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I am trying to fix a silver necklace. It is, however, too thin for me to just add a new link to to join the broken parts.

Can it be welded together somehow, or is there some other preferred methodology? It doesn't have to be a high quality fix at all, it just has to be together again.

Picture of the chain is below. It was sold as sterling silver.

Image showing the necklace and its break

And a close-up of the breakage:

Close-up of the breakage

Joachim
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Peter
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    Take it to a jeweler if you want it to look good. – blacksmith37 Sep 01 '22 at 15:20
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    If the break was in the middle and would be in back, there are a few fixes that an experienced hobbyist with the right tools could do. It would be visible, but could be hidden by a collar or hair. With the break in that location, an invisible repair would be tough. A jeweler might be able to solder it and then blend the appearance (an invisible repair might be more expensive than replacing the necklace or chain). If the longer end is long enough, it could be turned into a smaller necklace by soldering a new clasp to the end. – fixer1234 Sep 03 '22 at 05:50
  • @fixer1234 Thank you very much for the advice! It doesn't have to be invisible, I'm mostly interested in a low-cost but "good enough" solution. For example I don't want to buy a laser welder for several thousand dollars, but a 30 dollar precision blow torch is something I'd be willing to invest in if you think welding the ends together is feasible. – Peter Sep 06 '22 at 23:14
  • @blacksmith37 I understand, thank you. The necklace itself costs around $20 so it's probably not worth taking it to a professional, but still a great learning project for me – Peter Sep 06 '22 at 23:14
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    I'd be tempted to solder it. Use a high-temp graphite or ceramic block with a groove, rotating the chain in the groove to where the broken ends align & fit tightly. Clamp the chain in place with something that can take heat. Cover the break with the type of paste flux you'd use for electronic circuit board repair. Snip off a tiny pellet of silver solder (can use solder sold for electronics), and wedge it next to the break on one side. Heat the other side of the break with a pinpoint micro torch, and let the chain melt the solder and wick it in. – fixer1234 Sep 07 '22 at 05:43
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    If it's (almost) exactly in the middle, you could hide and maybe even fix it using a pendant (in the latter case by being able to solder it behind the pendant, or using some other technique). If a pendant is something you wouldn't mind hanging from the necklace, naturally. – Joachim Sep 07 '22 at 17:16
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    Thank you@ @Joachim The break is at an unfortunate position on one of the sides so a pendant would not be the best looking thing in terms of symmetry and balance (just a personal opinion of course). – Peter Sep 09 '22 at 03:24
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    Well, it is your necklace :) – Joachim Sep 09 '22 at 07:28

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I've done a few of these repairs. They're never perfect. It can be soldered using silver solder, if you know how to do that. With this fine a piece I'd use easy or Easy45 solder and be very careful with flame control, using your finest torch tip. I would also make sure to use some kind of antiflux down the length of the chain where you DON'T want it soldered for at least 1/2 cm (more won't hurt). Note that this will solder it together, and with the right cleaning you won't see the join. However, the chain will no longer be flexible where it was joined.

Johanus Haidner
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