Burbank Jewelry Repair Shop at a 1978 Family Bench

In 1978 Garo Dedeian opened a jewelry studio on East Alameda Avenue in Burbank. Forty-eight years later, the shop's About page says, his son Zaven works at the same bench. Burbank Jewelry Outlet is a small, family-run studio that makes and repairs fine gold jewelry in the same room, and it is one of the few places in the area that says plainly that nothing gets shipped out to a third-party bench. If you live or work around the studios and something in your jewelry box needs fixing, it is a short trip.

The shop's timeline is short and specific. The studio opened in 1978. In the 2000s the second generation joined, and Zaven brought newer methods to the family business, including 3D-printed models for custom work and laser welding for repairs. The shop also sells its own line, and one customer review on the site refers to the business by its in-house brand name, Gianni Deloro.

That mix of old and new is what makes the bench useful. The older skills, such as sizing in solid gold, rebuilding a shank by hand and matching a clasp to a chain, are the backbone of repair work. The newer tools let the shop do those jobs closer to stones and with less risk of damage to the rest of the piece.

The jewelry repair page goes into more detail than most. Ring resizing is done up or down in solid 14K gold, and the shop promises same-material sizing with no visible seams. Prong retipping is done one prong at a time using laser welding. Chain repair covers soldered breaks, replaced clasps and full reconstruction of fine gold chains. Clasp replacement covers spring rings, lobster clasps, box clasps and toggles, matched to the gauge of your chain. Thin or cracked ring shanks can be rebuilt in matching solid 14K gold. Soldering, surface refinishing and stone resetting round out the list.

Clasp matching is the other detail that separates a careful bench from a quick one. A clasp that is too heavy for a fine chain pulls it out of shape, and one that is too light will fail again. Asking for a clasp matched to the chain gauge, as this shop says it does, is the right way to fix a necklace that has broken more than once.

Laser welding is the newer tool that makes prong work safer. A torch heats the whole area around a repair, which can loosen nearby settings or damage heat-sensitive stones such as emeralds, opals and pearls. A laser welder puts a tiny pulse of heat exactly where it is needed, so a worn prong can be rebuilt right next to the stone without taking the piece apart.

No appointment is needed. The repair page says you can drop in any time during store hours, and the ring sizing page says the same for a drop-off assessment. The jeweler looks at the piece in front of you, gives you a cost before any work begins and only goes ahead with your approval. A blog post on ring resizing describes this as a free quote, and the repair page adds that there are no surprise charges at pickup.

Timing is stated clearly too. Most repairs are finished in one to three business days, many standard repairs are done the same day, and the shop gives you the timeline when you drop the piece off. Ring sizing usually takes one to three business days. Repair pricing is assessed piece by piece, so there is no general price list for jewelry work. The one posted price is for watches. A battery replacement costs $25.

One planning tip. Because sizing can take up to three business days, give yourself a cushion if a ring needs to be ready for an event. Drop it off early in the week, and you will usually have it back before the weekend, when the shop closes at 3 pm on Saturday and stays closed on Sunday.

The shop is on East Alameda Avenue, between North Victory Boulevard and North San Fernando Boulevard. The merchant says street parking and an adjacent lot on Alameda are available. Driving is the practical choice for most visitors, and the studio is a short hop from Interstate 5.

Downtown Burbank is a short drive north. Burbank Town Center, the large shopping mall at Magnolia Boulevard, has department stores and a food court, and San Fernando Boulevard is a walkable strip of restaurants, cafes and a movie theater. The Downtown Burbank Metrolink station sits near the mall, which is useful if you want to combine a drop-off with a trip downtown. The studio lots of Burbank, which give the city its nickname as the media capital of the world, are a few minutes west.

Address: Burbank Jewelry Outlet, at 122 E Alameda Ave, Burbank, CA 91502. Hours: Monday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, closed Sunday. Walk-ins are welcome for drop-off, and you get a cost before work begins. Most repairs take one to three business days, and many standard jobs are done the same day. A watch battery costs $25.

Bring the piece in a small bag and keep any loose stones together. If you are dropping off on the way somewhere, the Karpo APP can suggest a lunch spot on San Fernando Boulevard.