Restoring A Pair Of Georgian Era Coral Cameo Earrings To Their Former Glory, The Hard Way скачать в хорошем качестве

Restoring A Pair Of Georgian Era Coral Cameo Earrings To Their Former Glory, The Hard Way

So many people commented to tell me that they love seeing what's going on behind the scenes, so I thought I'd share a project I am really excited about! As part of my ongoing, all-consuming antique coral obsession, I set out to restore these fantastic carved coral cameos to their former glory. When I found them, they were dried out and chalky, had absolutely no luster, and were fitted with modern 9k screwback conversions. Of course, because I cannot stand the thought of these little treasures not living up to their original potential, I immediately set to work restoring them. The first clue to their original construction was the tiny hole at the top- that indicated that they had "sleeper," or back-to-front hooks. Once I removed the screwback conversion, including the crossbar that had been added to support them, I got a much clearer idea of where things should go. I did a bunch of research on Georgian era hooks and where the hinges should be- low, close to the bezel, and either made of a short bar like this or a tube. I happen to have a pair of c. 1820s Iberian pearl earrings in my collection, and examined those to determine exactly what my hinge construction was going to look like. In order to avoid having to pull the cameos from their bezels, I brought them to a laser repair jeweler, to have the bottoms of my hinges soldered on. The next step is shaping each hook, riveting it onto the bottom to create a tight but smooth hinge, and giving everything a final cleaning and polish. Of course, I've fallen deeply in love with these little ladies while devoting so much time to them, and they may end up staying with me a bit longer 😅 #antiquejewelry #georgianerajewelry #jewelryrestoration #jewelryrepair #antiquecoral #antiquecameos #napoleonicera #georgianera #jewelryhistory #behindthescenes #atthebench