Bringing Vintage Jewellery Back to Life: The Restoration of a Links of London Heart Charm
At Links London, we’re not just preserving the past—we’re reviving it. Our restoration process is all about breathing new life into vintage and retro Links of London pieces, ensuring they can be enjoyed for years to come. In our latest restoration, we worked on an iconic Links of London Heart Charm—one of the brand’s most beloved and widely sold designs.
Join us behind the scenes as we take you through the meticulous process of restoring a vintage sterling silver heart charm, bringing it from well-worn to beautifully polished.
Close-up of a vintage Links of London heart charm before restoration, showing tarnished silver.
The Popularity of the Links of London Heart Charm
The Links of London Heart Charm is one of the most recognisable designs from the original brand, available in multiple variations over the years.
- Classic Polished Silver – Like the one we restored, these feature a timeless, high-shine finish.
- Enamel Variants – Some featured coloured enamel inlays, adding a playful touch to the design.
- Oxidised Versions – A darker, antique-style patina gave these charms a vintage appeal.
- Miniature and Double Heart Designs – The heart charm also came in a smaller version and was sometimes paired with another for a double heart charm look.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm
These charms weren’t just made for bracelets—many wearers also styled them as pendants on necklaces, thanks to their built-in bail, which accommodates a variety of chain styles.
Step-by-Step: Restoring the Heart Charm
Jewellery restoration is a delicate balance between repairing wear and preserving character. The heart charm we worked on showed significant surface marks, particularly along the edges—likely from years of movement on a charm bracelet. Here’s how we restored it:
1. Surface Refinement with a Satin Polishing Wheel
To tackle deep scratches and dents, we started with a satin polishing wheel.
✅ This step removes the heaviest wear without excessive material loss.
✅ It allows for targeted restoration, focusing only on the most damaged areas.
Close-up of the satin polishing wheel removing deep scratches from the heart charm.
2. Barrel Polishing – Ceramic Media for a Uniform Finish
Next, we placed the charm into a barrel polisher with ceramic media for over an hour.
✅ The ceramic media helps to flatten the surface and even out the finish.
✅ It reaches intricate areas like inside the bail and around the jump ring, where hand polishing is difficult.
✅ This stage leaves the charm with a soft matte finish, preparing it for the next level of polishing.
The heart charm inside a barrel polisher filled with ceramic media for smoothing.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm using ceramic chips
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm in a Rotabarrel
3. Barrel Polishing – Mixed Stainless Steel Shot for Initial Shine
After ceramic polishing, the charm was placed in the barrel polisher again, but this time with stainless steel shot.
✅ This burnishes the metal, smoothing out imperfections.
✅ It gives the charm a satin-bright finish, bringing out its natural shine.
✅ This is where many manufacturers would stop, but we take it further!
Stainless steel mixed shot inside a barrel polisher, used for brightening the silver charm.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm using Rotabarrel
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm
4. Hand Finishing for a True Mirror Polish
While the machine polishing provides an excellent base, hand-finishing gives the highest possible shine.
✅ We used Hyfin polishing compound (designed for stainless steel but highly effective on sterling silver).
✅ A soft reflex mop was used to bring the charm to a true mirror finish.
✅ This final step ensures no remaining scratches or dull areas, making the charm look as good—if not better—than it did originally.
A jeweler using a soft mop and Hyfin polishing compound to achieve a mirror finish.
The Links of London heart charm on a jeweler’s polishing motor for a final hand polish.
A jeweler holding the heart charm to highlight its size and three-dimensional design.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm ultrasonic cleaning
5. Restoring the Split Ring for Secure Wear
The charm originally came with a split ring attachment, allowing it to be easily added to Sweetie Bracelets or other charm carriers.
✅ We straightened, reshaped, and polished the split ring separately before reattaching it.
A magnified view of the restored heart charm showing its highly reflective surface.
The Finished Result: A Timeless Piece, Ready to Wear
The restored Links of London Heart Charm is now shining like new and ready for a new life. Whether worn on a bracelet, a necklace, or even added as a sentimental keepsake, this vintage charm is a piece of history that still holds modern appeal.
A light box shot of the fully restored heart charm, now polished to a mirror finish.
✔️ Perfect for Sweetie Bracelets – Can be attached via a split ring or even hard-soldered for a permanent fixture.
✔️ Ideal as a Pendant – The 8mm x 6mm bail makes it an easy fit for most chains.
✔️ Beautifully Restored – While keeping the character of vintage jewellery, we’ve ensured it looks stunning for its next owner.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm
Where to Find This Charm?
This fully restored vintage Links of London Heart Charm is now available in the Links London store. If you’re looking for a piece of jewellery that carries history, craftsmanship, and elegance, this is the perfect find.
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm
💎 Shop Vintage & Restored Links of London Jewellery: Links.London
Restoring a Vintage Links of London Heart Charm
📺 Watch the Full Restoration Video on YouTube:
Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes jewellery restorations, as we continue reviving and celebrating the legacy of Links of London!
