Hi There!

I get asked all the time where to get jewelry repaired. There are lots of options, depending on the complexity of the repair, so I thought I'd put together a post on it:

1. Ask a Local Artisan

If it's something simple, like a broken chain or a jump ring that's re-opened, then I would consider asking your friendly neighborhood jewelry artist. If there is a jeweler at your neighborhood farmer's market that you frequent, I would politely ask her if that's something she can do for you. You can offer to pay, although I doubt she'll accept it. I do it all the time and don't mind. Especially if you can leave it with me for a couple hours while you shop, then I can usually find the time to make a quick fix between sales.

2. Yelp! a Jewelry Repair Shop

This is what I'd do if #1 isn't an option, or if you have beads that need to be restrung or rewoven. Type 'jewelry repair' into Yelp and go with one that has the highest reviews. If you are in Atlanta, I've used The ColorstonesATL before I became a jewelry artist and had good results.

3. Ask the Person/ Company Who Made It

This is true whether you bought it from an art festival or at Nordstrom. I promise that as an artist, we want you to wear your jewelry! If something breaks, regardless of whether it broke or was broken by accident, the creator has a plan for fixing it. Most stores do too! Before I became an artist, I had a pair of earrings from Nordstrom that I wore every chance I could. When I finally looked at them, I realized they had begun to tarnish and were missing some of the crystals. I went to the store to try to buy a new pair, but they had been discontinued. However, Nordstrom was able to send them back to the company to be refurbished, and they came back good as new! (I especially recommend this option if you have metal that is broken or a missing stone, because these repairs will likely require a metalsmith who can do saudering.)

4. Go to a Watch & Jewelry Repair Shop at the Mall

In Atlanta's malls, we have a chain called Fast Fix that will fix your jewelry while you shop. You can look in your local mall's directory under 'services' or 'jewelry', and I'm sure your's will have one too. I would use them to take out a watch link or add a small stone that's fallen out of a ring. You can also go to them for simple fixes like a broken chain or jump ring. 

Let me know your favorite places to get jewelry fixed!

Stay Healthy & Beautiful,

Merrie