Worn down, loose stones, or simply broken.
Repairs are assessed piece by piece in-studio and at the bench, by our lead designer and goldsmith. We will tell you honestly what the work entails and advise on limitations.
Repairs and Restoration
Jewellery is meant to be worn, and sometimes that means it needs a little care along the way.
Katalyst offers thoughtful repair and restoration, from everyday maintenance and sizing to more involved structural work. Repairs are completed locally in Calgary by trusted professionals and are never shipped elsewhere without your knowledge and permission.
Before work begins, we'll discuss what your piece needs, what is worth repairing, and any limitations or risks involved.
Clear recommendations, careful workmanship, and no surprises about where your jewellery goes.
A worn setting and a cracked claw can look identical at first glance and take entirely different work to put right. Therefore, we assess each piece individually and quote it before the work is started. Some hidden issues can be found during the process of repair, our team will keep the channels of communication open as your piece is in our care.
Before you come in
- Reach out with a photograph or call.
- Know the history of your piece.
- The studio is by appointment, please reach out to book a time to come in.
What comes across the bench.
This is the everyday jewelry repair work a goldsmithing studio handles. If what you need is not listed, ask anyway.
Resizing
Making a ring larger or smaller. Some designs resize easily, and some, particularly full eternity bands and heavily set shanks, need more thought.
Prong and claw work
Prongs wear down over years of wearing. Retipping or rebuilding them is the single most common thing that saves a stone from being lost.
Stone tightening and replacement
Stones that move or rattle need attention quickly. We can also source a replacement when one has been lost.
Soldering and shank repair
Cracked shanks, broken chains, and worn-through bands rebuilt properly rather than patched.
Restoration
Older and inherited pieces brought back to wearable condition with their character intact.
Refinishing
Polishing, texturing and rhodium work to bring a piece back to how it looked when it mattered most.
Sometimes a repair is the wrong answer.
If you find yourself repairing the same piece repeatedly, or repairing something you never actually wear, it may be worth asking a different question. Redesign uses the stones you already own to make something you would reach for.
Common Repair Questions
- Do you take repairs on pieces you did not make?
- Yes. Most of the jewellery we repair are made by other jewellers, including inherited pieces and rings bought years ago. Be sure to see if your jewellery's warranty has repair conditions.
- How do I know whether something is worth repairing?
- Bring it in and we will tell you. Some pieces are quick fixes. Some need more work than they are worth, and occasionally the honest answer is that the piece would be better redesigned into something you would wear more often.
- Is there a risk to my stones?
- Any work involving stones carries some risk, and we will tell you before we start if yours is a piece we have concerns about. Katalyst Jewellery will exercise reasonable professional care and use methods appropriate to the gemstone and circumstances. However, the Client will be asked to formally acknowledge the inherent risk of damage associated with removing, handling, and resetting Client-owned gemstones.
- How long do repairs take?
- It depends entirely on the work. We will give you a timeline when we assess the piece, not before we have seen it. Our general timeline for repairs is two to three weeks.
Send us a photograph.
Tell us what has gone wrong and we will give you an honest first read before you bring the piece in.
Call 403 926 7464 or email kat@katalystjewellery.com. Book a consultation in-studio or online. We try to answer all enquiries within two business days.