Laynie Tzena (“the San Francisco Jewelry Doctor”) has done work for me over the past several years, and I highly recommend her.
I have always liked to wear jewelry that has special meaning to me. Our family has the tradition to pass down jewelry through the generations, and my mother took jewelry classes at UC Berkeley Extension in the ’40s. I am lucky enough to have one of the rings she made. Also, my uncle is an artist and designed jewelry for a time in the ’50s, and I have some of his things. I have brought Laynie many of my treasured bracelets, necklaces, and rings. She is forthright in her assessment of what can be done. Laynie’s goal is always to preserve the spirit of a piece of jewelry, either by restoring it “as was” or, when that’s not possible, by designing a new piece that retains the feel of the original.
A favorite ring of mine, a multicolored gold band with intersecting triangular stones, one of which was missing, proved to be a challenge. For one thing, it turns out these days most triangular stones, unlike mine, have rounded corners. We also needed to find a color that would work with the others. The new stone needed to be just the right size, shape, and color to fit the “feel” of the sequence. Laynie found the perfect stone for the ring.
Laynie’s enthusiasm for her work is ever present and she clearly knows her stuff! I am grateful to have met her and look forward to working with her for many years to come.
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