Let me start by saying this is not a “Karen” dig because my wife’s name is Karen and a few months ago she asked a question that led me to write this blog.

I have been performing all types of jewellery repairs from the first day I started in business back in 1980. I have been willing to take almost any repair in, even those from other stores and yes, even those from online sellers.

I found it odd that my Karen asked about repairs, but she was asking from the point of view of what is actually done to fix a jewellery item; more a what is done rather than do I even do the repair.   Then twice in one week, clients in the store asked if I did repairs.

Not all stores do repairs.

After a bit of checking around, I realized that not all stores do repairs.  Some do not do any.  Some only work on their own product.  I know that the service involved in offering repairs takes more time, more costs and more training and expertise.  I have been lucky to have an amazing goldsmith on premises for over three decades.  And now, I have added two more excellent and conscientious goldsmiths to handle more aspects of repairs and a greater workload.  I have even added a modern state of the art laser to aid in delicate welding that conventional techniques cannot handle.

Many stores stay away from repairs because they are one of the biggest sources of dissatisfaction by customers.  In my store, my staff and I spend a lot of extra time with customers explaining what needs to be done and even how it is done.  I spend time showing my staff what to look for and how to determine what needs to be done.  And to benefit the customer, I have a special digital microscope and special 60-inch touch screen TV to help show customers what I am talking about.  

This ring is shown from two sides.  The bezel was ripped off the center diamond by a careless goldsmith.  The blue lines show where the gold is cracked and lifting.  The way it came in was sharp and the center diamond was no longer secure.  The repair involved rebuilding the gold on the bezel.

Telling the customer, their shank is worn, or tips are gone, and the gemstone is abraided may be terms a client doesn’t understand.  That is where our tools and training help show our customers.  I can show you a worn-out tip or shank on our giant monitor.  The terms jewellers use daily that may seem foreign will make sense when seen on the screen and explained.

Will you repair anything?

Some items are just not repairable, such as costume pieces or very worn-out gold items.  Others can be repaired but at a cost that is more than starting over and remaking the item.  Once I assess the item, I inform the customer of what is needed.  If the repair is risky or won’t come out looking like new, I will let the customer know.  Generally, I will try to repair almost anything.  

The ring to the left has diamonds marked in purple that are broken and many of the tips are worn down.  There were also several tips cracked and the shank was badly worn.  This ring was not repaired but remade.

How long does a repair take?

The general answer is three days to three weeks.  If I don’t have parts or gemstones, I may have to wait a week or more before I can start.  If our current workload is heavy, I may not be able to start the repair for a few days.  And our policy is first in, first out.  I would like to say that our average repair turn around time is about a week.

At times, it can be very difficult to offer proper repairs in a timely fashion.  I often think something I read on the menu of a very nice restaurant, that said, “It takes time to prepare your food properly. This isn’t a fast-food establishment.”  This is also why I rarely do repairs while a customer is waiting.  Rushes lead to missed steps and disappointing results.

I will also turn down items that I know won’t last.  For example, when a ring comes in and needs all the tips repaired but the client wants only the ring sized.  The problem with that is the ring may have diamonds fall out in our cleaner or minutes after the client leaves the store.  I don’t want to do incomplete repairs.  

I have had items come in that can be repaired but won’t look like the original item.  These are the repairs that can be disappointing for a customer.  I would like to say that every repair can be made to look new, but that would not be truthful.  Some items just can’t be put back to the day they were purchased.  This is where we strive to inform the customer before I start the repair.  

What about setting diamonds from an online purchase?

Yes, I will set diamonds from your online purchase.  It isn’t my favorite because I am only providing labor and often was never given the opportunity to even quote on a product.  Where the issue gets sticky is when a customer brings us a diamond bought from an online source and a ring from another source and asks me to set the diamond.  The issue is who warrantees the ring?  As I only set the diamond and have no knowledge of the gold quality or how the ring was made, I cannot offer a warrantee on a repair such as that.  In those cases, I would strongly suggest the customer has me provide an appraisal to buy added individual insurance on the jewellery item.  

Our goal of 100% satisfaction.

It has always been my goal to totally please every customer with the level of care and quality of work provided for a repair.  That is a lofty goal and almost impossible, but I stick to the goal. To be truthful, I have not hit it but I am confident that the store hits more than 95% satisfaction.  

There are a lot of things done that are not even mentioned when the repair comes in.  First and foremost, our system takes a picture of every repair and that is on the claim stub given to the customer, Secondly, every item in our care is fully insured against theft or loss while in our care.  Our take-in system is very involved and meticulous to prevent errors and mix-ups.  If a quote is given and something is found that costs more, the client is called before any work is done or any extra charges are billed.  Once an estimate is given for the work performed, the quote is locked in.  If we missed something and the cost goes up, that is our problem and won’t be added to your bill, unless you were notified before the work was done

The last steps in a repair is to clean and polish the item to make it look like new.  White gold pieces are rhodium plated.  Items will look as close to new as possible and many times, clients tell me the item looks better than when they bought the piece (from other stores of course).

After the repair is complete, a quality control check is done on every single piece.  Often by more than myself.  

There is a lot done to make every repair as good as possible. And I have to say that some of my most loyal customers have been the result of a repair I have done for them.

So, yes Karen, I do jewellery repairs.