Hello, I'm Omori, the designer.
Have you ever accidentally dropped your favorite jewelry, causing it to chip or scratch? What do you do in such situations?
"It's a precious piece of jewelry, I want to keep using it as is, but it really bothers me..."
"Can it be repaired? Or should I just replace it?"
I'm sure many of you have had such worries. Today, I'd like to share the story of how a chipped pendant top was reformed and brought back to life.
"Ms. Omori, can you do something about this?"
One day, a customer came to me with this concern.
"I dropped my favorite pendant top, and the corner chipped off... Is there anything you can do?"
The pendant top I received had a distinctive hexagonal crystal. In the center, a delicate horse motif was intricately crafted. The rough texture of the crystal and the matte gold horse created a simple yet unique design.
Upon closer inspection, a chip was visible right below the horse's front leg. Although not very noticeable at first glance, the customer was particularly bothered by it.
Furthermore, the customer also brought a vibrant red gemstone.
She was hopeful about the possibility of reforming it, saying, "I wish this stone could also be utilized..."
Pendant top and red stone before reform
Repair? Reform? What should I do?
There are two main approaches to dealing with chipped gemstones: "repair" and "reform."
- Repair = Recutting (repolishing) the chipped part of the gemstone to reshape it.
- Reform = Transforming the gemstone into a new shape while utilizing the chipped part.
In the case of this pendant top, simply recutting it would carry the risk of it chipping again. Therefore, we decided to reform it into a shape that could be used with peace of mind, while preserving the design.
The key design points for this project were:
- Protecting the gemstone to prevent it from chipping again
- Making the chipped part less noticeable
- Utilizing the red stone the customer had
First, a gold frame was created to protect the hexagonal pendant top. Rather than a perfect hexagon, a handmade, natural form was chosen to enhance the stone's natural beauty.
Then, the red stone was set into the chipped part. The vibrant contrast between red and black created a cooler impression.
Furthermore, the entire pendant's gold was given the same matte texture as the horse motif, creating a unified design. The pendant top was reborn with added volume and elegance, while maintaining its original simplicity.
Pendant top after reform
When the customer held the completed pendant top, she was delighted, saying, "It's been brought back to life as an item I want to wear again!"
I believe that jewelry has infinite possibilities. It's not the end when something breaks; it can be reborn into a new form.
If you're wondering "What should I do with my chipped gemstones or jewelry?" please don't hesitate to consult us. We'll inherit your precious sentiments and transform your jewelry to shine once more.
See you in the next blog.
Reform of a black stone pendant top
Item: Pendant top
Material: K18YG
Gemstones: Black stone, red stone
Production period: Approximately 1.5 months
Design: Kanae Omori