White gold bangle repair.

[Alchad]

Hi, thanks for accepting me, not a jeweller but seeking advice. Back story, my partner has a white gold square bangle made for her by her stepson some 40 years ago, it obviously has sentimental value. Originally it was a solid square bangle

which she could slip over her wrist, but as she got older this became difficult so a few years back she had a jeweller modify it by adding a hinge and a sort of tongue/groove arrangement with a clasp (see photo) .


The clasp has never really worked very well and it has occasionally come loose. A few weeks back she actually lost it but by a miracle it got found.

So question- she’s decided rather than try and get the clasp repaired (which - see photo obviously got damaged when she lost it, she’d like to go back to a solid,or at least least semi bangle and permanently keep it on her wrist. My thought was that to try and make it sort of semi permanent, I could use a very low melting point solder on the tongue/groove. I figure with some heat shield on her wrist I could do this with either an electric soldering iron or a very small gas torch ? Should she ever want the bangle removed the operation could be reversed.

Sorry for ramble, my basic question is twofold, firstly do you folk think this is practical, and if yes, what low melting point solder would be recommended

[Dennis]

That's a cock eyed idea if ever was and the road to permanent injury. Jewelry quality solder melts at 675 degrees Celsius at its lowest, and soft solder at around 300.

You might succeed with a pre-drilled hole and a small self tapping screw, meant for glasses, or even two part epoxy glue. But unpredictably some people are sensitive to epoxy.

Dennis.

[CJ57]

I didn’t know how to answer this last night I was so aghast at the damage to person. I’d get a better catch fitted that works or have it soldered back up again and a bail put on and wear it on a very long chain as a pendant if she wants it close to her heart

[Alchad]

Thanks both for taking the time to reply - and for the concern over my mental health and the physical health of my other half. Rest assured had I gone down the soldering route I would have taken very adequate precautions. First one being using a plumbers soldering mat

Can’t post the URL, but if remotely interested check out plumbers mat on Amazon.

I’m pretty sure that one of these doubled up between the bangle and flesh would have provided adequate protection against an electric soldering iron melting a small amount of low melting solder - and I would have tried on myself first��

In the event I have opted for a solution requiring slightly less heat - a 2cm length of clear heat shrink tubing over the catch. A wet face cloth provided adequate protection from the hair dryer used to shrink the plastic. The plastic can hardly be seen and can easily be removed using a sharp knife…….


Regards

[surfergirl]

Thanks both for taking the time to reply - and for the concern over my mental health and the physical health of my other half. Rest assured had I gone down the soldering route I would have taken very adequate precautions. First one being using a plumbers soldering mat

Can’t post the URL, but if remotely interested check out plumbers mat on Amazon.

I’m pretty sure that one of these doubled up between the bangle and flesh would have provided adequate protection against an electric soldering iron melting a small amount of low melting solder - and I would have tried on myself first��

In the event I have opted for a solution requiring slightly less heat - a 2cm length of clear heat shrink tubing over the catch. A wet face cloth provided adequate protection from the hair dryer used to shrink the plastic. The plastic can hardly be seen and can easily be removed using a sharp knife…….


Regards

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

my basic question is twofold, firstly do you folk think this is practical...

Answer: no.

It seems you've aleready found a solution. If you happen to need a rethink, I like Caroline's suggestion. Or could you create a double cuff style bangle? When I say 'you' I clearly mean this should be create by a compentent jeweller who knows not to use a soldering iron on jewellery or a plumber's torch anywhere near human flesh.

[ps_bond]

Thanks both for taking the time to reply - and for the concern over my mental health and the physical health of my other half. Rest assured had I gone down the soldering route I would have taken very adequate precautions. First one being using a plumbers soldering mat

Can’t post the URL, but if remotely interested check out plumbers mat on Amazon.

No.
Just.... No.
A) low melting point (200C range) solders are not suitable for jewellery repair (and I bill a lot extra when I get jobs like that because I have to remove the stuff first) and B) the temperatures required for jewellery solders are in the 800-900C range. Done with a blowtorch.

Plumbers mats aren't good at preventing heat transfer, they're more flameproof. Try using that as protection on a person and you'll be looking at charges of GBH (because they can't consent to being injured).

The ONLY ways to join something that someone is wearing is with either with a pulse-arc welder (like a PUK) or a laser welder (by which I mean jewellery scale, not Dr No). And even then it's all kinds of bad idea.