South Pasadena Jewelry Repair Shop With a GIA Gemologist

On Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena, Estate Jewelers is first a shop for vintage and estate pieces, the kind of place where antique rings and old pocket watches sit in the cases. But behind the counter it is also a working repair shop. The team handles everything from a quick watch battery to delicate repairs on fine jewelry and on watches from brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Longines. If you own an older piece, a shop that buys and sells estate jewelry is a good place to have it repaired, because the staff see this kind of work every day.

The About page explains how the shop began. Owner Vartan Kazanjian opened the South Pasadena storefront with his brothers in 2009. The shop has since been named a Reader Recommended Best Jeweler of Pasadena by Arroyo Magazine more than once. Senior associate Marcus Pasette is a GIA Graduate Gemologist, and that credential shapes what the shop can offer beyond repair, including insurance replacement appraisals and gemstone identification done on site.

South Pasadena is a small city with a strong sense of itself, known for its tree-lined streets and its old commercial blocks, and an estate jewelry shop fits in naturally here. Many of the pieces that come through the door have a family history, and the shop's work often starts with figuring out what a piece is before deciding how to fix it.

The services page lists the common jobs: ring sizing and prong repair, stone replacement and tightening, professional cleaning and polishing, watch batteries and watch-related service, and evaluation of more complex repair needs. That last item matters for estate pieces. A ring from the 1920s may have hand-cut stones, thin filigree or old solder joints that need a careful plan, and an evaluation before any work begins is the right way to approach it.

Estate pieces bring their own problems, and it helps to know them before you walk in. Old rings are often worn thin at the bottom of the shank, where the ring rubs against other rings and surfaces for decades. Sizing a thin shank without reinforcing it can lead to a crack later, so the jeweler may suggest rebuilding that section first. Vintage prongs and bezels can also be worn so low that the stone is barely held. A careful evaluation will cover these points and tell you what the piece needs to be safe to wear again.

Cleaning and polishing need a light touch on older jewelry. A heavy polish removes metal and can soften crisp engraving or the edges of old filigree. If a piece has hand engraving or milgrain detail you love, say so, and ask for a gentle clean rather than a full polish.

Having a GIA Graduate Gemologist on staff is not common at a neighborhood shop, and it is useful for repairs. Before a stone is replaced or reset, it helps to know exactly what it is. Some older pieces have treated stones, doublets or glass that look like the real thing, and some gems cannot take the heat of a torch. A gemologist can identify the stone before the work starts, so the repair is done with the right method and you know what you own.

The same skill is behind the shop's appraisals. An insurance replacement appraisal describes a piece in enough detail, with stone weights, metal and condition, that an insurer can replace it if it is lost or stolen. If you are already having an heirloom repaired, it is a natural moment to have it appraised as well.

The shop also buys gold, and its services page includes a gold calculator that estimates offers at 90 percent of the estimated melt value. That can be useful if you are clearing out broken chains or single earrings while having another piece repaired.

You can stop by during regular hours, according to the contact page. The shop also suggests calling ahead or scheduling an appointment, especially if you have items you may want to sell. The services page has an appointment button, and the contact page lists a text line, as well as the main phone and an email address. Repair prices are not posted online, so you get a price for each job in the shop.

The Metro A Line stops at South Pasadena station, on Meridian Avenue at Mission Street, less than a mile from the shop. From the station, walk west along Mission Street to Fair Oaks Avenue, then head a few blocks north toward Pasadena. Driving is also easy, since Fair Oaks Avenue is a main road between Pasadena and the Arroyo Seco Parkway.

South Pasadena rewards a short walk. Mission Street has a cluster of cafes, bookstores and small shops near the station. At Mission and Fair Oaks, the Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain still serves malts and sundaes at an old-fashioned counter, much as it has since it opened in 1915. A few blocks south on Fair Oaks, just past Mission, is the Rialto Theatre, a 1925 movie palace listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with an ornate facade and marquee that have appeared in films.

Address: Estate Jewelers of South Pasadena, at 700 Fair Oaks Ave, Suite C, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Repairs, watch service, appraisals and gemstone identification are done on site. Prices are given in the shop.

Bring any papers for a fine watch, and call ahead if you plan to sell. While you are in the neighborhood, the Karpo APP can suggest a cafe on Mission Street.