Jewelry Repair Saga
May 2, 2007 by Tammy Powley
Filed under Beading
I’m sure I’m not alone here when I voice my dislike for jewelry repairs. However, since my friends and co-workers (many of whom I consider friends) know that I make jewelry, very often they turn to me for their jewelry repair needs, and many times, it’s a very simple thing to fix.
Simple, though, not always convenient…For example, this recent necklace that I repaired for a friend of mine – The initial problem that she had was simple. One of the chain sections in between the large opal beads (which are gorgeous BTW) had come lose. Basically, each chain piece is connected to the beads using a simple unwrapped loop technique. If I’d had my pliers, I could have fixed it there on the stop. So, I said, sure I’ll fix this and bring it back.
Oh, she said, could I also make it longer? Okay, now we are treading into not-so-simple territory. The necklace was about 20 inches and she’d like it to be 30 inches. Could I do that too? She didn’t care how it looked in the back as long as it was longer in the front.
I said I’d try, not really knowing if I could or not, but I thought about it for awhile and realized I could probably add some chain to both ends. So, I fixed the first problem, took off the clasp, added chain and a few opal colored crystals using the wrapped loop technique, added the clasp back onto the new chain added to the end, and voila, it was longer – 30 inches. And, I must say, I didn’t look all that bad either.
I bring the necklace back to her, charge her pennies for the repair, and she begins to have “issues.” Did you make the opal beads further apart? “Nope.” How long is this? This looks too long. Can you make it shorter? Errr…ahhh…you said you wanted it 30 inches, so I made it 30 inches. Oh, that’s too long now though.
So, the necklace is back on my work table and I’m so over this repair I can’t begin to tell you. Luckily, this woman is very sweet to me, so I just have to keep reminding myself of that.
I actually like doing repairs. I just finished some earrings for my cousin – the only thing that was salvageable was the base chandelier-type finding, so I replaced all the danglies with similar ones.
I’ve gotten to the point where I’m charging for repairs to friends and family, though. Not because I mind doing it, because I really do like it, but because of the problem you ran into.
I had a friend who’d bought a pretty little sterling pendant on Ebay and asked me to make a simple necklace to go with it. The “simple necklace” turned into three different necklaces. Wouldn’t tell me what she wanted regarding style or color, then when I made a necklace she a) didn’t even say thank you or that she appreciated it and b) didn’t like it. After the third necklace I refused to do any more! Lesson learned.
Of course, when I say I charge for family-or-friend repairs, I mean that I ask them to buy me lunch or something. Not a major deal, just enough for people to realize that I can’t work for free.
I feel for you! I really don’t like to do repairs, either. Your story sounded very familiar to me.
I Do repair work, restringing, redesigning, ect. Most of the jewelry that I sell made from “scratch” is done before the folks see it, so they either like it or they don’t. If someone likes something I have done but want it in another color or different length I tell them that I will custom make them a design but will not guarantee that it will look just the same. When they see it done they have a choice to take it or I will keep it and put it in inventory and try again if they want. I won’t do a piece over for them if they decide they want it to be different. Usually someone else will like it and buy it. Some people are never quite pleased with repair or redesign of older jewelry but I won’t redo it without a further charge. I think you have to stand firm that this is work and you need to be paid for it. I once restrung a bracelet three times for a woman who kept complaining that it just “broke” when she was wearing it, the third time instead of taking her word on how long she wanted it I measured her wrist and found out she was wearing it too tight and was breaking it by straining to fasten the toggle. a quarter inch solved the problem. Of course she griped that it was “too big” but I told her I would not make it smaller because I knew it would break again. Sheesh. Most folks are pleased and happy to have a favorite piece wearable again so I just take the complainers with a grain of salt and if they don’t want to pay me for redo more than once I suggest they find someone else to do their repair work, like a jewelry store. I am confident I do good work, I have been told that I do.
Well, just for the record – I do charge for repairs, at leat enough to cover cost of materials and some of my time, though I don’t charge as much as I should. I think there should be some payment for the PIA factor
Hello,
I found your blog today and it’s already in my favourite list! I also make jewelry and one of the things that i also hate it’s doing repairs… but i don’t charge anything since most of the persons are family or friends and they buy me jewelry too.
Anyway love your blogs and ideas! And i will come back many times to see the new posts and maybe comment if you don’t mind…
Dalia