How To Replace Missing Preciosa Crystals In Jewellery

Do you have a favourite sentimental piece of jewellery that stays sadly tucked away in a drawer because it is missing a vital stone or two? This is an extremely common fate for many a once loved heirloom, but this does not have to be the case for you. When rescuing an item that needs replacement Preciosa Crystals, finding the best size and colour match will require attention to several details, especially if the stones sit closely together, because a side-by-side comparison leaves little room for error.

Step By Step Repair Process

Follow our step-by-step repair process and learn the tools and tricks we use along the way; you can also watch our video tutorial detailing how we replaced a missing Preciosa round stone on a clients keepsake ring on our YouTube channel.

1. By closely examining the item from all angles you can determine which type of crystal you need, the key things to look for are:

• Does it sit on a flat surface like a flatback crystal?
• If it sits in a metal casing, can you see the back of the other crystals?
• If the stones are shaped on the back, do they come to a single point like a chaton or are they chiselled like a fancy stone?
• Are the backs of the other stones foiled or unfoiled?

Which Preciosa Crystals To Use

Answering these questions will tell you which general category of Preciosa Crystals are needed.

2. Next, you need to ensure you choose the right size of replacement Preciosa crystals, for this you simply measure the width of the space your new crystal needs to fill and consult the size chart on our website. Your “mm” measurement will likely be converted into either an SS or PP crystal size.
3. When colour matching crystals, it really helps to have a physical example of the possible replacement crystal in front of you and with a Colour Chart you can compare with confidence.
4. If you are placing a stone into a metal casing it helps to have a thin layer of glue to provide extra grip. We recommend you apply a tiny amount of Gem Tac glue into the metal casing for the crystal in sit in.
5. If your crystal is too small for tweezers you can use a Wax Picker Pencil to accurately place the stone in its new home.
6. In items of jewellery the crystal needs to sit at the right angle so that its sparkle matches the other stones in the piece. To ensure this you can adjust the position using Tweezers for Jewellery Making.
7. Most settings have small teeth or claws that need to be pressed into place, we recommend you use a pair of Chain Nose Pliers to gently press the teeth of the setting down over the edges to secure the crystal in place.

By following these simple steps, your jewellery piece can once again be worn in all its fabulous glory.