AboutThomas Expertise Have a question about jewelry repair or working with precious metal jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and limited custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.
Experience I have near 35 years experience at the sort of jewelry work I do.
Education/Credentials Education is English/Physics! Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion! Don't let the work tear up your body along the way.
I have a question for you if I could, please. I have a platinum or white gold (not sure - all I know is that it's marked 14K) hand watch case... I am wondering if it is possible for that to be melted and reworked into a wedding band? I don't know how heavy it is, but I don't think there is enough for two wedding bands. If it is possible, where should I even begin to turn? I live in Portland, OR. Also, if you think it is doable, can you tell me what I should be looking at, price-wise?
Thank you so much! I look forward to your reply... :)
ANSWER: Ana, I have to wait until this evening to send your answer. You see, I am away from my work all weekend and all pricing for this sort of work is there. I want to check the most current and consistent pricing for this sort of work so your answer will be more accurate. See you this evening. God Bless. Thomas.
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QUESTION: I appreciate your follow-up, Tom. I am attaching a picture here - if it helps and I look forward to your quote. Thank you!
Answer Ana, Thomas Is Back in the Building-------------------------------------------------- : )
I certainly appreciate your patience. You see, the only way I could provide a reasonable answer was to check a reference at my work place today. Why that? There is a repair and service price reference many retail jewelers use to help establish prices. The research behind the reference is done to consider all the real costs to the business and a fair price to the customer. By referring to this information, I am more likely to be in the local ballpark of pricing for you.
In the business where I work, we refer to the reference book and establish our own prices, some close to the reference and some slightly less or slightly more, depending on our particular business arrangements.
WHITE GOLD
We need to speak a little about white gold. I must assume with a 14k stamp the metal is white gold. The legal definition in the USA for 14 karat gold is 14 karat, 14k, 14kt or the international 585 numerical marking. That eliminates platinum. To be sure the watch case is indeed gold will require a look and possibly test of the metal by a jeweler who may be contacted to do the band work. They will also be able to weigh the metal and let you know if there is enough to do the work. I seriously doubt enough is there for two bands and one might be pushing it.
To take white gold like a watch case, melt it down and pour the molten metal into a mold to make a small bar suitable to form into a ring band is not easy. Yellow gold is easy. White gold is not! The resulting bar in white gold is often pitted or incomplete, brittle or not suited to forming by milling into another form without cracking. So, what to do? Find another method of making the gold into a band.
LOST WAX CASTING
Casting is the method. The band is formed in a special wax. That wax is put into a short steel tube and that is filled with special plaster. A rod of wax goes from the wax model of the band to the end of the plaster. This is heated in an oven to near 1250-1300ºF to remove the wax and leave a hollow mold of the band in the plaster. The rod is also melted away and when the gold is melted it is forced through that now hollow tube into the band mold. The plaster is broken away and you have in your hand a ring band with a stem attached to it. This is finished and polished (without the stem, called a sprue) and the band is done. Casting gives the best results with gold of known karat but unknown other characteristics.
The cost quoted is for lost wax casting, using a wax band which the jeweler has in stock. A plain ban is not a biggie in price and many jewelers who do casting will have some wax models in stock. For that, to cast and finish using your gold is about $200. The expense in casting or for that matter making the ring from scratch directly from the metal is in labor when you supply the metal. To hand make in the metal will run more than casting a simple wax band form.
If you want a special design custom made, then the jeweler will need to hand make the wax model and suddenly the price goes up very fast. Think about $400 for that sort of work, using your metal. I have made wax models by hand ranging from $300 to perhaps $700 for the wax work only.
JEWELERS
Look for jewelers who do custom work. You generally want a business with a well functioning service shop, with one or more bench jewelers. The store is not a "while you wait" place and also sells better quality factory made jewelry. There are exceptions but this will get you closer to the right jewelry business the quickest. Go, ask, show and take in what is said. Think about it and compare with another jeweler. Settle with the ones who seem the most professional and willing to help while not trying to push any extras on you. They should be well established and not just set up for business last night.
Ana, that is about the best I can do. You know how to use the follow-up if needed. I do appreciate your question. Best wishes with the band being made. A special thanks for the fine photo. Jewelry is so difficult to discuss without visuals and you solved that quite well.
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