Jewellery Repair Service - How to convert to clip on earrings

My challenge this week was to convert a pair of stud earrings into clip-on earrings.

Converting dropper earrings into clip-on earrings is usually quite easy.  You can normally disconnect the dropper from the earring, either by opening the loop at the top of the dropper, or if necessary using wire cutters to cut the loop on the earring (don't cut the loop on the dropper though). 

Once the dropper is separated from the earring, you can attach it to a clip-on earring, either by opening the loop on the earring or using a jump ring to connect the two pieces together.

I sell clip on earring repair kits in my store if you want to carry out your own conversion

Clip-on earring repair kits

However, converting stud earrings is more difficult as they don't have the loop.  Fortunately though the earrings I was asked to convert were gemstones in a claw setting.  This meant I was able to thread wire through the claw and create my own loop, which I then attached to the clip-on earring. 

I used a pair of flush cutter wire cutters to cut off the ear post of the original earring and filed down the rough edge at the back of the claw.

A couple of points to be aware of if you are trying this conversion yourself:

• when you cut the ear post off the earring, it will change the weight distribution of the earring, so the stone may drop forward if you haven't taken this into account when making your loop with the wire.
• you need to take care not to weaken the claw setting, when cutting the post off the earring and when creating your loop in the wire, else the stone may fall out.

Please be aware that I accept no responsibility for any repairs that you conduct yourselves from this post.  This is simply information on how I made a conversion from studs to clip-on earrings.  Cutting the ear post, or threading wire though the claw setting may cause damage to, or weaken your earring.

The lady I carried out this repair for was fully aware of the risks before I commenced the conversion, but as the earrings were useless to her as they were, she was eager for me to proceed.  Happily it worked really well and she is delighted with the results!