Many Jewellers offer a repair service, but is your jewellery always in safe hands when being repaired? Your local independent jeweller will often repair on the premises. Many jewellers – especially high street chains – don't. So what happens to your precious jewellery if it's not being repaired on the premises? Where exactly will it be repaired if it's not being repaired on site, as a local jewellery shop often would? How do you know that your precious jewellery will be looked after? Well, here's a few things to bear in mind when thinking about having your jewellery repaired:
First of all, it's important to find out exactly where your jewellery will be repaired. As mentioned above, quite often jewellers, especially high street chains, will send jewellery away to be repaired, rather than repairing it on site like a local jeweller normally would. If repairs aren't carried out on site, your cherished jewellery will often travel to its destination by post, which is a great risk for your precious pieces.
Can you imagine the horror of being told that your beautiful engagement ring, selected by your fiancé and full of sentimental value, has been lost in the post and may never be returned to you? Or a precious family heirloom, which is one of a kind and has been handed down for generations, has been mislaid during transit? If these scenarios fill you with dread, ask your local independent jeweller about their repair services. A local jewellery shop will often have experts on site, and they may very well carry out repairs on their premises. Not only will this be less risky as your jewellery will not need to be transported anywhere, but by asking your local jeweller to carry out a repair, it will often be quicker too.
Similarly, check where your jewellery will be kept whilst being repaired. Will your piece be held in a safe place, and is there adequate insurance in place? Your local independent jeweller should be very able to reassure you in this respect, by keeping your jewellery in a locked safe at all times and by ensuring that they have enough insurance cover in place in the unlikely event of anything going wrong. For your piece of mind and as proof of ownership, always make sure that you receive a receipt for your item of jewellery - your local jewellery shop will be happy to provide a receipt if entrusted with your piece. You should also make sure that you choose a jeweller with long term expertise and experience; high street chains may not have as much experience as a local independent jeweller who has been in the business for years, so it's worth checking this out.
Be aware also that there are, unfortunately, unscrupulous chains who will tell you that your jewellery cannot be repaired and suggest you buy a new piece instead; a local independent jeweller will always do their best to repair your piece if possible, or may suggest remodelling the piece if it's not possible to repair it. At least this way, if the item of jewellery was a gift or an heirloom, you'll have your original piece to keep as part of the remodelled design.
Jewellery is so precious and sentimental, it's important to know that it will be safe if it's ever in need of a repair. Your local independent jeweller knows the importance of your jewellery (after all, they work with jewellery every day and know what your jewellery means to you!) and they will always do their very best to care for your pieces and repair them if possible. Therefore, if you've got a treasured item of jewellery that's in need of repair, why not seek out a reputable local jewellery shop? That way, your beautiful jewellery will be in safe hands!
