Goldsmith Richard Talman faced a challenging restoration on The latest episode of The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn, after a guest brought in a signet ring that other craftspeople had refused to touch.
During Wednesday's edition (October 14) of the BBC spin-off, Richard welcomed Joe Riley from Kent, who arrived with a piece of jewellery carrying immeasurable sentimental significance. Joe described the profound importance of his grandad's signet ring.
"So, it was originally his dad's ring. My great-grandmother had it made for him on their wedding day in 1932. It's got her initials, Mary Cummings, MC," Joe said.
A grandfather's role
Joe's grandad, Tom, occupied a vital role throughout his upbringing. The visitor revealed: "My parents divorced when I was 11 or 12. My grandad, unknowing to me, kind of took that responsibility of, like, a father figure role.
"I'd go and see him every Saturday morning without fail. We'd go and play snooker at his working men's club. He'd come and pick me up from my house. As he got older, he gave the car to me and I'd pick him up. He was incredibly funny, mischievous, wicked sense of humour. It was just like two mates going down to the pub. And I learnt things from him that I didn't realise I was learning - most prominently was how to love your family."
Joe then delivered some heartbreaking news, revealing: "My grandad sadly passed away in March, and now I obviously have the ring." Dominic Chinea was swift to offer his condolences to the bereaved guest, saying: "I'm sorry."
Concerns over a hollow ring
Joe went on to explain that he wished to wear the ring just as his grandfather had done, ensuring it would last a lifetime. The guest had even previously attempted to have it restored, but "people won't touch it" owing to the ring's delicate condition.
Dom was quick to voice his concerns, telling Richard: "It always makes me a bit nervous when people have tried to get things fixed and everyone has said no. I'm scared! Are you not?" Richard then confessed: "A little bit, but I'm not letting on."
Upon examining the ring more closely, Richard discovered a "concerning" detail, remarking: "That is the presence of dents all on the underside on the inside of the ring. That causes me to believe only one thing, that what we've got is a hollow head of that ring. When it comes to working on any piece of jewellery, though, that is hollow, it is a goldsmith's worst nightmare, because they don't take too kindly to heat. And I'm going to need to put heat on it."
Successful restoration
Richard observed that sections of the ring varied in thickness. "It's quite concerning and it's going to pose some further risks," he acknowledged.
Despite the difficulties, Richard successfully resized the ring to fit Joe, while engraver Sam Marsden carefully restored the delicate initials of Joe's great-grandmother Mary. Richard subsequently travelled to Ashford, Kent, to meet Joe and examine the finished piece.
Joe disclosed that he had been wearing the ring daily as a tribute to his grandfather. "Being able to wear it every day, I mean, is quite emotional. You know, I look at it and I think of him, and I have him with me now," he told Richard. "I wish I could show him. It's something that I'll now be able to pass down to my children, and that means a lot, you know. An awful lot."
The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
