Is it possible to solder a gold chain at home?

A gold chain is an elegant and versatile piece of jewelry that will look presentable and appropriate at most events and will go with almost any outfit (except a tracksuit). A piece of jewelry like this will help accentuate your look and highlight your sophisticated style. There are chains for both women and men. But quite often, owners of chains made of gold and silver are faced with the problem of breaking jewelry, so the query on the Internet is very popular: “The chain is broken: how to fix it?” A broken chain, according to one of the signs, indicates that the product has taken on a negative message that was addressed to its owner.

What defects can you fix yourself at home?

1. Small cracks on the inside of the product. The location of the chip is especially important for wide chains, on which poor-quality seams after soldering are clearly visible.
2. Break of one link in a multi-level weave. The chain did not break completely. One edge of the link has bent, which needs to be bent (soldered) so that it does not cling.
3. The ring on the lock was bent and torn. You can solder it yourself, since it is located at the back of the decoration. And even if your gold seam is not the most beautiful, it will not be visible.

Complete breaks, defects on the outer side of the weaving, loss of several links - all these situations are best left to the shoulders of the master. A jeweler can not only solder a gold chain, but also add a little metal to recreate the original appearance of the threads.

What gold repair services do jewelers provide?

The delicate and complex specifics of working with stone and gold require special equipment and the experience of the craftsman. The main condition for gold repair is a high-quality update of the product without its radical transformation. The most common service in the list of types of gold jewelry repairs is soldering.

Causes of chain wear

But with the help of soldering and welding, not only chains are repaired. This is generally one of the main types of repair work in jewelry. For example, soldering eliminates such defects.

1. Worn lugs and cross rings on pendants and drop earrings. But here soldering is possible with minor damage, otherwise it is better to replace these parts.
2. Worn pins in gold glider bracelets or necklaces. A pin is a part in a structure that serves to connect two parts (gliders) of a gold product. In such cases, experts recommend replacing all the pins with new ones. This is due to the characteristics of bracelets or necklaces, which consist of glider links connected in different ways. The most difficult thing is to replace the pins hidden inside; they (or their remains) have to be drilled out when repairing a gold item.
3. Cracks that usually appear due to manufacturing defects (possible problems in casting or poor quality assembly). This defect usually appears when the metal is fatigued or under additional loads.

Repairing gold jewelry with inclusions or coatings requires even more professionalism and experience. After all, inserts, that is, any cut stone or plate made of amber, turquoise, pearls, as well as enamel, cannot withstand high temperatures, as well as galvanizing or oxidation. In such cases, the inserts are isolated, secured, and if this is not possible, then replaced.

The coatings additionally have to be restored, and sometimes the enamels have to be reapplied. In these cases, it is certainly better to use high-precision laser welding or contact soldering rather than an open flame of a torch.

Repair of enamel jewelry

This is one of the oldest techniques in jewelry making. The first enamel accessories - rings found in burials in Cyprus - are dated by archaeologists to the 12th century BC. And, probably, one of the most beautiful techniques, so it is not surprising that recently more and more enamel items have begun to appear. But repairing them is very difficult. In addition to normal wear and tear and chips with cracks, abrasion of the enamel is added. Jewelers have to tinker with its restoration.

What instruments and devices will be needed for home soldering?

To understand how to solder a gold chain at home, you need to carefully examine the place of the chip or break. And also prepare all the necessary tools and equipment for work:

• a small gas burner with a thin torch - needed to heat the alloy;
• special gold solder, which is needed for correct soldering;
• homemade or purchased flux;
• small pliers and tweezers for gripping the product;
• a set of needle files of various shapes;
• a drill and a small vice for fixing the chain.

The soldering process is no different from working with other metals. The only peculiarity is the miniaturization of the product parts that need to be soldered to each other.

Important! If you have not worked with a blowtorch or soldered other metals before, you should not practice on gold jewelry. You can completely ruin the product. And then even the master will not be able to restore it.

Reasons for broken chains

Gold is a soft metal, so all jewelry made from it tends to break.

There are a number of reasons why a gold chain can break:

• A light weight . This is the most common reason for gold jewelry to break. In particular, this applies to products that were made from tubes. Repairing such a chain costs more than its purchase price.
• In an attempt to untangle the chain . Very often the chain breaks after the owners try to untangle it. Over time, the links in the chain become loose. Accordingly, the older the jewelry, the greater the likelihood of breakage. To detect such a problem, you should examine the links through magnified glass. If the links are worn out, then they need to be replaced as soon as possible.
• Heavy pendants on the product . The weight of the pendant should correspond to the thickness of the chain. Otherwise, breakdown cannot be avoided.
• Hollow product . Such gold jewelry easily breaks due to mechanical stress. They wear out quickly. Therefore, you should not hang heavy pendants on them.
• The product is of poor quality.

Important! To identify a hollow gold item, you need to hold it in your hand. The weight must correspond to the size.

Stages of soldering a gold chain at home

1. Solder preparation. If you don’t have special solder for gold, you can create it from scrap materials at home. To do this, you need to prepare a crucible for melting metals, a small amount of gold, silver and copper. As well as pharmacy scales and a mold for melting solder. The recipe itself is as follows: for 585 parts of gold, take 115 parts of silver and 185 parts of copper.
2. Preparing the chain for soldering. It is necessary to secure the product in a vice or other clamp so that the damaged area is visible. The product must take its original shape. That is, the thread must be straight.
3. Preparation for soldering. It is necessary to boil the solder and gold jewelry. Under the influence of high temperatures, gold will be covered with a special protective layer.
4. Adjusting the flame and soldering itself. Before starting to create a seam, it is worth adjusting the burning intensity. Then heat the gold evenly at the joint. When the chain reaches the desired temperature at the break point, take solder and make a neat seam.
5. Grinding and processing of the seam. If, after “gluing” the links, a large seam has formed that protrudes above the surface of the chain, it must be sanded. And then treat it with a special napkin to give the product shine.

Important! You not only need to understand how to solder a gold chain at home, but also be able to handle soldering equipment. And also for miniature products with small links, there is another, more subtle soldering technology.

How to repair a silver chain using a gas torch

Before starting work, the product must be cleaned and degreased - treated with an alcohol-containing solution. The next steps are:

• Secure the broken parts of the decoration to a fireproof base. An asbestos sheet or ordinary brick is suitable for this purpose.
• Coat the places where the chain breaks with a thin layer of flux (this is convenient to do with a small brush). Place a piece of solder between the broken parts of the chain (it is convenient to separate the alloy strips with wire cutters).
• Gently heat the joint with a gas torch, moving the torch from the side. Try to ensure even heating. When the flux is hot, increase the flame, continuing to weld the metal and forming a solder joint.
• Wait for the soldered decoration to cool down.
• Clean the surface of the product from flux, remove any remaining solder with sandpaper, and polish the soldered area.
• The final treatment is to lighten the surface using an acid solution.

Cost and features of repairing gold chains in workshops

For those who have never worked with soldering equipment and do not know how to solder a gold chain at home, the easiest way out of a difficult situation with a breakdown is to contact a jewelry workshop.

The cost of repairing jewelry in a workshop depends on various factors:

• complexity and scale of the breakdown - one link in the chain or several;
• features of chain weaving - for example, a large anchor chain is faster and easier to solder than elegant women's weaving;
• urgency of work - you will always have to pay extra for speed;
• the need to add gold - the cost of 1 g of gold is about 1500 rubles. by the end of 2022.

The jeweler will tell you the exact price of the work when you bring your gold chain to the workshop for repair.

The recovery process itself includes several stages:

1. Preparing jewelry for soldering. It is fixed on a stationary machine in the workshop. Clean the edges of the break so that no dust or dirt remains in the microcracks. Select the required solder composition.
2. Soldering. Various tools are used depending on the type and degree of damage. Often special laser equipment is used, after working with which there are no visible seams on the chain.
3. Seam cleaning and processing. The gold jewelry is returned to the client in perfect condition. To achieve shine, the seam is cleaned. Then the entire decoration is treated with a protective solution. It is this that increases the strength, reduces the abrasion rate of gold and gives the product shine.

Jewelers are much quicker at understanding how to solder a particular gold chain. After all, the craftsmen themselves are capable of making it from scratch. They take into account the features and direction of weaving. Specialists are even ready to apply engraving over the seam so that none of your friends and family will ever guess that the chain has been repaired.

Options for damage to jewelry

What even happens to a ring, pendant, brooch, earrings or bracelet? The chain may break, the ring may crack, a chip or crack may appear on the pendant, and a stone may fall out of the earring. Almost any problem can and should be eliminated. But sometimes you still need to clean and polish the gold jewelry, enlarge or reduce the ring, fix the lock... You can’t count everything, and factory defects are not uncommon.

You need to understand that repairing gold products is a responsible and complex undertaking. As a rule, it can be performed by a master who has the appropriate equipment. How often do accessories break? Everything is simple here: the more often we wear it, the faster the precious item becomes unusable.

A long gold chain can be snagged and broken. In addition, the chains increase over time. This does not mean that they become larger and heavier - they simply become thinner and seem to stretch. Jewelers say that a chain measuring 50 cm can lengthen by 6 cm over time.

Protective covering

At the request of the owner, the accessory can be strengthened by applying a special coating. With the help of special techniques, not only the appearance is improved and the desired effects of jewelry (shine, color, texture) are enhanced, but also the service life is extended - “wear”. Among these techniques is, for example, rhodium plating. Rhodium is a metal of high hardness and, accordingly, wears out more slowly than gold. Rhodium plating can be white, black, or colored.

Many people believe that rhodium plating or plating, for example, with ruthenium, will keep jewelry in the “like new” stage for a very long time, but jewelers are skeptical about this thesis. Yes, men's chains are especially often coated with ruthenium, since the stronger sex tests everything for strength. But dishonest jewelers, seeking to optimize the process at any cost, try to thin the layer of rhodium or other material as much as possible, turning it into something purely symbolic.

The visual effect of such coatings is obvious, especially in cases where the stone requires a specific background. It is still worth wearing jewelry carefully, without subjecting it to unusual overloads.

Solder joint strength

Soldering allows you to join dissimilar materials. This is the main advantage of the method. But it is important to evaluate the strength of the solder joint, which is an indicator of the quality of work. This is affected by the size of the gap. At low values, the effect of capillary flow is best manifested, that is, the metal of the product dissolves in the solder. This effect increases the strength of the connection by 30-60%.

During work, we must not forget about safety measures. This applies to wearing gloves and a respirator. We must not forget about high temperatures, which can cause a fire.

Sanding and polishing

If the thing fades over time and loses its “chic-brilliance-beauty”, it doesn’t matter. For a soft metal like gold, this is quite normal. In addition, everything can be returned. To do this, you just need to ask the master to polish it. But first, of course, sanding, which will remove scratches, microcracks and abrasions. And only then polished to a mirror shine. As a result, all irregularities disappear and shine is restored. This procedure also has a disadvantage: if a coating has been applied to the jewelry, it will be erased. But it can also be restored.

Caring for gold. There is very simple advice here: it is better to remove the product before any water or cosmetic procedures. Sea water is especially unpleasant for gold - not in terms of its destruction, but in terms of purity. At least once a year, take your jewelry to a repair shop and ask for it to be cleaned. If for some reason this is not possible, do the procedure yourself, but take all precautions, especially when cleaning things with stones.

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Ultrasonic cleaning: high technology

This procedure allows you to clean the item not only from visible dirt, but also from microbes, which feel good having chosen such an unconventional place to live as jewelry. Firstly, cleaning returns the lost shine and charm, and secondly, gold becomes truly safe in a medical sense.

Sometimes cleaning can extend the life of your jewelry. Locks on chains, bracelets, and earrings often break. If we are talking about a carabiner lock, then it has a spring made of ordinary metal. When a person washes and sweats, the metal rusts and breaks down. As a result, the lock needs to be changed. But cleansing may well delay the problem or even completely eliminate it.

Ultrasonic cleaning technology is as follows: in a bath filled with a special liquid, all possible contaminants are destroyed (as jewelers say, “knocked out”) using sound vibration. An absolute plus of the procedure: it tests the strength of stones. If the stone does not fit well, it will be knocked out. This means that it needs to be secured and prevented from being lost.

The peculiarity of this cleaning is that it cannot be used for some products.