Jewellery Laser Welding vs Jewellery Soldering in Melbourne: What’s the Difference
When it comes to professional jewellery repairs, ring resizing, claw retipping, and restoring treasured jewellery pieces, choosing the right repair technique is vital. At MDT DESIGN in Melbourne, we utilise state-of-the-art jewellery laser welding technology alongside traditional jewellery soldering methods to achieve exceptional results for our clients.
Whether you need a worn setting or claw rebuilt, an engagement ring resized, or a broken platinum or gold chain repaired, understanding the difference between jewellery laser welding and jewellery soldering can help you appreciate the level of workmanship involved in expert jewellery repairs.
What is Jewellery Laser Welding?
Jewellery laser welding is an advanced repair technique that uses a highly concentrated laser beam to fuse precious metals together with extreme precision. This technique can be used on any carat and coloured golds and also platinum. We cannot laser weld silver pieces.
Unlike traditional soldering, which requires heating a larger area of the jewellery piece, a laser welding targets only the exact location being repaired. This minimises heat exposure to help preserve any delicate gemstones, intricate settings, and fine details. This can be especially needed when working on old heirloom pieces as after many years, the jewellery piece may have varying types of solder from the original make and repairs along the way.
At MDT DESIGN, our state-of-the-art laser welder enables us to create virtually seamless joins on all gold and platinum jewellery, making it an ideal solution for high-end jewellery repairs.
Benefits of Jewellery Laser Welding
• Extremely precise and accurate repairs
• Minimal heat transfer to surrounding areas
• Reduced risk to most diamonds and gemstones
• Strong and durable joins
• Seamless repair lines
• Perfect for delicate and fine jewellery
• Fast turnaround time for many repair types
What is Jewellery Soldering?
Jewellery soldering is a traditional jewellery repair technique that joins or adds metal by using a specialised precious metal solder. The solder comes in a variety of melting temperatures with the most common being easy, medium and hard with easy solder having the lower melting temperature and hard having the highest melting temperature. The solder in melted between joins or on top of the piece to join or secure it safely.
Soldering is an important method in jewellery manufacturing and repairs and is often suitable for larger repair areas where laser welding may not be the preferred option. Having both options, we find is essential for completing a repair with integrity.
Professional jewellers will carefully select the appropriate solder to match the metal type, like 9ct yellow gold, 18ct white gold as examples, ensuring a durable and aesthetically pleasing result.
This solder is available in different melting temperatures with Easy, Medium and Hard solders being the most common.
Common Jewellery Soldering Repair types
• Chain repairs
• Bracelet repairs
• Joining ring shanks
• Jewellery manufacturing
• Ring resizing
• Repairing broken findings and clasps
Jewellery Laser Welding vs Jewellery Soldering
Both techniques have their place in professional jewellery repair world, but laser welding offers several advantages for specific applications.
Heat Exposure
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Very low
- Jewellery Soldering: Moderate to high
Precision
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Extremely high
- Jewellery Soldering: High
Gemstone Safety
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Excellent
- Jewellery Soldering: May require stone removal
Visible Repair Lines
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Minimal
- Jewellery Soldering: May be more noticeable
Delicate Repairs
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Excellent, can be limited
- Jewellery Soldering: Limited in some cases
Claw Retipping
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Ideal
- Jewellery Soldering: Traditional option
Ring Resizing
- Jewellery Laser Welding: Excellent for many repairs
- Jewellery Soldering: Commonly used
At MDT DESIGN, we assess each repair individually to determine the most appropriate method for achieving the strongest and most aesthetically pleasing result.
Laser Welding for Ring Resizing in Melbourne
Ring resizing is one of the most common jewellery repairs performed by our Melbourne workshop.
Laser welding allows our jewellers to resize many gold and platinum rings with exceptional precision while minimising heat exposure to surrounding gemstones and settings.
Advantages of Laser Welding for Ring Resizing
• Strong and durable joins
• Reduced impact on stone settings
• Cleaner finish
• Greater precision
• Enhanced structural integrity
Seamless joins
Whether your ring needs to be sized up or down, our experienced jewellers can determine the most suitable repair method for your piece.
Laser Welding for Claw Retipping and Prong Rebuilding
Over time, claws and prongs that hold diamonds and gemstones can wear down, increasing the risk of stone loss or damage.
Jewellery laser welding is particularly effective for claw retipping and prong rebuilding because it allows metal to be added with incredible precision.
Why Laser Welding is Perfect for Claw Retipping
• Precise metal placement
• Strong, durable rebuilt claws
• Minimal heat around gemstones
• Improved gemstone security
• Neat, professional finish
At MDT DESIGN, our laser welding technology enables us to rebuild worn claws on gold and platinum jewellery while maintaining the integrity of the setting. We do need to be very careful when laser repairing claws as a laser welders beam is very strong and can burn, chip or even break gemstones including diamonds.
Expert Jewellery Repairs in Melbourne
Our Melbourne workshop combines traditional jewellery craftsmanship with modern technology to deliver exceptional repair’s.
We regularly perform:
Ring Resizing
• Gold ring resizing
• Platinum ring resizing
• Diamond ring resizing
Claw Retipping
• Diamond claw retipping and rebuilding
• Worn prong restoration
• Stone security inspections
Jewellery Restoration
• Antique jewellery repairs
• Engagement ring restoration
• Wedding ring repairs
• Structural jewellery repairs
By combining jewellery laser welding and traditional jewellery soldering techniques, MDT DESIGN provides comprehensive jewellery repair services for Melbourne clients.
Can All Jewellery Be Laser Welded?
While laser welding is an incredibly versatile repair method, it is not suitable for every metal. Our laser welder is only suitable for use on any type of gold and platinum jewellery.
Metals We Can Laser Weld
• Gold jewellery of any colour and carat type like rose gold, yellow gold and white gold in 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 20ct or 22ct.
• Platinum jewellery
Metals We Cannot Laser Weld
• Silver jewellery
base metal jewellery
stainless steel jewellery
titanium jewellery
brass jewellery
copper jewellery
Due to the properties of silver, we cannot offer laser welding for any silver jewellery pieces. Alternative repair methods may be recommended depending on the repair required and generally silver lends itself to soldering over laser welding.
Why Choose MDT DESIGN for Jewellery Laser Welding in Melbourne?
MDT DESIGN combines advanced repair technology with decades of jewellery expertise whilst all being done in-house in Melbourne’s CBD.
Our Advantages
• State-of-the-art jewellery laser welding equipment
• Experienced on-site Melbourne jewellers
• Precision repairs on gold and platinum jewellery
• Expert ring resizing services
• Professional claw retipping and prong rebuilding
• Trusted on-site Melbourne jewellery workshop
• High-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail
When your jewellery requires expert care, who repairs your piece matters. Our advanced laser welding capabilities allow us to perform repairs that are both structurally sound and aesthetically seamless while keeping the stones in your piece safe and secure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is jewellery laser welding?
Jewellery laser welding is a precision repair technique that uses a concentrated laser beam to fuse the metal together with minimal heat transfer through the piece, creating a strong and nearly invisible join.
Is laser welding better than jewellery soldering?
Neither method is universally better. Laser welding is often preferred for delicate repairs, claw retipping, and gemstone-set jewellery due to it’s precision and low heat impact. Soldering continues to be an important technique for many jewellery repairs and manufacturing applications. Many jewellers do not have access to a laser welder and stick to the traditional soldering methods.
Can you laser weld gold jewellery?
Yes. MDT DESIGN can laser weld most gold jewellery pieces, this makes it ideal for repairs, ring resizing, chain repairs and claw rebuilding.
Can you laser weld platinum jewellery?
Yes. Platinum responds exceptionally well to laser welding. It is one of the most common metals repaired using this technique.
Can you laser weld silver jewellery?
No. MDT DESIGN does not offer laser welding for silver jewellery. Alternative repair methods may be recommended depending on the piece and repair required.
Is laser welding suitable for claw retipping?
Yes. Laser welding is one of the most effective methods for claw retipping and prong rebuilding because it allows precise metal placement while minimising heat exposure to gemstones.
Can laser welding be used for ring resizing?
Yes. Laser welding is commonly used for ring resizing on gold and platinum jewellery, providing strong joins and excellent seamless looking results.
How long does jewellery laser welding take?
Repair times can vary depending on the complexity of the job. Our jewellers can provide an assessment and estimated turnaround time after inspecting your jewellery.
Where can I get jewellery laser welding in Melbourne?
MDT DESIGN offers professional jewellery laser welding services in Melbourne CDB, specialising in gold and platinum jewellery repairs, ring resizing, claw retipping, and prong rebuilding.
