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Cleaning and Repairing Jewellery
You will need to prepare a work station on which to clean and repair jewellery. Use a piece of terry cloth to line the area, this will prevent round beads, stones or pearls from rolling around. Using a tray with raised sides will also keep them from rolling onto the floor, where they can be lost or damaged.
Clean jewellery in small containers on the tray. Avoid cleaning jewellery over a sink as precious or semi precious components may be dislodged and washed away.
An egg carton or an assortment of small cardboard boxes will be helpful when you are dismantling pieces made up of smaller pieces, such as strings of pearls. The components can be sorted and stored in sequence for easy assembly.
Finally, be certain that you have adequate light and, if needed, a means of magnifying the piece to be worked on. Arrange to required tool and materials in convenient positions on the work surface surrounding the tray.
Tools and Materials
Tools
Pliers and Nippers - Small needle nose, taper nose, and flat nose piers for making various minor repairs. These should all have smooth jaws. You will also need a pair of small end cutting nippers for cutting wire.
Jewellery Saw - Fitted with a fine blade, this can cut soft metal as well as harder materials such as ivory and bone.
Needle files - available in various shapes including round, flat, tapered and beveled, these can be bought individually or in sets.
Magnifying Glass or Jewelers Eyeglass - This is for inspecting small pieces before and during cleaning or repair. A jewelers eyeglass is more suitable for some repairs as it leaves both hands free to work.
Utility or Craft Knife - Choose one with disposable blades to ensure a sharp cutting edge is always available.
Tweezers - These are essential for holding small components during cleaning or repairing.
Small Electric Drill Plus Attachments - Available from specialists hardware stores and model makers outlet. This type of drill can be outfitted with a miniature lambs wool attachment for polishing sturdy pieces and components.
Brushes - A soft bristled dusting brush, or clean cosmetics
brush, to remove surface dust and dirt. Use small, fairly stiffed bristled artist’s brushes to clean small pieces and dirt from crevices. An old toothbrush is an alternative to a stiff-bristled artist’s brush.
Beading Needle - For restringing necklaces. Available at most craft stores or jewellery suppliers.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
Chamois Nail Buffer - Available from cosmetics counters in department stores.
Cotton swabs
Small Glass Jar and Lid
Small Pocket Knife - Choose one with as thin of a blade as possible.
Carpenter's nail - Use a round or oval one as a former when making new links.
Nail Scissors
Small Plastic Spatula
Materials
Acid free tissue paper - Needed to wrap and store jewellery.
Steel wool - Use the finest grade when removing encrusted dirt from specified base metals.
Denatured alcohol - Cleans many types of precious and semi precious stones.
Jewellery dip - Cleans various specified metals and stones. Available from most jewelers.
Powdered magnesia - For dry-cleaning various stones. Available from pharmacists.
Almond oil - Useful for cleaning and reviving various semi precious stones. Also available from pharmacists.
Jewelers rouge - When specified use to polish various metals and other materials. Use in the form of a powder-impregnated cloth or a block.
Adhesives - Two-part epoxy resin, PVA adhesive, anaerobic adhesive, and clear cyanoacrylate adhesive (super glue) for making various specified repairs.
Coloured wax crayons - Melt and combine these to provide filling material when carrying out specified minor repairs.
Cold cure lacquer - Available from artist’s suppliers. Use with enamel paints when restoring enamel.
Silver polish
Thread - Silk thread for restringing antique necklaces.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
Chamois leather
Cotton swabs
Lint free cotton rag
Soft terry cloth
Masking tape
Crocus powder
Soap
Mild detergent suitable for hand-washing wool
Olive oil
Milk
Bread crumbs
Potato flour
Mineral spirits
Ammonia
Microcystalline wax
Artist's powder pigments - These can be use to tint epoxy resin adhesive when repairing and filling crack and breaks.
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