Touched up Antique Platnum ring

JoeCera

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Here is an exsample of other work out there
This one was a bit complicated since it had to be fabricated
to be able to reset the new stone and re engraved just follow the pattern.
Joe Cera
 

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jimzim75

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Hi Joe,
I do this type of work a lot. I was wondering why the millgrain looks a little under formed. Is this ring in that bad of shape
that it will not take much pressure? Or is this what your customer requested as far as the final look of the ring.

If it's a support question, I think I would use diamond cement to temporarily give it some strength so that the millgrain would
look better. This is a platinum mount so it should be able to hold quite a crisp edge.
 
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JoeCera

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The customer did not want this crisp .They basicly wanted it left alone .
It had been worked on by someone in another state.
Thanks Joe
 

Sam

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Thanks for posting this, Joe. Really complex looking piece, and probably not easy to work on. I like the pattern.
 

Mike Cirelli

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Looks good Joe. Definitely looked like it needed some prong work in the before picture. Was it done with a torch or a laser?
Mike
 

jimzim75

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So that's what the customer asked for, nice quality job. Something for new engravers to remember when
redoing an antique. The customer may not want it to look like it was made yesterday.
I liked Sam's idea of putting a sharp but ragged edge on engravers to mute the cuts. This would
work well on such a jobs.

I don't think there is any advantage to using laser welding unless you have a heat sensitive stone that you
do not wish to remove. Most stone in platinum are easily removed and reset. This produces
a better quality job to my way of doing things. Laser's have their place in a job but are not an answere
to every job.
 

Mike Cirelli

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I agree that lasers are not a solve all. I personally don't have one, I think the new arc welder would be of more benefit and less risky if your hit the stone.
Mike
 

Dmitry Martinov

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Mi pardon guys, but this ring can not be called antique anymore. Restoration - is restoration. Making new any details on item makes it modern. As for jeweller it is always sad to hear that customer don't understand this definition. In my case I just refuse to "rebuilt" antique staff like this. JoeCera:in generally work done very good.
 

JoeCera

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The ring was done with a torch.All the sheet ,wire was fabriacted from a platinum
sprue.I have pictures of it in the process I will try and post it.
A lot of jewelers do not do this work It can be a real pain ,But it pays very well.
 

jimzim75

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I have a PUK II and like the laser it does do some thing really well, but like the laser it is not a cure all.
It's taken me about a year to figure out what it is best at. When the manufacture describes it as a tack
welder, that's what they mean, exactly. If you don't want head moving when they are being solder,
presto. That's what it's best at.

I don't agree with you on this one Dmitry. Being of the period and having a layer of crud on it doesn't make
it legitimate. Taking the crud off it doesn't cancel the design or maker's mark. Customer ask me if a ring
that was price point when it was made in 1890 has any extra value? I have to tell them just because
it was made over a hundred years ago but cheaply, doesn't lend a value to it. Jewellers made cheap
jewellery one hundred years ago also, they just called it trinkets. There is also a difference between a nice
patina and crud. A good jeweller can put a patina back on. If your talking really high end jewellery, you
might not want to do anything to it. The average jeweller doesn't have a lot of it coming accross the
bench. If the customer can't wear it, then that defeats the purpose of jewellery.
 

Dmitry Martinov

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yeah I understand you Jim. It just the info and knowledges I get through the time I started and become a jeweller. I know a few restorators of antique pictures, old russian icons, furniture and jewellery in Latvia. I saw how do they work and what do they talking about. A lot of books was read , and I find my vision about restoration of antiques. A few customers brings real Faberge cigarette cases, personal stamps and figures. And they want not only restore them but change the stones from emerald to diamonds, change the color of enameling, adding some new elements and so on, only and ONLY because they think it would be better and they will pay as much as we ask. Restoration is very difficult process. And they receive only one answer, what makes you think that the customer choose the jeweller ? The jeweller choose the client. Different people has different opinion. Everybody is equal in something general. No offence guys. Sometimes I thinking about my english level which leades me to misunderstanding with opponents. So if it was some kind of rude post, I'm sorry from my heart. Sorry
 

jimzim75

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Your doing okay Dmitry with the English thing. Sometimes I think it my second language, usually after
midnight. Like right now as a matter of fact. Since were are not talking nukes, and we just having a
chat. You can offend me all you want, I'm slow to anger. Thanks for admitting I right, I think?
Living in Canada, the only thing taken seriously is hockey and beer.

I haven't worked on Faberge yet, but I have worked on serious Tiffany. My rule of thumb is, if it didn't
come over on the Mayflower in 1698, then jewellery should be worn and not put in a case in a museum.
If a woman going to wear it, then it shouldn't fall off because of it's state on non repair. The piece should
be repaired as it would have been made, unless something current works better. I refuse to use a forge to
solder with, and I like to use my gravermax. I guess that make me a pragmatist.
 

JoeCera

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Here Is one of the pictures after the platinum sheet had beenrolled
solderedand wire had been pulled and soldered.
Thanks Joe
 

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jlseymour

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Joe you did a great job. I have a laser and it loves Plat. I have done a few antique plat and 18kw and the laser can do thing you think about first when you have a torch and have to keep on figuring what the best way to do this one.
After spending $31,000 my wife ask me if I had to do it again would I. I haven't thought about not having a Harley instead.
So many plat. pieces have been repaired with 14 or 18KW, the laser doesn't let it fall apart when doing a small restornation.
I hope I can spend as much time engraving as I do on repairs with the torch and laser in my jewelry store.
Sam thanks for th cafe and I love Columbian coffee, What a help to us basic engravers...
Thanks Again
J&J Jewelry
Jerry
 
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