, stone replacement, and so much more. In this article, we'll look at some unbelievable jewelry repair before and after photos that showcase dramatic alterations and upgrades. From vintage pieces to modern designs, you'll see how cracked watch faces, tarnished metals, and broken prongs are no match for the right tools and expertise.

#1: Gemstone Replacement

It can be devastating to lose a gemstone from a piece of jewelry, especially if it holds a lot of memories or sentimental value. But replacing the gemstone can breathe life back into the piece, making it wearable again. This particular pendant lost its dangling gemstone, the focal point of the piece. When our jewelers fitted a stunning new pearl on the end of the pendant, it totally transformed. 

When you get a gemstone replacement service, you can decide whether you want to match the original stone’s size, cut, and type to restore its original look, or if you want to use the opportunity to upgrade your gemstone to something new and exciting. Gemstone replacement can be a lot more affordable (and a lot less wasteful) than buying a brand new piece of jewelry.

#2: Cracked Watch Face

It's common for watch faces to develop cracks from impact or age. Tiny fractures scatter and multiply, making the numbers on the dial hard to read. Replacing the glass or crystal with one that’s new and flawless will make your watch look like new again. This particular pocket watch was illegible with the cracks on the face, but once our jewelers gave it some TLC, it was easy to read again. Plus, this new crystal will prevent any dust or dirt from entering the watch and interfering with its inner workings. 

#3: Clasp Replacement

Necklaces and bracelets often wear out at the clasp after years of opening and closing. The biggest concern when it comes to a broken or faulty clasp is that you can end up losing the jewelry entirely without realizing it. With this broken spring clasp, this beautiful chain wouldn’t close. Our jewelers swapped in a new sturdy clasp, which was an easy fix that secured the jewelry and made it wearable again. 

#4: Polishing

Gold, silver, and platinum jewelry naturally loses its shine over time. Light scratches, tarnishing, and dull spots can accumulate on the surface of the metals, even if you take perfect care of every piece. You can tell this gold ring has lost its luster, but with a hand from the professionals it looks bright and shiny again. Our jewelers used specialized polishing tools and compounds to buff the metal back to a light-reflecting luster. 

#5: Ring Engraving

When you add a custom engraved message, you can make a plain band unique and personal. This particular ring was beautifully crafted and looks lovely on its own, but our jewelers gave it an extra special touch with an engraved date on the inside of the shank. This makes the ring so much more personal to its wearer, adding some sentimental value. 

#6: Earring Back Soldering

Earring backs tend to loosen over time, which can be dangerous; it means you could end up losing your earrings while wearing them. But getting your earring backs soldered can fix the problem. A jeweler can reattach a loose or damaged backing using heat and filler metal to permanently bond it to the earring. This quick repair restores the earring so you don't have to spend another day without your favorite pair. This stud was completely unwearable with the backing gone, but our jewelers gave it a second chance by soldering a new post. 

#7: Prong Retipping

Many diamond and gemstone ring settings have thin prongs that can bend, break, or loosen over time. Loose prongs can lead to lost gemstones, so it’s important to get any worn prongs retipped. Jewelers can reshape the tiny prongs so that they strongly grip the gemstone and hold it securely in place. This beautiful gemstone held in a prong setting was at risk of falling out with a loose prong, but our jewelers made sure it wouldn’t go anywhere with a retipping service. 

#8: Prong Replacement

Sometimes a retipping is all you need, but a more severely damaged prong that’s crushed or missing needs to be replaced entirely to avoid losing the stone. Our jewelers use their soldering skills to precisely shape and position a new prong to match the other three holding the gem in place. With a strong and sturdy new prong, the stone can stay safely embedded in its setting. This beautiful blue gemstone isn’t going anywhere with its newly built prong to keep it secure. 

#9: Ring Resizing

It's common for rings to become too big or small over time due to weight fluctuation, knuckle swelling, or any number of other personal changes. Getting a ring resized can adjust the band's circumference up or down for a comfortable, secure fit. After you measure your finger and provide the right size, our jewelers will either remove excess metal from the band or add in a strip of new metal to adjust the ring accordingly. This particular band was sized up from a size 8 to a size 9 using more metal for a comfier fit. 

#10: Rhodium Plating

Sterling silver tarnishes over time, developing a yellowed appearance. To give silver jewelry a shiny, more durable layer, you can ask a jeweler for a rhodium electroplating. The jeweler applies a thin layer of the white precious metal, which takes just a few minutes and makes the silver look newly finished. This process also works on other types of precious metals; this stunning gold tennis bracelet got a total make-over with a rhodium plating service. 

#11: Soldering Rings

Sometimes two separate rings are better worn as one. Lots of people prefer their engagement ring and wedding band to be joined together for comfort and for ease; it can help you avoid losing a ring if they’re connected when you take them off. This is a simple soldering service that can combine any set of rings. For instance, these two beautiful rings became one once our jewelers soldered them together. 

#12: Jump Ring Repair

Jump rings linking charms or pendants on bracelets and necklaces can become bent, leaving gaps. Using two pairs of pliers, a jeweler can grip the jump ring delicately but firmly in order to twist it back into a perfect round shape with no separation. This inexpensive repair fixes gaps before charms or pendants can slip off. This jump ring attaching this heart pendant came loose, which put the piece of jewelry at risk. Just like a broken clasp, a broken jump ring can lead to a lost pendant or piece of jewelry. Our jewelers simply closed the jump ring together with their tools to ensure that it would stay secure and wearable. 

#13: Watch Crown Replacement

The crown of a watch is the mechanism that allows you to set the time and, if your watch is mechanical, wind it so it runs smoothly. If the crown breaks off or becomes stripped, replacing it will get the watch working as good as new. This watch’s crown came off completely, which not only means that the wearer couldn’t adjust the time, but also that the inner workings were exposed to particles that could stop the watch’s movements. Our jewelers delicately fit a matching stem and crown into the watch to make it look (and work) like new.

#14: Ring Reshaping

It's not uncommon for rings to get bent out of shape from impact or pressure. The soft precious metals used in rings can become distorted with too much heat or pressure, ruining the round contour of the band. This beautiful band became slightly dented, but our jewelers used specialized tools to bring the ring back to a perfectly round, wearable shape.

Did these jewelry repair before and after photos inspire you? Put your treasured pieces in the hands of our trusted jewelers at Quick Jewelry Repairs. As you can see, our team brings decades of expertise to every repair. We’re dedicated to helping you restore your favorite pieces so your jewelry looks as good as new; browse our repair menu to find the service you need, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.