On a recent episode of BBC's The Repair Shop, expert Richard Talman faced a delicate restoration when asked to fix a gold locket that had split in two and bore teeth marks from a baby. The locket, owned by Fliss, had belonged to her late grandparents, Bert and Winifred, and contained a photograph of Bert in uniform. Winifred had carried it throughout the Second World War, and it had been cherished by the family for over a century.
A Challenging Repair
Richard admitted the job was "a bit concerning" because removing the dents would require pushing the metal out, and he was anxious not to damage the sentimental item. Fliss hoped the locket could be restored and that a picture of her grandmother could also be placed inside, so the couple could be "next to each other again."
Speaking about her grandparents, Fliss said: "They were very much in love. And you can tell that by the letters from when he was at war and how much they absolutely adored each other... it is the only piece of jewellery that I have from my grandma. I love the fact that she wore it."
Careful Craftsmanship
Richard began by crafting a new hinge for the locket before attempting to smooth out the dents. He explained: "Now, what I am going to have to do to remove the teeth marks is to push the metal back in the opposite direction that they have been bitten... The key point here is to not hit it too hard by unnecessary pressure."
He added: "It really is just a little bit of trial and error... there is always going to be that tipping point of going too far and maybe causing more damage. So, it is just a matter of being really, really slow and really, really careful and hoping you can achieve that result before it tips it over the edge."
Emotional Reveal
When Fliss returned to the barn, she was overwhelmed to see the mended and polished locket gleaming on the table. Breaking down in tears, she said: "It's perfect that it's the pictures that they each held. It's got a lot of meaning behind it so yeah, that is incredible. Thank you so much. They've never been in the locket together. It's an amazing feeling."
Describing her grandparents' relationship, she said: "It's that kind of love story that people talk about and you don't see much of. So it's nice to have this proof that that's what it can be like." After fastening the chain around her neck, she said she would never remove the necklace.
The Repair Shop airs on BBC One.
