Jewelry for the Holidays

Fine jewelry usually gets the spotlight when anyone talks about repairs, but if you're like most jewelry lovers, you've no doubt got some costume jewelry that you wear often. Costume jewelry has a reputation for being on the cheaper side, both in terms of cost and quality. That might make you think that once the costume jewelry starts showing its age or sustains damage, it's not worth fixing. Nothing could be further from the truth! Of course costume jewelry is worth fixing if it's a piece you like wearing. You do have a few extra considerations when trying to get costume jewelry repaired, but it is possible.

Some Costume Jewelry Is Nicer Than Fine Jewelry

It's true that some costume jewelry is simply cheap and not worth much. Think of the plastic rings you'd get from those little toy dispensers at the front of grocery stores; those break easily and really aren't something you'd hand off to a jeweler for repair. But other costume jewelry is very nice; think of a gold-plated ring with a faceted piece of semi-precious stone like amethyst or sunstone. Those wouldn't qualify as fine jewelry, but they can look just as good and be constructed just as well. Those are items you could take to a jeweler. And of course, some costume jewelry is collectible, such as Edwardian and Georgian "paste," which is jewelry from those eras that uses faceted glass in place of real stones. Those are pieces you'd really want a jeweler to handle.

Vintage or Antique Status Could Complicate Repairs

One issue with repairing vintage and antique costume jewelry is that the exact materials may no longer be available. A Czech glass necklace from the 1930s, for example, may use beads that are no longer made, and similar ones currently available may have a slightly different look. That would make replacing a cracked bead difficult. The jeweler would have to source a replacement somehow, and that could take time and a lot of money, depending on the rarity of the item. If you have vintage or antique costume jewelry that needs repair, be prepared for this.

Double-Check That the Jeweler Will Take Costume Pieces

Another issue to be aware of is that not all jewelers will repair costume pieces, and some may be selective. This is partly due to the problem sourcing discontinued components, and partly due to preference. If the repair is simple, such as retipping a metal prong on a ring or replacing a missing cubic zirconia gem with a common shape, you may find more jewelers willing to take that on.

Call some jewelry repair shops and find out first if they repair costume jewelry in general, and then tell them what's happened to the piece you have. You may find that it's a lot easier to keep that costume jewelry in service and in good shape than you thought. For more information, contact a company like Lustre by Adolf.