Cost to Start a Jewelry Repair Business (Free Calculator)
You can start a jewelry repair business for as little as $970–$1,600 with a basic jeweler's bench kit, enough for sizing, retipping, and simple solder repairs. A full-time solo setup with a soldering station and stone-setting tools runs about $2,700–$4,700, and a pro bench with laser welding and casting equipment pushes it to $17,000–$29,000+. Use the calculator below to build your own number.
Build your jewelry repair startup budget
Pick a budget tier, edit any price to match your market, and see your real startup cost, monthly overhead, and how many repairs it takes to break even. No signup, no email.
A basic jeweler's bench kit — ring sizers, pliers, files, a torch — enough to start sizing, retipping, and simple solder repairs.
Equipment
Supplies & materials
Licensing & setup
Monthly costs
Equipment
Supplies & materials
Licensing & setup
Branding & marketing
Monthly costs
Equipment
Supplies & materials
Licensing & setup
Branding & marketing
Monthly costs
The honest range: $970 to $29,000+
Jewelry repair’s range on “how much does it cost to start” comes down to what kind of repairs you can take — sizing and retipping need only basic bench tools; stone setting needs precision equipment; laser welding and custom casting are their own investment tier entirely.
Most jewelers start with a basic bench kit for everyday repairs, then add soldering and setting equipment as demand for higher-ticket work grows.
Tier 1 — Bootstrap (~$970–$1,600)
A basic jeweler’s bench kit — ring sizers, pliers, files, a torch — plus a loupe and starter solder supplies, enough to start sizing, retipping, and simple solder repairs.
- Basic bench kit (~$500) — sizers, pliers, files, torch
- Loupe & bench lamp (~$100) — precision work essentials
- Solder & flux (~$120) — the working supplies
Tier 2 — Serious Solo (~$2,700–$4,700)
The upgrade that changes the business is a proper soldering station and stone-setting tools — this opens up higher-ticket work like prong retips, stone resets, and small custom jobs beyond basic sizing.
Tier 3 — Pro Rig ($17,000–$29,000+)
A laser welding machine does precision repairs impossible with a torch — resizing near stones, platinum work, intricate repairs — and a casting setup lets you take on custom pieces. This is what separates a shop that can take on any piece from one that can’t.
Don’t forget the monthly number
Startup cost is the one-time hit; monthly overhead against what you charge decides whether the business works. Solo, budget roughly $260–$460/month, mostly metal and stone inventory passed through to clients, plus insurance and booking/invoicing software. At a $120 average repair, covering $250 of overhead takes about two repairs.
The calculator turns that into a single line: how many repairs it takes to break even.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a jewelry repair business?
A lean start is $970–$1,600 with a basic bench kit (ring sizers, pliers, files, torch), a loupe, and starter solder and flux supplies — enough for sizing, retipping, and simple solder repairs. A full-time solo setup with a soldering station and stone-setting tools runs $2,700–$4,700.
Do you need a laser welder to start jewelry repair?
No — a torch-based soldering station handles the majority of everyday repair work: sizing, retipping, and basic chain and stone-setting jobs. A laser welder becomes worth it once you're regularly turning away precision work like resizing near stones or platinum repairs.
What equipment do you need to start jewelry repair?
The non-negotiables are ring sizers, pliers, files, a torch, and a loupe. Stone-setting tools and a bench polisher are the Serious Solo upgrade. A laser welder and casting setup are for the pro tier — precision and custom work a torch can't do.
What are the ongoing monthly costs of a jewelry repair business?
Budget roughly $260–$460 a month solo: metal stock and stone inventory ($200–$400, largely passed through to clients), plus general liability and inventory insurance ($40–$100), plus booking/invoicing software.
Is a jewelry repair business profitable?
Yes — priced from a bench rate of $65–$125/hour delivered as per-task prices, with sizing at $40–$120 and stone setting at $30–$100 per stone. At a $120 average repair, the Bootstrap tier pays for itself in about 8 repairs.