None of us are a stranger to how age can break down a beloved item, even when it’s made from strong metals and gemstones. This is why remodeling has become such as important part of goldsmith work—by using the materials from an old, broken piece of jewelry or designing a new work inspired from the old, the piece still maintains important meaning while actually being able to wear. However, in this case, redesigning isn’t always the desired job. For this feature piece, we had a customer come in with a request to copy an item so it looks brand new.
The customer’s puffed heart pendant had been well loved, and ended up like the photo above (right). It was previously made from a gold-filled material that was beginning to wear away, so the customer wanted it to be copied in a stronger metal: gold. Our goldsmith got to work making a mold of the pendant so we could copy the design down to every curve, and then a strong 14kt gold was used to bring it to life. The photo above shows what the piece looked like after first coming out of the mold (left). The design is evident, but it still needs a couple more processes to smooth it down and make it shine.
Eventually, the finished pendant looked like this.
Through the lost wax process, we were able to recreate the design perfectly so that the customer knows she’s invested in a durable jewelry she’ll love. We were so happy to create this piece for our customer, and she was overjoyed to be able to wear her beloved gold heart again.
If you’ve got a piece that you want redesigned or that needs new life breathed into it, stop by Johnson Jewelers to talk with our expert goldsmiths. Our showroom with in-house goldsmiths is located in Woodbury, MN.
