Handbag Hardware Replating & Scratch Removal

Handbag Hardware Replating and Scratch Removal

Hardware is the jewellery of a handbag, and like jewellery, it scratches, tarnishes and wears its plating thin. A dull, scratched turn lock or a buckle rubbed to base metal ages a bag more than almost any leather wear. The fix is a jeweller’s-grade one: polishing and replating.

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What happens to hardware

Most luxury hardware is base metal (often brass) with a thin plated finish in gold, palladium, ruthenium or silver tones. Daily contact with hands, keys and surfaces abrades the plating; humidity and skin oils tarnish it. Once plating wears through, the duller base metal shows, no amount of polishing at home brings the finish back, because the finish is literally gone. Chanel turncocks and hardware overtime can start to go silver, due to oxidation from exposure to creams, oils, chemicals and heat. At The Reco Lab, we clean, remove tarnishing and gold plate the hardware parts back to gold. 

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Polishing vs replating

Polishing suits hardware where the plating is intact but dulled or lightly scratched, the surface is refined and brightened without adding metal. Replating is for worn-through or deeply scratched pieces: the hardware is polished back, then electroplated with new precious metal. We documented a 24k gold replating on a Louis Vuitton buckle that returned heavily scratched, tarnished hardware to a refined finish.

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Honest notes

Colour matching matters: “gold” varies between houses and eras, and we match tone carefully, including aged and antiqued finishes. Engraved logos and stampings are preserved through the process. Where hardware is broken rather than worn, a failed Chanel turn lock, a snapped clasp. Replacement with authentic-spec components is the path instead. C

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Pricing

Hardware polishing starts from $120, plating work from $125, and full 24k replating is quoted individually. A minimum booking applies to all work; we’ll confirm everything in your quote.

Hardware lost its shine? Send close-up photos of each piece and we’ll advise polish vs replate.

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FAQ

Will replating remove the engraved logo? No. Engravings and stampings are preserved. Plating adds microns of metal over the existing surface.

Can you match rose gold and antique finishes? Yes. Tone matching across gold shades and aged finishes is part of the assessment.

Is it worth replating a single scratched zip pull? Often yes when done alongside other work; we’ll advise honestly if a piece is better polished than plated.