BWeaves
Well-known member
One of the South Sea pearl birds fell off my ring. I got out my 2 part jeweler's epoxy to fix it. I removed the old epoxy from the post with a cotton pad dipped in acetone / nail polish remover. Acetone won't hurt pearls.
I laid down some aluminum foil to protect the counter. I had 2 toothpicks and a piece of paper towel. I held the ring in a jeweler's tweezer, but I've also used a bulldog clip or binder clip to hold rings. I want to position the tweezer or clip so the ring will sit upright when I'm done. I'm also holding the loose pearl in another jeweler's tweezer so I don't get epoxy on my fingertips. I put a blurp (technical term for about 1/4 tsp) of each of the two epoxy elements on the foil, side by side. I use a tooth pick to mix equal parts together. I hold the ring so the post is upside down. This is so the excess will drip off and not down on the ring. I use the toothpick I used to mix the epoxy to put some on the post, and on the base of the post. Then I put the pearl onto the post. I remove the tweezer and use my fingers to press the pearl onto the post and twist the bird in the direction I want the beak to face. Then I use the second, clean toothpick to remove any excess epoxy that has squished out of the hole around the base of the pearl. I use the paper towel to wipe off any more excess epoxy. Then I let the ring sit upright. The epoxy should set in 4 to 6 minutes, but it is recommended to let the piece sit for 24 hours before wearing it. And it should be good as new.
I laid down some aluminum foil to protect the counter. I had 2 toothpicks and a piece of paper towel. I held the ring in a jeweler's tweezer, but I've also used a bulldog clip or binder clip to hold rings. I want to position the tweezer or clip so the ring will sit upright when I'm done. I'm also holding the loose pearl in another jeweler's tweezer so I don't get epoxy on my fingertips. I put a blurp (technical term for about 1/4 tsp) of each of the two epoxy elements on the foil, side by side. I use a tooth pick to mix equal parts together. I hold the ring so the post is upside down. This is so the excess will drip off and not down on the ring. I use the toothpick I used to mix the epoxy to put some on the post, and on the base of the post. Then I put the pearl onto the post. I remove the tweezer and use my fingers to press the pearl onto the post and twist the bird in the direction I want the beak to face. Then I use the second, clean toothpick to remove any excess epoxy that has squished out of the hole around the base of the pearl. I use the paper towel to wipe off any more excess epoxy. Then I let the ring sit upright. The epoxy should set in 4 to 6 minutes, but it is recommended to let the piece sit for 24 hours before wearing it. And it should be good as new.
