Journal archive
Author: am-webadmin
Specialist guidance from A&M Jewellery Workshop.
Published guidance
Articles in this archive.
Cleaning Jewellery with Treated Gemstones: What the Workshop Needs to Know
A gemstone’s name is not always enough information to choose a cleaning method. Treatments, coatings, fillings and the construction around the stone can all be relevant to the assessment. A retailer should therefore preserve treatment disclosures in the service record rather than treat them as information needed only at the original sale.
Ruby and Sapphire Repairs: Why the Treatment Record Matters
Ruby and sapphire are often described as durable jewellery stones, but that description should not end the repair assessment. Treatments and existing condition can change what needs to be considered around the stone. A retailer should disclose the information available rather than assume that every red or blue corundum can follow the same workshop route.
Repairing Jewellery That Has Been Repaired Before
Jewellery with a repair history needs a fresh assessment when another problem appears. An earlier alteration may be entirely relevant to the proposed work, but its presence does not establish why the current fault occurred. The retailer’s role is to supply a clear record without turning uncertainty into an accusation or a technical conclusion.
Why Does a Ring Keep Spinning? A Workshop Assessment Guide
A ring that repeatedly turns on the finger can be frustrating, especially when its setting spends more time to one side than in the intended position. It is tempting to assume that the ring is simply too large. That may be part of the explanation, but the shape and proportions of the ring deserve attention too.
Planning a Jewellery Repair Service for an Independent Retailer
A retailer repair service needs a clear operating process as well as a workshop contact. Customers should understand how their item will be assessed, when a price can be confirmed and who will discuss any change to the work. Staff need the same clarity before they begin accepting jobs.
Milgrain Jewellery: Specifying New Borders and Repairing Worn Detail
Milgrain, also written millegrain, is used to describe a fine beaded decorative edge or border. In a workshop brief, the name alone does not define the result. The position, scale and continuity of the detail should be shown on the actual piece or an approved design reference.
Silver Tarnish or Firestain? Describe the Discolouration Before Choosing a Treatment
Silver discolouration should be described before it is treated. The word tarnish is often used for any darkened area, but a workshop may need to consider a different surface condition or a change associated with earlier heating and finishing. A photograph alone is not enough to diagnose every mark reliably.
Remounting Emerald Jewellery: Put Treatment Information in the Brief
An emerald remount begins with information about the actual stone, not only a preferred new setting. Treatment history, visible condition and the way the emerald sits in its existing mount can affect the assessment. The retailer should gather those details before promising that the stone can be removed, cleaned and reset through a standard sequence.
Jewellery Restoration or Remodelling: Choosing the Right Brief
An existing piece can be important for reasons that a workshop cannot infer from its appearance. The owner may want it made wearable again with as much original character retained as possible. Alternatively, they may value the stones or family connection while wanting a substantially different design. Those aims lead to different briefs.
Resizing an Engraved Ring: Protecting Inscriptions and Important Marks
An engraved ring carries information that may matter as much to its owner as the fit. A name, date or private message should therefore be treated as part of the resizing brief, not discovered when the workshop starts preparing the band. Clear records help prevent a technically acceptable alteration from overlooking the detail the customer most wanted to keep.