It is the first question almost everyone asks about a broken ring or a snapped chain: is this even worth fixing? Most of the time the answer is yes — and the reason is simple. Repair is priced by the work; replacement is priced by the metal and the stones all over again.
Start with three numbers
Forget how the piece looks for a moment and write down three things:
- What the repair costs. One firm number, after the piece is inspected. On this site the quote is free and you approve it before anything is touched.
- What replacing it would cost — not any ring, but one you would like as much, in the same metal, with stones of the same size and quality, at today's gold and diamond prices.
- What it is worth to you. A grandmother's band has no replacement price at all. That is not sentimentality clouding the maths — it is the maths.
If the repair is a fraction of replacement, or the piece cannot honestly be replaced, the decision is already made. The rest of this guide is for the cases in between.
Four things that actually decide it
1. What is broken — structure or surface
Surface problems are almost never a reason to replace anything. Scratches, dull metal, yellowing on white gold, a tired finish — those are cleaning, polishing and re-plating jobs. Structural problems — a cracked shank, a broken clasp, a snapped earring post, a stone that has fallen out — sound worse but are usually straightforward bench work.
2. How much original metal is left
A ring worn daily for thirty years thins from the inside. If the band is paper-thin in one place, it can be re-shanked: the worn section is cut out and replaced with new metal, keeping the head, the stones and the character. If a piece is worn through in several places at once, more of it has to be rebuilt — and that is the point where replacement starts to compete on price.
3. The stones
Original stones matter more than most people expect. A stone that came with the piece is part of its history and often cut in a way nobody cuts today. Re-setting a stone you already own is normally cheaper than sourcing a matched replacement, which is why every fragment and every fallen stone should go in the package.
4. What the piece is made of
Gold, silver and platinum are repairable metals — they can be sized, soldered, laser-welded and re-finished, over and over, for generations. Plated and base-metal costume pieces are different: the plating wears through again, and the metal underneath does not take solder the same way. Those pieces are worth repairing when they mean something to you, not usually on cost alone.
Repairs that are almost always worth the money
These are the jobs where the price of the work sits well below the price of starting over. The figures below are the starting prices published on our repair pricing table — every piece is inspected and quoted individually.
| The problem | What it usually needs | Starting at |
|---|---|---|
| Ring does not fit any more | Sizing up or down, sometimes with a new shank | $49 |
| Chain snapped or the clasp fails | Soldering the link, or a new clasp | $39 |
| Stone loose or fallen out | Re-setting, prong rebuilding, bezel repair | $79 |
| Bracelet clasp or link gone | Link or lobster claw replacement, resizing | $45 |
| Earring post bent or broken | Post replacement, back or hinge repair | $29 |
| White gold gone yellow, metal dull | Ultrasonic clean, hand polish, rhodium re-plating | $35 |
These are the lowest starting points, not the final price. You get one firm number after inspection, and nothing is worked on until you approve it.
When replacing may be the better call
- Plated costume jewelry that is worn through, where the finish will go again in a season and there is no sentimental reason to keep it.
- A piece that needs several major repairs at once — a new shank, several rebuilt prongs and replacement stones together — on an item that was inexpensive to begin with.
- Something you never liked. Repairing a piece you will not wear is money spent twice. If it is gold, it still has value: our sister company buys estate and scrap jewelry, and what you like better may already be in the collection.
Even then, get the quote first. The estimate in your head is usually higher than the number on the page.
What not to do before you decide
Do not glue anything. Glue contaminates the joint and has to be burned off before a jeweler can solder, which turns a small job into a bigger one. Do not have it soldered at a mall counter to "hold it for now" — a badly placed solder seam has to be cut out later. Do not polish an antique: patina, hallmarks and hand-engraving are part of the value and they do not come back. Do not throw away the broken bits — the fallen stone in the bottom of your jewelry box is worth more than the one we would have to source.
You do not have to make this call alone. Send one clear photo of the piece and a line about what is wrong. A trained jeweler replies within one business day with a firm quote — and if a piece is genuinely not worth repairing, we will tell you. You pay nothing until you approve the number, and every repair carries our 12-month workmanship warranty.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my jewelry is worth repairing?
Compare three numbers: what the repair costs, what the piece would cost to replace with something you like as much, and what it is worth to you personally. If the repair is a fraction of replacement — or the piece is not replaceable at all — repairing is usually the better call. A free photo quote gives you the first number before you decide anything.
Is it cheaper to repair a ring or buy a new one?
For fine jewelry it is almost always cheaper to repair. Ring work starts at $49 and earring repairs start at $29, while replacing a comparable gold or platinum piece means paying for the metal and the stones all over again at today's prices.
Can a ring be repaired if the band is worn thin?
Usually yes. A thin or cracked band can be re-shanked — the worn section is replaced with new metal instead of the whole ring. It is one of the most common repairs on an everyday ring, and far less expensive than replacing the piece.
Should I repair costume or plated jewelry?
Often it is not worth it on cost alone: plating wears through again, and base metals do not hold solder the way gold and silver do. It can still be worth it when the piece is sentimental or vintage. Send a photo and we will tell you honestly which case yours is.
What should I do with the broken pieces and fallen stones?
Keep every fragment and send them all with the piece. An original stone put back is always better than a replacement, and even small pieces of the original metal can be reused in the repair.
Do I have to decide before I get a quote?
No. The quote is free and you pay nothing until you approve it. If a piece is not worth fixing we will say so — and if you decline the quote, your piece ships back to you free and fully insured.