Peninsula Gem & Jewelry Supply
Repair Services
We are proud to have provided Monterey Peninsula with our jewelry repair and design services for over 45 years!
For any repair or design inquiries, please visit our location at
2245 N. Fremont St, Monterey California
or email us at
peninsulagem@gmail.com
- Ring & Jewelry Cleaning
- Stone Setting
- Ring Sizing
- Prong Repair
- Refinishing (buffing, polishing)
- Rhodium Plating
- Chain Repair
- Earring Repair
- Stringing
- Stone Cutting (Faceting and Cabochons)
- Stone inlay services
- Watch Batteries/Band Adjustment
Sizing Rings
From time to time, our hands change, whether it be injury, age related or weight fluctuations. This can lead to a ring needing to go up or down a size. First off, We do not recommend sizing a ring more than a 1 size either up or down. Anything over a size, if the ring has stones, it heightens the risk of stones falling out or becoming loose. Especially if you have a lot of smaller stones that are pavé set or any stones that run down the shank of the ring with shared prongs.
When it comes to the cost of a ring sizing, there are a few factors that can affect the cost of the sizing, the metal, be it Platinum, Gold (10k, 14k, 18k, 20k, 24k) or Silver. The amount of stones on a ring does play a role in the cost as well, the more stones a ring has, the higher cost to size due to us going though to tighten and check each stone after sizing. Usually when sizing down, stones set on the shank/band of the ring are more apt to become loose. If we are sizing up, there is a piece of metal added to make it bigger, which is an added cost on top of the labor.
A lot of rings in White Gold, Silver, and Platinum have a Rhodium plating. Which is a metal in the Platinum family that helps prevent tarnishing and keep that bright and shiny high polish look. It is a plating that will come off when heat is put to it, so it would need to be plated again after the sizing. Rhodium plating can wear off on a ring with consistent use and may need a plating once a year.
If you have a ring that needs to be cut off the finger and is fitting too tight, unless it is a medical emergency or is bleeding, please try to get the ring cut off at the jeweler, as they have the tools to be able to make a clean cut which will make soldering it back together easier.
Chain Repair
Chains are an item of jewelry that most of us tend to wear daily. With wearing something that much, there will be a time where it might need some repair. Chains can break if they get getting caught or pulled on, especially if they are a daintier or hollow chain. The links on chains can wear as well, meaning when metal rubs against metal, it will slowly wear the link and make it thinner and thinner. When this occurs it usually is happening at all of the links, we do not recommend repairing at this point, rather invest in a chain that will last another length of time. Another part of a chain that may need to be repaired/replaced at some point is the clasp, which is the part that holds the chain together. This is due to being opened and closed a lot, eventually the small spring inside the clasp can give out if it has a spring, or if it's a
fold over clasp the fold over can loose tension.
The thickness of chains can alter the cost of the repair, as well as the style of the link. Hollow chains are more difficult to repair then solid chains, same goes for chains that are very small and dainty. Whist very thick chains have their challenges in repair as well, buying a thicker linked chain ensures more durability, especially if you plan on wearing it daily or plan on hanging a pendant on it. Keep in mind that everything has its breaking point, even the thickest of chains. When it comes to extending the life of your chains, as with most jewelry, we recommend not wearing your chain during any strenuous activities. Such as working out, playing sports, swimming ect. Wearing chains to bed is something else we recommend against , getting it caught on sheets, pajamas, or hair is easier then you'd think. Regardless of what chain you have that is broken, we are happy to take a look and see how we can assist you with the repair.
Prong Repair
What is a Prong? A prong is one components on a setting of what is known to jewelers as a head, which is a claw-shaped type of setting (usually, 3, 4, 6, or 8 individual prongs per head) that is soldered to a piece of jewelry in order to set a gemstone to the jewelry item. We always recommend setting your stones in a Platinum head rather than Gold (unless you are worried about color of metal) due to Platinum being a stronger and denser metal, as while gold when it is bent gets brittle and breaks, Platinum moves and does not break as easily.
While damaging a prong doesn’t sound like a big deal, it is one of the most common ways for a diamond/gemstone to fall out and get lost. If the prongs are just bent a little, they can be usually be straightened out. If the prongs are broken off, the broken prong or prongs will most likely need to be replaced. If two or more of your prongs are broken, the entire head may need to be replaced in order to insure that your diamond/gemstone doesn't get lost. If your ring is an antique engagement ring or was an heirloom ring, the entire setting might need to be replaced due to the intricate settings where just a prong cannot be replaced. The cost of the repair depends on the severity of the broken prong.
*Pictured above are some examples of how a prong can wear down, only example #1,2,4,5 are retips, the others result in a replacement prong.*
***Do not wear Gold your jewelry in a pool with chlorinated water, as 10-22k Gold has alloys in it that the chlorine will break down at a molecular level and can lead to it becoming discolored and more brittle, causing prongs/ parts to break when hit or bumped to hard.
Pure gold (24k) does not have this issue neither does your Platinum Jewelry***