# Gold chain repair **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509 "2014-09-04T18:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/1 "2014-09-04T18:47:22Z")
Had my chain repaired. The guy from the jewelry store just called. The last link had broken, and it was possible it would need a new barrel end clasp thing. I asked how much. Guess what he told me. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/2 "2014-09-04T19:05:37Z")
Well, gee I guess it depends upon the purity, and the size of the link. I’m going with: $100 ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/3 "2014-09-04T19:07:30Z")
$69 because 69 is funny ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/4 "2014-09-04T20:42:27Z")
No charge, he has hundreds of them around. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/5 "2014-09-04T20:43:32Z")
“What… you thought I was giving this Back? Hell No…! My girlfriend will Love it…!” “Why would you call me to tell me that…?” “Are you kiddin’…? Ima tell Everybody…! A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/6 "2014-09-04T20:50:00Z")
It probably costs him less than $10. So I’ll say he wants $3000. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/7 "2014-09-04T21:32:50Z")
I’m gonna go with ten bucks. I don’t know why, but that’s what I’m going with. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/8 "2014-09-04T22:07:25Z")
I’m guessing no charge. Here’s why. He’s building goodwill, which is extremely important in the jewelry biz. In some repairs, he gets to keep some little bits, which he can melt down later. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/9 "2014-09-04T23:39:47Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > The last link had broken, and it was possible it would need a new barrel end clasp thing. _Possible?_ How he could not know? A simple solder should be $10-15. A new end might be $25-$35. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/10 "2014-09-04T23:42:40Z")
I won’t put a dollar figure on it but I am going to guess a whole lot because he knows your parents. OTOH - it could be free because the jeweler considers his work priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/11 "2014-09-05T02:51:31Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > _Possible?_ How he could not know? > > A simple solder should be $10-15. A new end might be $25-$35. It was the counter lady who took the chain. She asked me if I wanted to have the jeweler call me back with an estimate, and I said “no” figuring it would be about $20- $25. Ok… it’s $84 plus tax. Got a phone message from the jeweler saying it was his son who called me with the price. His son said I sounded a little upset, and that I should call him back and he would explain. He said there were like 3 different places needed attention before it was wear worthy. That takes a little of the sting out, but still- $84! This isn’t a big rapper chain- the whole thing would fit in a thimble with room to spare. In related news, I’ve decided to become a jeweler when I grow up ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/12 "2014-09-05T03:01:27Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > … > Ok… it’s $84 plus tax. > … I win. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/13 "2014-09-05T16:21:46Z")
Just got back from picking the chain up. To show what I know about jewelry, the guy said the repairs were worth it because to replace the chain would be around $1000! I was astounded as I think I paid less than $200 for it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/14 "2014-09-05T16:55:05Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Just got back from picking the chain up. To show what I know about jewelry, the guy said the repairs were worth it because to replace the chain would be around $1000! I was astounded as I think I paid less than $200 for it. How long ago did you buy it? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/15 "2014-09-05T17:01:04Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > How long ago did you buy it? At least 12 years ago, from HSN or QVC. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/16 "2014-09-05T17:09:32Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > At least 12 years ago, from HSN or QVC. Well, the price of gold has gone from $400 an ounce to $1,300 an ounce in the last 12 years. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/17 "2014-09-05T17:10:03Z")
Did he offer you $1000 for it, or did he tell you he’d sell you an equivalent piece for $1000? Because those are not the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gold-chain-repair/697509/18 "2014-09-05T17:36:20Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Did he offer you $1000 for it, or did he tell you he’d sell you an equivalent piece for $1000? Because those are not the same thing. Neither, and I think the $1000 to replace was inflated a bit in an effort to placate me. At any rate, I’m probably further ahead than in my initial irrational reaction, which was to let him keep it rather than pay the $84.