How Local Jewellers Can Provide You with Your Perfect Watch

As is the case with many major purchases, some people are not confident when buying watches. More often than not, a quality watch will be a relatively expensive purchase and nobody wants to spend money on a watch that is not right for them or does not suit their needs or taste.

But there is help at hand, in the form of a professional high street jeweller. By following advice from a reputable local jeweller, shoppers will be able to recognise quality watches, know what to look out for and what to avoid, leaving you with a watch perfect for your needs.

Know What You Want

There are many different types of watches, all of which have different purposes. Knowing what type of watch you prefer will allow you to sift through the inappropriate styles and models and focus solely on a watch that interests you.

Speak to your local jeweller about your specific requirements. If you want a watch for evening wear, a good jeweller will be able to show you a selection of high end quality watches that look classy and stylish. Alternatively, if you want a watch to wear during sports, your jeweller should point you in the direction of custom made tough and durable watches with strong straps.

A quality jeweller will be more than happy to help you find a watch with all the features that you require.

Get to Know the Terminology

When shopping for watches online, there are many technical terms that you will see appearing again and again. But what do these terms mean? Do they matter to the type of watch you are buying? What is the most important term to look out for? By actually speaking to a local jeweller he or she will be able to explain what these terms mean, what to look out for and whether the watch you want needs to have these features.

This type of intimate advice is simply not available online. A high street jeweller is a trained expert who knows the industry inside out. Trust their judgement and take their advice!

Purchasing Gold Jewellery: how to tell the Genuine from the Fake

Gold has been used to make jewellery for thousands of years and it’s easy to see why. This precious yellow metal is soft enough to be worked into the most intricate designs yet it is also durable and never tarnishes. Wearing a piece of beautiful gold jewellery has always been a desirable way of displaying status and wealth.

Unfortunately for purchasers, fake gold jewellery has been around for almost as long as the genuine thing. Although there’s nothing wrong with wearing a piece of imitation jewellery if you know that’s what it is, nobody wants to unwittingly buy fake gold that has been passed off as real, ‘solid gold’ that is only gold-plated, or 9 carat gold sold as 22 carat.

Many professional jewellers and gold dealers develop a sixth sense that alerts them to suspicious items, but even experts can sometimes be fooled. The only certain way of proving something is made of gold, and determining the quality of that gold, is by scientific testing using acids or specialist electronic equipment.

So how can an inexperienced buyer tell the difference between genuine and fake gold jewellery? Here are a few signs you should look out for:

Hallmarks

In the UK all gold items offered for sale, and over 1 gram in weight, are legally required to be tested and hallmarked. This can be done by one of the UK’s four independent assay offices or by an assay office in one of the European countries that are recognised by the UK as having the same high standards.

A hallmark isn’t a guarantee of authenticity as a piece of fake jewellery can have a false hallmark, but if you familiarise yourself with genuine hallmarks you might be able to spot a fake.

To confuse the issue, if you are buying antique or second-hand jewellery the hallmark might have been worn away or removed during repair work. The lack of a hallmark could also indicate gold that was originally bought abroad.

Look and feel

Gold is a heavy metal so be suspicious of a piece that seems light for its size.

On second-hand jewellery small areas of gold plating might be rubbed away to reveal a different metal below.

A piece of jewellery that is attracted to a magnet is definitely not gold, but the magnet test is not 100% accurate as other metals including copper, silver and lead are also non-magnetic.

Workmanship

Good quality gold jewellery is usually made by skilled craftsmen. Rough edges, crude engraving or anything that looks as though it hasn’t been carefully finished could be a fake. Links in gold chains are always soldered shut so they cannot accidentally slip apart, and clasps are firmly attached.

Source

Who is selling the jewellery? With today’s high gold prices there are few genuine bargains around so beware of anyone offering very cheap gold jewellery. Be especially careful about buying at markets or car boot sales where the trader does not display any contact details. If you later find you have been sold a fake your chances of recovering your money are practically nil.

For complete peace of mind buy your gold jewellery from a reputable jeweller, preferably one that is a member of a recognised trade organisation such as the National Association of Goldsmiths. A professional jeweller will be happy to answer your questions and give advice if needed. Take your time to properly examine each piece. Purchasing genuine gold jewellery is not something to rush if you want to be sure of selecting a piece that is exactly right for you or the person you intend giving it to.

How Remodelling Can Give Your Old Jewellery New Life

Do you own some pieces of jewellery that you never wear? Perhaps you have a necklace that was fashionable when you bought it but now looks dated. Or you might have inherited a brooch or bracelet that has great sentimental value but simply isn’t your style. And what about all those bits and pieces: single earrings and cufflinks that have lost their partners, a ring with a missing stone, or a damaged pendant?

Instead of continuing to hide them away, or selling them for their scrap value, why not investigate the possibility of having unworn pieces of jewellery expertly remodelled into attractive new pieces?

A professional jeweller who offers a remodelling service will usually be able to suggest a number of ways in which the precious metals or gemstones in a piece of jewellery could be altered or rearranged. Most will also do their best to incorporate your own ideas into the new design.

Some ways in which old jewellery can be given a new lease of life include:

· taking precious stones from an old-fashioned setting and putting them into a more modern setting

· breaking up a large piece such as an ornate necklace or tiara to create several smaller pieces

· simplifying over fussy designs

· incorporating small ‘odd’ pieces into a new larger piece

· making a new piece from melted down damaged gold, silver or platinum

In today’s economic climate few people can afford to buy new jewellery just because they no longer like their old pieces. Recycling old jewellery by having it remodelled not only allows you to enjoy wearing something that would otherwise be discarded but the new piece will have the added advantage of being unique. For example, a fairly ordinary mass-produced pendant could be remodelled into a stunning one-off brooch or a pair of earrings that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Or perhaps the new piece of jewellery could feature your initials or a symbol that has a special meaning for you to make it even more personal.

When someone admires your ‘new’ jewellery it will be up to you to decide whether or not to tell them you’ve had it for years!

For the best results look for a jeweller whose work you like and who is experienced in remodelling all types of jewellery. If your jewellery includes diamonds or other precious gems it’s important that you only entrust them to someone qualified to work with them.