Miscellaneous

Ask a Jeweler: Repairs and Special Requests

Miscellaneous
Words by Sydney Gelman
12.13.23
vintage brooches arranged on black velvet
Jewel Boutique
vintage brooches arranged on black velvet
Jewel Boutique

I’m the person who has a ring on almost every finger, who doesn’t feel ready to leave the house without a necklace (or three). Between pieces I inherited from my grandmother, to antique finds I bought via Instagram DM, I wear a lot of jewelry and I wear down a lot of jewelry. From loose stones, to snapped chains, to earring posts that got bent at the bottom of my bag, I’ve taken everything from antique rings to gold-plated pieces I found on eBay to my local jeweler.

However, the full extent of a jeweler’s skills remained a mystery to me. I also only had a vague idea of what each repair should cost. I set out to discover what different jewelers throughout New York specialize in, how they learned their craft, and what they can repair, because I refuse to let anyone imply a contemporary, costume piece isn’t as valuable as a Victorian classic.


Low jewelry cases in the foreground with rooftop views out a window
Yours & Mine Jewelers

In midtown on west 30th street, a nondescript office building houses Yours & Mine Jewelers. There’s no sign outside, but inside, I confirmed that I was in the right place and took an elevator up to the thirteenth floor. The fluorescent hallways I wandered down stood in stark contrast to the airy showroom I ended up in. Featuring backlit display cases full of jewels resting on black velvet pillows and mannequins, Yours & Mine reminded me that my magpie impulses were still strong. Today, Yours & Mine is owned by Frank Gallinaro, who inherited the business from his father, Thomas. The store has occupied various locations throughout Manhattan since 1955. Thomas Gallinaro learned the trade from his uncles, and in turn, he taught Frank the nuances of running a jewelry business.

Frank emphasized his focus on designing custom engagement rings—he guides customers through the process of selecting a diamond, comparing different settings, and deciding what type of metal best suits the stone. In terms of repairs, Frank is most often asked to resize rings, solder necklaces and bracelets, and reset stones that have come loose.

Next, I headed to two stores further uptown on The Upper West Side. As soon as I entered the warm, bright interior of The Jewel Boutique, my eyes were pulled in a dozen different directions. Rows of gleaming rings, pearl necklaces draped across mannequins, and loose gemstones scattered inside of glass showcases make up only a fraction of Harmeet’s inventory.


detail of a jewelry case filled with bracelet chains
Jewel Boutique

Harmeet has owned and operated The Jewel Boutique at several locations in the neighborhood for thirty-six years, and he specializes in bespoke pieces. When designing jewelry for a client, he begins by sketching a mockup of the creation before developing a digital rendering so customers can envision the final product. He dreams up new designs with customers and recreates items customers have lost, whether that involves mirroring single earrings missing their mates, or zooming in on photographs of long gone pieces. Harmeet is particularly proud of his ability to size eternity bands, set with stones that encircle the entire finger, as many jewelers refuse to alter these types of rings.

Customers also visit The Jewel Boutique for smaller projects: standard ring sizing, broken chains, and snapped earring posts are the most common repairs Harmeet encounters. Although he most often sees solid gold and silver, he also fixes costume jewelry; prices for these repairs are based on the cost of materials and the complexity of the job. 


display case of watches in a shop front window
Jewelry Land

Further up on Broadway between west 100th and west 101st streets sits Jewelry Land, owned and operated by Juno Park since 1986. His compact store has display cases filled with charms for any occasion imaginable, silver and gold chains in dozens of lengths, and a selection of watches from Casio to Timex.

Juno repairs both fine and costume jewelry. When I asked him to tell me his most requested repairs, he told me it was impossible to narrow it down: he sees everything. Ring sizing, soldering snapped chains, resetting stones—Juno can restore anything you bring him, unless it’s made from a hard metal, such as stainless steel. He also offers extensive services for watches ranging from superficial repairs, to battery replacements, to mechanical adjustments.

Although I tried to get an idea of what the most common repairs would cost at a New York City jeweler, I quickly learned that it’s impossible to provide an estimate or a range of prices—every job requires an in-person evaluation to receive a quote. However, you can be assured that whether you bring in a Rolex or a gold-plated chain, each jeweler will treat your piece with care and concern, because they understand that jewelry is worth far more than the market value of gold and silver.


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