Return to the past, or the future?
When restoring heirloom jewelry items of high sentimental value, it is important to consider many things before beginning the project. Is the goal to restore the piece back to the original appearance? Is the goal to update the item to be a more relevant as a fashion item? The list can be long and varied. In this article, we will present an example of a restored bracelet that has made the journey back to it’s original classical appearance.
A Well Worn Legacy
This gold plated woven bracelet was originally plated in a 22kt vermeil gold plating. Vermeil is a term used to describe a heavy gold plating of 2.5 microns over a silver base.
This extremely well crafted bracelet dates from the late 1950’s. Over several decades of extensive use, the bracelet had lost most of the gold plating. Can you imagine the dinner parties this piece may have witnessed? The owner inherited this bracelet from a close relative and sent it to us for restoration back to it’s original luster and rich classical gold appearance.
A Return To The Classical Manner
This bracelet required cleaning due to the years of imbedded skin oils and perfume within the woven chain links. The silver base was carefully inspected for areas needing repair before being re-polished.
Great attention was given at preserving the contours and details of the intricately shaped silver decorative elements. As the final step, we evaluated the color of the original remaining gold to ensure a perfect match to the original gold color.
Metal Arts Specialties
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