Your jewelry or valuable item can face damage or need maintenance over time. Since jewelry is something humans adore, they want to keep it intact and shiny. But sometimes, the unfortunate events can lead to ruining the design or damaging our item. In such cases, it is important to rely on a jewelry service that can repair your item and bring it back to its former glory.
Here in this article, we will be discussing jewelry repair shops as well as the services they generally provide so that you know what to expect from them.
Local Jewelry Shop VS Authorized Service Center
Your item may be fixed by either a local jeweler or an authorized Service Center, but there are some key differences between the two.
Experience of Local Jewelry Shop
Your local jeweler gives you the unique opportunity to get individual attention in a one-on-one setting. You will have the chance to discuss the specific problem you are experiencing, as well as the cost of the repair and the estimated amount of time it will take.
Depending on what you want, they may either fix it themselves in-house or send it out to be repaired by their repair specialist, who may be a third-party business. If you have problems with your jewelry, such as a broken clasp, or need it cleaned, they will probably be able to fix it in-house. However, extensive changes or customizations will be done elsewhere.
Repair shops for jewelry are not always considered to be approved service facilities. They may in fact be capable of doing the repair you need, but since they are not approved by the manufacturer, they are unable to honor warranties or guarantee the quality of their work. Therefore, even if you opted to repair your watch, ring, necklace, or bracelet yourself, you would still be in violation of the warranty on the item in question.
Now, it is conceivable that the business near you is an approved service center. For instance, if you have a Tiffany bracelet and the store near you is a Tiffany jeweler or an authorized Tiffany repair shop, then the guarantee on your bracelet will be respected.
Experience of Authorized Service Center
Sending your item in for repair is your best option if there is no nearby authorized service facility and the item is still covered by its manufacturer’s guarantee. Because of this, the repair expert will be able to vouch for the quality of their job and guarantee it for a certain period of time. In addition, if your warranty is still active, the repair can be provided at no additional cost to you.
In the case that you are still covered, you will be required to provide an original receipt together with a proof of purchase date in order to demonstrate that you are entitled to warranty benefits. When purchasing some pieces of high-end jewelry, you may be asked to fill out a specialized warranty card that is included with the item.
Types of Repair that Jewelry Repair Services Provide
Your local stores can probably fix most problems, and they probably have some positive customer comments about restoring old, damaged items to their previous glory. The following is, for the most service that you will generally get:
- Sizing: Ladies and Gents with Yellow and White Gold, Sterling Silver, Platinum
- Shanking: FingerFit, SuperFit, and Inside Shank Beads
- Ring Soldering: Sterling Silver, Gold, and Platinum for Breaks and Soldering 2 or More Rings Together
- Finishes: Florentine, Sandblast, Satin Finishes, and Rhodium Plating
- Prong and Tip Work: Repairs and Replacement Including V Prongs as well as Stone Head Replacement
- Stone Setting: Prong Setting, Channel Setting, Bezel Setting, Pave Setting, Bead Setting, Invisible Setting
- Stone Tightening/Setting: Rounds, Marquise, Princess, and other Fancy Cuts
- Chain Repair: Soldering Breaks, Clasp Repair, Adding and Removing Links, Fabricating Links, Charm Additions
- Pearl and Bead Restringing: Knotted and Unknotted, Including Graduated Strands, Sorting, and Multiple Strand Pieces
- Miscellaneous Sterling Silver Repair: Rings, Chain, ID Bracelets, Medical Alert Bracelets
- Custom Engraving: Inside Rings and Memorable Gifts
- Watch Repair: Battery, Band, Crystal Replacement, and Movement Repairs
- Complete Jewelry Restoration Services
- Diamond and Gemstone Polishing and Re-cutting
How to Choose a Jewelry Repair Service Near You?
It is recommended that you begin your search for a qualified jeweler in your local area before looking further out. If you are in a big city or a suburb, you will most likely have a number of choices in the local area.
Those of you who live in more remote locations may find it helpful to visit the local shop closest to you in order to enquire about your problem and ask for some suggestions. It is likely that they will give you an honest suggestion and lay out the available alternatives for you.
You should be able to identify jewelry repair shops close to me by doing a fast search on Google Maps (see above), which should give you various possibilities in your area. Calling around is the greatest way to locate the solution that meets your needs. In an ideal situation, you should check to see whether the local business that can solve your problem is certified and has previous expertise in doing so.
Some repair businesses may be able to provide you with photographs of previous jobs that are comparable to the one you need. On their website, you may also be able to read reviews as well as testimonials from previous customers.
How Much Will it Cost to Fix My Jewelry?
The price of the repair will vary based on the condition of the problem, the components that are still available, and the manufacturer of your jewelry. A damaged crystal on a Timex watch is likely to be less expensive to replace than a broken crystal on a Rolex watch. Before beginning any job, a competent jeweler should be able to offer an estimate of the costs involved. Free estimates are provided upfront at the jewelry repair shops in the local area before the service.