Repairing Thrifted Jewelry

Have you ever bought a piece of thrifted jewelry only to later discover that it was missing something? Occasionally I see this when I am out at a sale but mostly it's something I realize when I get home and it's too late not to buy it. I brought home a ring on Friday and realized that it too had lost a stone so I added it to my need-to-be-fixed collection and sighed. Thankfully on Saturday I had an idea.

I gathered three rings that all needed something.

This crazy piece is one necklace but notice the blue and white pendant is missing a stone. This is a Lucky Brand necklace that I found five months ago for $1.00 and it's been waiting to be repaired ever since.

I placed the four items in a small wooden box and searched through my thrifted bead collection to see if I could find any matching stones or beads.

It took me about 8 minutes to find the perfect stones for these pieces. All three stones are beads that have tiny holes in them. It shouldn't matter with these jewelry pieces if the holes are on the side as they should stay relatively hidden.

This ring says it's Sterling Silver but I just felt that it was missing something. I decided to add some glitter although at this point I couldn't decide on Martha's glitter or some German Glass Glitter. I just knew that I wanted to bling it up some.

I used super glue to adhere the stones and glitter to the jewelry. With my clumsy fingers I had to be extremely careful with this stuff. Knowing me, a small project like this could end up with my fingers glued together and how would I type my next blog post?

I went with the German Glass Glitter figuring the glass would be stronger than the very fine Martha Glitter. This was the hardest piece to work on. It was difficult to add the glue to the inner circles where I really wanted the glitter. I used a couple toothpicks to manipulate the glue and glitter. It sort of worked.

Rather than try to match the turquoise I went with a stone that would be different but would go well with the other stones.

Snake ring with a new blue stone.

The new stone is the lavender one at the top of the ring. This is my favorite piece that I repaired. I can't wait to find an excuse to wear it.

Rather than tossing away a piece of broken jewelry, maybe you could see if it can be repaired. If it can't be repaired can you use any of the parts for other projects? I try to salvage the clasps, pendants, stones, beads and even sometimes the chains. I buy a lot of broken jewelry on purpose too just to salvage the beads or pendant. If it is sterling or gold I save it and sell it for scrap.

What do you do with broken jewelry?

Comments

[heidi]

I have been drilling a hole and hanging all my bits and bobbles from long vintage chains with jump rings, they are so fun and unique.. You just took it to a new level I can't wait to try it, thanks

[renaissance costume]

You are very creative.. :) Good way to reuse other jewelries and put life back on them. :)

[Tracy]

These look so pretty! This makes me want to go out thrifting for interesting jewelry. That necklace with so much going on is way cool, and so are those rings. I really like what you did!

[Antonella]

wow, they look lovely!
I esp. like the snake ring..

I'll start to look for broken jewelry at thrift shops.

[kristen]

Thanks for this useful post! I have just the ring that needs a repair...I'm going to look for a bead to glue in. Genius!

[helsbells]

This is such a great idea and something I had never really thought of doing. Thanks for the tip.

[mamaraby]

I had to chuckle about the gluing your fingers together part. This is my big concern when using glue, too.

[knutty knitter]

I mostly add old jewelery to artwork. I have been known to mend stuff but mostly to give to my sis as she wears it and I mostly don't.

viv in nz

[laura]

Mostly I add it too a box and think hmmmm someday I'll get to it. Well seeing you do it put a fire under my rear. I need to do it soon. Thanks Selena, you are so inspiring to me. :)

[lisa @thebeadgirl]

very cool (even as a jeweler i think that is a fun idea!)

[Grunge-Queen]

You are brilliant. I have done the find a bead thing with a brooch that was missing a stone - come to think of it I nabbed the other stone from another vintage brooch that was missing way to many stones to wear!! - but the glitter ring is pure genius-magic.

[Sandy]

Hi Selena,

Well, I am not a huge jewelry person. But I love your ideas.

I have found a few nice pieces from yard sales though.

Happy Wed.!

[Van]

I adore the eclectic lucky brand piece, especially the little "owl mask" charm. I fix things the same way- using whatever other bits are around to make minor repairs. Imperfections add to the charm.

[shox pas cher]

Vous Thak pour les partager avec nous, je pense que c'est la peine de lire C'est tellement agréable de vous faire partager si gentil article.i vais recommander à mes amis....

[new era pas cher]

Sehr froh, diese Website zu finden. Ich wollte Ihnen für dieses große Lese-danke! Vielen Dank für die Zeit nehmen, zu teilen.

[mbt prix]

Ich mochte Ihr Blog. Es ist leicht zu lesen, ist der Inhalt gut, und du bist ein Kultautor Gegensatz zu den meisten Blogs, die ich bei der Suche zu diesem Thema bin. Ich werde noch einmal überprüfen und in der Zukunft sehen, wenn Sie mehrere Elemente haben. Vielen Dank für dieses Posting, ich schätze die Informationen und die Mühe, die Sie in die Stelle zu setzen.