I always welcome the chance to restore or remake a destroyed wedding ring. There is something super fun about taking on a project like this.
Many people wonder if a ring can be fixed after it has been smashed or sustained a lot of damage. This post will detail the process of how to remake a destroyed piece of jewelry.
My original plan was to just melt the ring down and roll it out, then bend it to a ring shape. This could have worked but I wanted to create something seamless and perfect— something that was nearly identical to the original.
I determined that due to the extensive damage the ring sustained, it would be best to cast a whole new ring using the existing materials.
Replicating The Design
The first step in recreating a destroyed ring is to try to figure out the exact dimensions of the original. In this case, the destroyed ring had plenty of areas where I could measure the exact width and thickness of the ring.
Once the measurements had been taken, the ring was redesigned. Typically this can be done with CAD or by carving a wax by hand. I prefer CAD due to the exactness you can achieve.
Wax Ring Model
Whether you carve a ring model by hand, use a milling machine, or print the jewelry model with a 3-D printer, the final wax model should be ready for casting.
A sprue is attached to the ring that jets out from the surface. This will be used to attach the ring to a base or casting tree.
The wax model is attached to a base, or “sprued up” as is casting terminology. A wax pen is used to melt the wax and fuse the sprue and the ring model together.
Investing
The Burnout
Once the investment has completely hardened, the rubber base is removed and the flask is put into the oven. What happens next is called the “burnout cycle.”
During the burnout cycle the temperature inside the oven ramps up in increments. During this time the wax ring model completely melts and burns out of the flask. Any residual wax is emptied into the wax tray below the flask.
Once the burn out cycle is complete, the flask is brought to casting temperature and is placed in a vacuum casting machine.
Melting & Casting
To ensure the new cast is clean and free of defect, “fresh” refined gold is added to the original destroyed ring. It’s always a good idea to add at least 50% refined gold when doing a new casting with existing metal.
A hot flame is applied to the gold sitting in the crucible. Once the gold melts to liquid form, it is then poured into the flask!
Remember the wax model that used to be in the flask? Well that was burned out, leaving a cavity in the investment for the gold to flow into!
Molten gold is poured into the flask, perfectly fills the void and assumes the shape of the original wax ring model.
A bit of excess gold is needed to fill the sprue portion. The rest forms a “button”. It’s always good to use a bit extra metal when casting to ensure the jewelry piece comes out as a complete cast.
Finish & Polishing
The Final Result
The completed ring! It’s always such a joy to take a destroyed wedding ring and make it new again.
It doesn’t matter if your ring is smashed, destroyed, or broken—As long as it was made with precious metals such as gold, there’s always hope!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: “I have a ruined ring that I haven’t worn in a long time. Can it be fixed?”
A: Probably! There are many ways to expertly repair jewelry. Worst case scenario, stones and metal can be harvested and used to redesign or remake your ring. Send us a picture of your ruined jewelry for a free quote.
Q: “How much will it cost to repair my broken jewelry?”
A: This entirely depends on what is wrong! Go ahead and contact us and explain what is wrong, we will be happy to give you a free quote!
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