Sometimes one or more prongs in a ring or other piece of fine jewelry will be damaged or worn to the point that they need to be replaced. This is a highly technical process, and it's one that our experts have extensive experience in. We'll replace as many prongs as necessary to ensure the integrity of your piece and the security of your gemstones, and we'll return it to you as good as new.
While every repair job will involve a slightly different set of challenges, we follow the same general process steps for each piece in order to ensure the highest quality of work every time.
In general, damage or excessive wear on the prongs in your jewelry will require either re-tipping or replacement. There are various factors that will influence the decision about whether to re-tip or replace, and our experts can help you make that determination based on knowledge accumulated through their many years of experience with this type of work.
Re-tipping is generally best in cases where the prong has been worn down through years of regular wear until it isn't thick enough to perform its required functions anymore. Replacement is required when damage has been done that compromises the integrity of the setting and the security of the stone.
Because many gemstones can be damaged by exposure to heat, we use highly focused lasers to complete all steps in the prong replacement process. This allows us to direct the heat precisely where it's needed, while avoiding damage to gemstones or other features of the piece.
When we say we'll return your item to you as good as new, we mean it. So once we're finished with prong replacement, we'll also re-plate your piece if necessary, and we'll then refinish it to restore its original look completely.
My husband and I ordered my wedding ring online... not necessarily a recommended route, but I found a ring that I thought was beautiful and just HAD to have it. 6 months later, the stone fell out. The (SHADY) online retailer we bought it from said they wouldn't fix it, a few big jewelry stores said they wouldn't touch a ring with a 'soft' stone (it's an amethyst), and I was starting to give up hope... and then I found Joseph. After googling independent jewelry stores that specialize in repair, I decided to take my ring in to see if Joseph could help me. The staff was very informative, very gentle, and I felt that it was just as important to them as it was to me that my lovely ring be restored, even if it didn't come from them or wasn't top of the line. They reset the stone, and another 6 months has passed with me happily admiring the shiny amethyst still firmly set in my ring.